The journal Administrative Director has published an article on green construction. Alexander Ustinov, an office property manager for RD Management, shared his thoughts on this subject with the publication.
“Obtaining green certification represents a strong competitive advantage and is good marketing component for a project that helps improve its image as well as positively influence the reputation of the developer and managing company,” Alexander Ustinov told the publication.
Thanks to the more demanding requirements for the quality of the finishing materials and engineering systems, the microclimate and work conditions are better in green buildings. There are economic advantages as well. The owner of a green building reduces operating costs through the reduction of energy and water use. Moreover, a competitive advantage is created which attracts tenants who are concerned about the comfort and health of their employees.
According to the expert, such initiatives as waste management and bicycle racks have ceased to be considered fashionable trends and are simply a part of effective management. “In addition to the dry financial assessment and calculation of payback periods, there is also an assessment of building users’ satisfaction and health. After all, these are the aspects which create added value for a piece of real estate which skeptics often do not take into consideration,” the expert concludes.
RECEIVING BREEAM CERTIFICATION
Certification of the Romanov Dvor business center was carried out by BRE Global, which evaluated the property according to a wide variety of parameters: building management, energy efficiency, transport accessibility, quality of building materials, internal environment, CO2 emissions reduction, etc.
In preparation for BREEAM certification, RD Management (part of RD Group) carried out an energy audit, which identified opportunities for substantial savings by using the most advanced energy systems. One interesting detail is the fact that birdhouses were installed at Romanov Dvor as part of measures undertaken to achieve compliance with the standards for BREEAM In-Use International. Furthermore, the business center also added a bicycle parking rack.