Skanska launches the second phase of the Green Horizon office complex in Łódź

Construction works on the first phase of Green Horizon began in Q2 2011 and its completion is scheduled for Q4 2012. The office space available in building A has already been 97% leased. Infosys BPO Poland, which is going to move into the building in November 2012, leased a total of about 15,000 sqm in the first phase of the green complex. Apart from Infosys, a lease contract was signed with the building’s general contractor, Skanska S.A. Building B is set for completion in Q2 2013.

Green Horizon is one of the five projects that we are working on currently – two of them are being developed in Warsaw, while the remaining three are regional investments. Skanska believes in the potential of regional cities, therefore we decided to start construction of the second phase of Green Horizon. As a result, companies from Łódź will have access to modern office space, designed in compliance with the principles of sustainable development and with the application of innovative technologies - said Marcin Łapiński, Regional Director at Skanska Property Poland. 

Green Horizon will be the first office building with a LEED certificate in Łódź. The complex, designed and built according to sustainable development principles, has already been LEED precertified with a Gold rating. During its construction process state-of-the-art, green solutions were implemented, which will not only minimise the impact of the building on the natural environment, but will also reduce tenants’ operating costs.

The innovative, energy efficient technologies will ensure comfortable working conditions to users of Green Horizon due to adequate systems of air-conditioning and humidification, as well as maximum access to daylight. Warm air from the offices will be utilised to heat the garage and in open-air areas plants which do not require watering will be cultivated to limit the consumption of drinking water. Water-saving fittings and toilets with waterless urinals will serve the same purpose. Furthermore, the users of Green Horizon will have access to a bicycle parking lot, as well as showers and changing rooms for cyclists.

Green Horizon is a modern class A office complex designed and built according to the principles of sustainable development. It is the first office building in Łódź to be LEED certificated. Green Horizon will consist of two buildings, with a combined area of 33,000 m2 (phase I of the investment – 19,000 m2 and phase II – 14,000 m2). Large and well-designed office space will give tenants high flexibility in terms of interior arrangement. This modern, seven-storey office complex will offer a two-level underground car park with 395 parking places, parking space for bicycles, as well as showers and changing rooms.

A commercial part totalling approximately 1,250 m2 (phase I) is also to be opened in the Green Horizon complex, with stores, service points, catering facilities and a restaurant. The project was designed by Medusa Group. Skanska S.A is the general contractor, whereas Skanska Property Poland is responsible for the commercialisation of Green Horizon. The first agreements for the lease of space in phase I of the investment have been signed with Infosys BPO Poland and Skanska S.A. The construction of phase I started in the second quarter of 2011 and its completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2012.

Location

Green Horizon will be located at Rondo Solidarności, where Gen. Palki Alley, one of the main transportation arteries of Łódź, meets Pomorska Street. The investment lies in the vicinity of the Faculty of Law and Administration of Łódź University. The buildings will be perfectly visible from any part of Rondo Solidarności, one of the focal points in the city. Furthermore, such location guarantees easy access to public transport (8 bus and 2 tram lines), which will be of great convenience for employees commuting from various parts of the Łódź agglomeration. Another asset of Green Horizon is its location near the exit from the city in the direction of a junction of roads leading to Warsaw and Poznań.

Łódź is a city of great potential, lying in a region of Poland offering a wide range of  investment possibilities. Location in the heart of the country makes Łódź a place from which all the business centres can be easily reached. A number of renowned BPO companies have decided to locate their operations centres in Łódź. The city is also an important railway junction. The works to build the high-speed railway connections Warsaw-Łódź-Berlin and  Warsaw-Wrocław through Łódź are currently underway. The city also offers access to Władysław Reymont Airport for international flights. Numerous state and private universities guarantee a steady inflow of well-qualified staff. Furthermore, Łódź Special Economic Zone, was the only one in Poland to receive the prestigious European medal for providing services to investors and was the first to be awarded an ISO certificate.

Green solutions

Green Horizon, like other office projects developed by Skanska Property Poland, will  apply for LEED and EU GreenBuilding certificates. Such certification proves that green state-of-the-art technologies, resulting in significant reduction of operating costs, and thus savings for tenants, have been appllied during the construction process. Certified buildings also guarantee top-quality work environment. Ensuring comfortable and optimal working conditions for the staff increases employees’ productivity and improves their well-being. This will be achieved by providing maximal access to daylight, as well as by high precision of maintaining optimum air parameters, both in terms of humidity and the inflow of fresh air.

Innovative solutions implemented during the design and construction of the Green Horizon complex contribute to energy efficiency of the buildings, create comfortable work environment and minimise its impact on natural environment. These solutions include:

• free cooling system (use of cool air from outside to lower temperature inside offices)
• adiabatic air humidifiers (use of cheaper thermal energy, with reduced impact on the environment)
• use of warm air from offices to heat the garage
• energy efficient lighting system (energy efficient fluorescent lamps, a system ensuring optimal energy use on the premises of the complex, motion sensors controlling lighting in common areas)
• use of regional materials in order to minimise the impact of their transport on the natural environment
• waterless urinals, water-saving fittings and toilets
• use of plants which do not require watering in open-air spaces

According to the results of research carried out in the United States, LEED certified buildings guarantee the reduction of operating costs by approximately 8-9% compared to referential buildings and the costs of energy consumption are lower by 30%.