Coresi Business Park recently obtained the BREEAM Very Good sustainability certificate, thus becoming the first green development in Brașov

Coresi Business Park, the class A office project developed by Ascenta Management on the former Tractorul industrial platform in Brașov, Romania, recently obtained the BREEAM Very Good sustainability certificate for its first two buildings, thus becoming the first green development in Brașov. BuildGreen, the market leader in consultancy in the field of design, development and certification of sustainable buildings in Romania, coordinated the certification process. The two companies are now working together to certify the second phase of the project.

Buildings T39 and T42, part of the first development phase of the Coresi Business Park project, obtained the Very Good level of certification according to BREEAM 2013 norms for new constructions and major renovation projects. Between 2012-2016, the buildings went through an extensive renovation process, complemented by the delivery of 14,000 sqm of modern office space which is currently fully let and hosts international tenants such as IBM, Waters, Raiffeisen Bank, eValue, Siemens . Ascenta Management provided customized layout solutions to ensure flexible and practical partitioning in individual, group or open office spaces, achieving an average net efficiency of 85% in gross space occupancy.

"The transformation of a part of the former industrial platform Tractorul Brașov into modern office spaces, class A, allowed us to keep the emblematic Office Tower, designed by Octav Doicescu in 1920, and to deliver unconventional, contemporary offices with industrial architectural elements, such as high ceilings and dormer windows. At the same time, the conversion generated significant savings: 10,000 m3 of construction materials, including concrete and brick, were saved by keeping the existing industrial structures and 50,000 m3 of waste materials, such as crushed concrete resulting from demolition, were reused. Also, our tenants can enjoy 20,000 square meters of landscaped green spaces that make Coresi Business Park a modern business campus." comments Silviu Savin, Partner of Ascenta Management, developer of Coresi Business Park.

Class A office conversions feature contemporary architecture with unobstructed floor to ceiling heights ranging from 3m to 6m in loft conversions and benefit from natural light, raised floors, full HVAC solutions and systems four pipe fan coils, top technical equipment, safe and unlimited electricity supply. Reducing the cooling and overheating of buildings, thus contributing to lower energy consumption, was a priority during the renovation process and was achieved by optimizing the proportions of the facade and using modern insulating materials that ensure high thermal performance throughout the year.

The assessment and certification process began in 2013 and was coordinated by BuildGreen. The company provided consulting and assessment services according to BREEAM standards, design consultancy and sustainable procurement, such as defining the sustainability strategy, thermal and energy modelling, life cycle assessment of the building and related costs, acoustic assessment and solutions to improve natural light.

BuildGreen and Ascenta Management are currently working on the BREEAM certification of the second phase of Coresi Business Park, which will include three low-rise buildings. The first building, named L1, is already under construction and due for delivery in Q2 2016, while the next two are under development.

"We are proud to contribute to the sustainable certification of the Coresi Business Park project and, more than that, we are honored by the trust the developer has placed in us in this endeavor. Being the first successfully completed certification process in Brașov, the Coresi Business Park certification provides a positive example to the local market and sets the stage for a more rigorous approach to sustainable development in secondary cities. The main advantages of the T39 and T42 buildings include the excellent positioning and single-level layout with a generous floor area, which leads to increased space efficiency and increased accessibility", claims Răzvan Nica, Managing Director of BuildGreen.

Coresi Business Park is a class A business center, developed on the former Tractorul industrial platform in Brașov. The project is one of the largest urban regeneration initiatives, transforming 12 hectares of old industrial buildings into a business area with a contemporary look. The first phase of Coresi Business Park comprises approximately 25,000 sqm of non-conventional office space with industrial architectural elements. The restored and transformed buildings offer all class A facilities. The Coresi Business Park masterplan includes a balanced mix of conversions of industrial spaces into class A office spaces and new buildings, in the next 10 years the total area of the park will reach 100,000 sq m built (2015-2025). Complementing the existing office spaces, the project will include 10 new, modern, low-rise office buildings (P+3E/4E).

BREEAM is one of the leading methodologies used to assess and certify buildings, infrastructure works and master plans worldwide. The methodology covers projects at various stages of development such as New Construction, Refurbishment and Existing Buildings Globally, there are over 541,700 BREEAM certified properties and approximately 2,238,300 buildings have been registered for assessment since launch system in 1990. BREEAM inspires developers to innovate, excel and use resources efficiently. Through increased attention to sustainability and efficiency, BREEAM-certified buildings are more attractive to investors and generate more sustainable and healthier environments for their occupants.