Real estate (RE) development company Eika is developing the Metų laikai residential quarter in the Visoriai district of the capital, aiming to obtain the BREEAM In-Use sustainability certificate. This is the first residential project in the company’s history to be awarded the international building sustainability label, recognized worldwide.
The BREEAM In-Use (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certificate confirms that a building that has already been built and is in use meets the high environmental and sustainability requirements set out in the standards. In order to obtain a BREEAM certificate, the following categories are assessed: indoor environment (health and well-being), energy consumption, transport, water consumption, resource use, waste management, greenery and pollution. Currently, a preliminary assessment has been carried out according to the certification procedure, and the final certification of the residential project will be completed and the certificate issued at least 12 months after the start of operation.
“In the company’s practice, certification of commercial buildings is really nothing new – the business centers “Eika Business Center”, “Live Square”, “135”, and the hotel “Hilton Garden Inn” that we developed and managed were audited according to sustainability standards, all areas to be changed were reviewed, and later improved solutions were also implemented, so today these business centers are rated with perhaps the highest possible “BREEAM” ratings. By implementing the sustainability strategy, we have taken another step towards certification of residential buildings, where so far less attention has been paid to environmentally friendly solutions in the country – only one residential building has been certified in Lithuania. Following global building sustainability guidelines, we hope to successfully implement the project and be favorably evaluated by both our clients and sustainability experts,” shares Jolanta Dobradziejienė, development project manager at the company “Eika”.
“Seasons” will create even more convenience for both future and existing residents of the district: a road section will be renovated next to the project being developed on Visorių Street, a traffic circle and a bicycle path will be installed, a space for the community to gather will be created in front of the block, and adjacent spaces will be abundantly landscaped. The project territory borders a forest on the northern side, so public walkways will be installed between different stages and all residents of the district will be able to access it conveniently from now on. According to J. Dobradziejienė, after the preliminary assessment, we realized that the project we are developing, as we designed it, meets the desired “BREEAM In-Use Very Good” rating, and achieving the “Excellent” rating requires very little effort and solutions. The building will be equipped with a common bicycle storage room with wall and floor bicycle racks, a repair station, according to the “Eika” standard. 25 electric car stations with the possibility of power sharing will also be installed. Individual CO2 sensors will be installed in the living rooms and kitchens of the evaluated apartments, and additional garbage sorting options will be added to the project environment.
The audit of the “Metų kėnai” project is carried out by a third party – a licensed BREEAM assessor – Rasita Krasuckienė, UAB “Pastatų sertifitai”, and the certificate is issued by the organization BRE Global. The latter reviews the quality of the information and documents provided by the assessor several times before granting the certificate.