Skanska’s Visionary building in Prague has become the first office building in Central and Eastern Europe to be granted the demanding WELL Core and Shell certification.
The WELL certification system is performance-based and asses eight categories in total: air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort, mind and innovations. WELL-certified office buildings can, therefore, be considered as workplaces that are optimal for people, their health and comfort.
“From a business perspective, a WELL-certified workplace provides significant advantages for both its tenants and investors alike,” said Adrian Karczewicz, head of divestments at Skanska Commercial Development CEE.
“It has a positive impact on employees’ performance and therefore on the overall performance of their employer as well. Plus, tenants are keener to stay for longer, and the building itself is more likely to retain its value over an extended period of time. WELL-certified buildings are a truly future-proof investment, and consequently, WELL certification will become a must on the commercial real estate market over the coming years. We are proud that Skanska delivered the first WELL-certified building in the region,” he added.
According to Skanska, today’s employers are locked in a constant battle for the best talents. As a result, the well-being of employees and workplaces that support comfort at work have become valuable assets in giving employers an advantage over their competition.
The situation in CEE is no different. The stable GDP growth, a significant expansion of the shared services industry and ceaseless competition for the very best employees have all contributed to the growing demand for A-class office buildings that are not just sustainable, but user-friendly above all.
“Sustainability has been at the very top of Skanska’s agenda for years, but our approach has evolved as time moves on. A decade ago, we were focused on the natural environment and introducing LEED standards to CEE markets, but began to focus increasingly more on people and their needs,” commented Adam Targowski, sustainability manager at Skanska Commercial Development CEE. “We have been implementing solutions which aim to improve employees’ comfort, productivity and well-being, and have been creating friendly workplaces with such features as access to plenty of greenery, an abundance of natural daylight, lighting systems that correspond to a circadian rhythm, adaptable areas inside buildings, outside areas that can be used by tenants and their guests, fitness facilities and many other amenities. And we’re not stopping here. We plan to further develop and implement even more innovative solutions.”
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