Building 3 from the High5ive office complex located in Krakow at Pawia Street is the first in the city to be awarded the prestigious WELL Core & Shell certification at the Gold level. This means that the building features innovative solutions in terms of mental and physical health – including proper temperature and acoustics as well as adequate access to natural lighting, fresh air and high-quality drinking water. The fifth building of Skanska’s flagship office development in Krakow, has also been designed with energy and water conservation in mind.
High5ive is an investment that fits into Krakow’s long-term development strategy. The document envisages a transformation towards sustainable and green infrastructure focused on, in particular, improving air quality, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing energy efficiency. A good example of the implementation of said strategy is the Climate Quarter, which is being developed within the districts of Kazimierz and, partly, Grzegórzki. The so called “15-minute city” has been designed there, i.e. the space that offers access to the most necessary services, such as education, public transport, green areas and retail outlets – all in close proximity.
– Krakow’s High5ive is a truly valuable space for the city, not only in regard to investors who choose to locate their businesses here but also in terms of sustainable infrastructure. Our complex serves as a contact point between the daily workplace and a green zone for relaxation and essential services – says Marcin Pędrak, Project Director at Skanska’s commercial development business unit in CEE. – The entire office complex is based on efficient, pro-environmental and futureproof solutions and with its users’ health and well-being in mind – adds Marcin Pędrak.
The building is managed by experts from the Real Estate Management Services at Colliers.
- At Colliers, we are aware of the importance of meeting sustainable standards in the real estate sector. That's why we are pleased that another building in our portfolio has been certified. WELL Core & Shell certification at the Gold level confirms its positive impact on the comfort of work, health and well-being of employees. Also of great importance is the fact that the building has been designed to minimize energy and water consumption - an extraordinary value in today's market conditions– says Agnieszka Milczarek, Director from the Real Estate Management Services at Colliers.
The high quality of the solutions used in the fifth building of the High5ive complex (this one offering almost 11,000 sqm of office space) has been recently acknowledged, as the building has obtained the WELL Core & Shell certification at a very high level – Gold, which confirms the fulfillment of a number of stringent criteria relating to more than 100 features of the building that influence its users’ health and well-being and improve their comfort of work. Solutions aimed at energy and water conservation are also evaluated. What exactly has been recognized by IWBI (International WELL Building Institute) experts?
Circularity and resource conservation
Thanks to responsible management and conscious use by tenants, High5ive makes efficient use of resources, minimizing their consumption. The building collects both grey water and the rainwater, with which toilets are then flushed and plants are watered. Such a solution, combined with special fixtures, ensures water savings of up to 86% compared to a reference building from LEED Certification. What is more, the water is tested for 30 chemical compounds, so that every tap can be safely used, thus eliminating the need to buy bottled water.
There are also savings in terms of energy. The building uses up to 40 % less energy than reference buildings, also thanks to cooling beams. Ventilation elements are being cooled with outside air in winter (the so called “free-cooling”). In addition, maximum daylight is provided to the interiors thanks to an efficiently designed façade. Building C is 100% powered by renewable energy. Its consumption is monitored.
Clean air and good communication
The air in the building is filtered by high-quality filters that retain PM10 and PM2.5 particles, flower pollen and fungal spores. The ventilation system is designed to supply 30% more fresh air to the interior of the building. It also features adiabatic humidifiers to ensure adequate humidification, which can turn out to be especially valuable for contact lens wearers. In addition, the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides for landscaping has been abandoned in order to eliminate allergens.
High5ive is extremely well-connected to every part of Krakow – the complex is easily accessible not only by bus, tram, car or bicycle but also by train. For the convenience of employees and visitors, every third parking space in the building offers the option to charge electric vehicles.