SEB Bank will provide a EUR 40 million green loan to Verslo Investicijos, a company affiliated with Eika, one of the largest real estate development and management companies in Lithuania, which manages the Flow office center. The office center is expected to become a sustainability flagship in Vilnius.
“Current market conditions encourage the construction of sustainable and modern buildings, and financing sustainable business centers is one of the bank’s priorities. By providing a loan to an office center that meets the highest sustainability standards, we contribute to the European Union’s sustainability goals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions during construction and building operation. Therefore, by continuing our long-term cooperation with Eika, we are simultaneously ensuring more sustainable development of the city,” says Artūras Vingrys, Head of the Business Clients and Institutions Department at SEB Bank.
The bank is also refinancing the owners’ investments that have already been made.
According to Domas Dargis, CEO of Eika Group, the new business center is unique in its architecture, convenience and the highest standards of sustainability. “SEB Bank financing gives us the opportunity to continue contributing to the sustainable development of the city, to create and develop the highest quality buildings and spaces, which we ourselves, as residents of Vilnius, can be proud of. In addition, after implementing the construction of one of the most sustainable business centers in Lithuania, we are already thinking about even more ambitious future projects,” says D. Dargis.
The Flow business space, which was built over two years and consists of two connected parts of a fifteen- and twenty-story building, covers an area of 15 thousand square meters. The building is designed according to the A++ energy efficiency class standard. The business center is equipped with a 3-story underground parking lot, a salt room with music and light therapy, and a massage room for body relaxation and recovery.
When developing Flow, solutions were sought at the design stage that would make the building friendly to the environment and the people working here, so from the very first steps it was decided to comply with the international sustainable building standard BREEAM, which sets extremely high requirements for environmental impact, energy saving, water quality, materials and land use. Among other things, this commercial project has installed advanced ventilation, irrigation, efficient heating and lighting systems, some of which also comply with the WELL sustainability standard, which ensure comfort and a sustainable environment for every working day. There are only a few such buildings in Vilnius so far. Flow is also one of the most sustainable business centers in the Baltic States.
Soon, a landscaped terrace with work and relaxation areas and panoramic views of the Neris River and Vilnius Old Town will open its doors on the sixteenth floor.
SEB Bank implements its sustainability strategy by providing loans to companies that strive to operate sustainably and financing projects that promote green change, advising clients on green opportunities in business, and developing sustainable investment services.