The first construction project P3 has delivered in compliance with the BREEAM Refurbishment and fit-out framework has been awarded an ‘Excellent’ rating for sustainability.
‘Building L’ in Horní Počernice park in Prague, Czech Republic, has won the coveted certification which applies exclusively to the redevelopment of existing properties. A key criterion of the BREEAM Refurbishment and fit-out framework is the retention, improvement, and future proofing of an asset. It has a life-time validity compared to the BREEAM-in-Use certification for existing properties, which lasts only three years.
Tomáš Kubín, Head of Construction for central and eastern Europe and western Europe at P3, welcomed the achievement in the first project which the company has executed to the BREEAM Refurbishment and fit-out standard. “This was in a sense a ‘pilot’ for us, to learn how to certify rebuilt properties such as brownfields, in cases where parts of the building are maintained”, said Kubin. “The rating of ‘Excellent’ under this leading certification system for environmental sustainability is a landmark for P3, underlining our commitment to ensuring our pan-European portfolio of high-quality logistic buildings meets the highest standards of energy efficiency”.
Refurbishing and fitting out existing assets which may not meet modern expectations of sustainability due to their age, is an attractive option at a time when space in prime locations for new properties is in very low supply across Europe. An advantage of this type of BREEAM certification is that it also contains specific criteria for heritage buildings, taking into account historic constraints.
‘Building L’ in Horní Počernice park was brought up to standard during six months of work between September 2021 and February of this year. To meet the high ecological standards required for an ‘Excellent’ certification, P3 carried out upgrade work, including installing submeters to monitor the consumption of electricity, gas and water, external sun blinds to prevent the overheating of offices, and planting new trees and greenery around the building’s exterior.
Project manager, Ondřej Vykoukal, coordinated the refurbishment. “It’s the first BREEAM certification in our portfolio for a building of this type and it took hard work to achieve the standard required”, he said. This award demonstrates P3 has the technical expertise to deliver sustainability in environments which pose development challenges.
Horní Počernice is located in Prague East, 15 minutes from the city centre, on exit 3 of the D10 motorway. It is easily accessible by public transport, with a metro station and train station less than 1.5 km away. It currently consists of 36 warehouse buildings, with tenants including Coca-Cola, IKEA and others.