Green Buildings - Sustainability Certificates
Certification of a large number of our fund properties is an important part of our commitment to sustainability. This focus on sustainability in the building sector is based on a comprehensive approach to the property life cycle using environmentally-friendly technologies, while ensuring profitability at all times. Property sustainability certificates allow compliance with sustainability criteria to be measured and compared based on nationally established and internationally recognised certification systems. These include, for example, the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM*), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) and the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).
Our portfolio comprises 364 outstanding green buildings worldwide
Our high quality portfolio boasts 364 certified sustainable properties with a market value of over EUR 39 billion as of the end of 2022, including, for example “The Edge” in Amsterdam, “Kings Place” in London, “Tower 185” in Frankfurt, BOB.Rheinallee in Ludwigshafen, Stantec Tower“ in Edmonton, Canada, “Parkview” in Prague and the “Generation Park Z” in Warsaw, as well as the "vidaXL" logistics building ensemble in Venlo, the Netherlands. In relation to total market value of the properties of all Deka funds, this corresponds to a certification rate of 79 per cent.
Our selection of “green buildings”
The Edge – Rating: "Outstanding"
Deka Immobilien's The Edge office building in the Zuidas district of Amsterdam is one of the most innovative buildings in the world and sets new standards for the sustainable workplaces of the future: intelligent architecture, sophisticated design, state-of-the-art technology, maximum comfort and an optimal indoor climate. What's more, all of these features are combined in a building that generates more energy than it uses.
Outstanding – Multiple certifications
The Edge received BREEAM New Construction sustainability certification with a rating of "Outstanding", and from 2014 to 2016 achieved the highest score received so far for a sustainable office building anywhere in the world. In 2016, The Edge also won the BREEAM Award in the "Office New Construction" category.
In addition, The Edge was awarded WiredScore Platinum certification. This means that the Amsterdam office building demonstrably meets the highest standards in terms of connectivity, digital infrastructure and future security.
Energy-positive
The Edge is better than energy-neutral — it is energy-positive. Intelligent materials and technology, such as electrochromic glass that allows building users to control how much light is let through, smart LED lighting systems and clever architecture ensure efficient energy consumption. The Edge was built to allow optimal use of sunlight; daylight illuminates the rooms without affecting the indoor temperature. There are also 65,000 square metres of solar panels on the façade and the roof, supplying enough energy to cover all the building's electricity requirements. The energy is fed into a geothermal system to make the building self-sufficient in terms of heating and cooling; however, it can also be used for other tasks like charging electric cars.
Biodiversity
The specially designed nature-oriented green space around the building provides a home for bees and bats, as well as insect hotels. The green space separating the building from the nearby motorway serves as an ecological corridor that allows animals to cross the area safely. Rainwater collected on the roof of the building is used to water the green space.
Smart Office
Around 30,000 sensors and a mobile app for the building provide intelligent networking. Other features such as automated parking space assignment (with e-charging stations), a smart room booking and lighting system and continuous optimisation of temperature, light intensity and air quality make the building both highly efficient and extremely comfortable.
Parkview – Modern sustainability
Parkview sets new standards in terms of eco-friendly design, sustainable economic efficiency and comfort. Completed in 2020, this office building is located in the established Pankrác sub-market of the Prague 4 district and offers excellent public and private transport access. The building provides around 16,000 square metres of space over 9 floors and is leased to a number of tenants under long-term leases.
Multiple certifications
Parkview reflects the spirit of the current era and combines sustainable features with modern technological innovations to satisfy the highest standards. The office property received the maximum "Platinum" certification under the US LEED standard with a score of 97 points. WELL Gold Core & Shell certification and the WELL
Health-Safety rating from the international WELL Building Institute also recognise the many measures implemented for the health and well-being of building users.
High energy efficiency
The building's façade elements and innovative air-conditioning system provide an extremely high level of energy efficiency. One of the highlights of the building is the energy-recovery system that produces electricity when the lifts are descending.
Location and accessibility
Parkview is set in a prestigious location near the park in Prague 4 and provides excellent accessibility by car and public transport. Tenants can also use the facilities provided for cyclists.
Comfort
The design of the building – including modern, flexible office areas and conference rooms with business grade Wi-Fi and a roof terrace with bar, grill and seating – places special importance on state-of-the-art office comfort and user well-being.
The U-shaped floor layout and glazed atrium allow daylight to enter and provide an unobstructed view of the neighbouring park.
Resource conservation
The building has an advanced energy-saving LED lighting system with motion and daylight sensors. Using rainwater to water the green spaces reduces water consumption.
Mahon Point – Ireland's most sustainable shopping centre
The Mahon Point shopping centre in the Irish port city of Cork is one of the largest shopping centres in the country, boasting over
80 shops and restaurants on two levels. It sets new standards for environmentally friendly, resource- conserving sustainable construction. In 2015, Mahon Point became the first shopping centre in Ireland to receive BREEAM In-Use certification.
Farmers' market
The Mahon Point farmers' market is the largest organic market in Cork. More than
50 stalls offer high-quality foods, much of it from local producers. The market's vision is to be "as plastic free as possible and fully sustainable" — for example, the market vendors have all committed to using compostable packaging for all of the food sold.
Charging stations for electric cars
Mahon Point promotes electric mobility and provides charging stations for electric car drivers. The 4x 250-kW Tesla Supercharger stalls can be used 24 hours a day.
Green energy
Since 2017, the centre has operated exclusively using "green energy" — a combination of wind power, solar energy, bioenergy and hydroelectric power.
A large percentage of this energy is supplied by the photovoltaic system on the roof of the shopping centre: Around 1,000 m² of photovoltaic panels produce around 160,000 kWh of solar electricity annually.
Recycling
All the waste generated at Mahon Point is recycled. Thanks to professional waste management, an average of 900 tonnes of paper, plastic, glass, metal and compost are collected for recycling every year.
LED lighting
From car parks, to Christmas lights, to escalators: Mahon Point reduced its power consumption significantly by converting to energy-saving LED lights.
BOB.Rheinallee – Sustainable by concept
With the "BOB.Rheinallee", Deka Immobilien holds an innovative example in the field of sustainable and climate-friendly construction in its portfolio. The building was developed and constructed according to the BOB concept (Balanced Office Building). BOB forms a holistic system of climate-friendly operation, modern working environments and a performance- and health-promoting indoor climate.
Energy efficiency
The building, which is gold certified according to the standard of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), has an energy requirement that is approx. 30% lower than required by the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) 2016 for comparable buildings. The energy supply is based purely on electricity. There is no combustion of gas or oil, so that the foundation for climate-neutral operation has been laid. This is technically implemented by a geothermal system with a heat pump combined with concrete core activation and a digital building control system exclusively designed for the building.
Daylight and artificial light in balance
BOB lets as much daylight as possible into the interior of the building. This is helped by a high proportion of glass and a specially developed blind that "shovels" light into the building in a way that varies with the seasons. The proportion of window area is designed in such a way that light yield and energetic properties (solar energy input) are balanced. Daylight control and highly efficient LED lighting round off the lighting concept.
Digital planning
The building was planned entirely in BIM (Building Information Modelling) and the interior design was realised on the basis of predefined area modules. A digital model allows for significantly higher precision and optimisation than conventional planning and construction. Sources of error can be reduced and subsequent operation optimised. All space-creating interior walls are free of technical installations and can even be reorganised during ongoing operation of the property due to the existing mobile, programmable buttons. This creates a high degree of variability and adjustment potential for future tenants.
Sustainable digital building control
The high level of indoor climate comfort is ensured by digitalised control of the system technology during operation. This is based on numerous sensors, measuring sensors and actuators that generate data that is subject to comprehensive monitoring. In addition, the heating and cooling system processes data from current weather forecasts to already adjust the highly efficient temperature control system to the expected temperatures of the following days. BOB monitoring ensures that the system operates comfortably and energy-efficiently over the long term.
Indoor climate
A high level of indoor comfort is created in the BOB.Rheinallee through the use of concrete core activation. Pipes inside the concrete heat or cool the ceilings. This system, which is based on radiation, is perceived by the users as extremely pleasant and draught-free. Since such systems can generally be operated at more efficient temperature levels, the energy required to generate heat or cold is significantly reduced.
Verde SW1 – Sustainably refurbished
Verde SW1 is a fully refurbished office building in the immediate vicinity of Victoria Station in London. The building comprises around 30,000 m² of high-class office space on around ten floors, supplemented by retail and fitness areas. In addition to numerous awards, the building is certified with the British BREEAM certificate for sustainable construction with “Excellent”.
Sustainability through renovation
The building, which was originally constructed in the 1990s, was completely renovated and upgraded to a modern office building while retaining 80% of the existing building structure. Compared to demolition and new construction, the core refurbishment alone avoided approx. 11,800 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In addition, aspects of circular economy were taken into account during the deconstruction of individual components and, for example, the old glass was recycled and used for the production of new glass products.
Park in the Sky
The "Park in the Sky" is a central design element of the redevelopment. Six roof gardens provide exceptionally high user comfort in the City of London and at the same time increase biodiversity in the urban space. The terraces vary in size from approx. 300 to 600m² and are planted with up to 40 different plant species.
Digital consumption analysis
Through a modern, digital readout system, the consumption data of both the common areas and the tenants can be read out in real time. This data is available to both the tenants and the landlord and enables data transparency and accessibility. This ensures that there is a sound basis for analysing, planning and implementing further energy-saving measures.
Mobility
With its close proximity to Victoria Station, Verde SW1 is ideally connected to London's public transport system. Since the trend to use bicycles for commuting to the office has increased enormously in London in recent years, the building's underground car park offers over 400 bicycle parking spaces, supplemented by the necessary changing rooms and showers for users. For those for whom the daily ride to the office is not enough of a physical balance, there is also the possibility of using the Verde SW 1's own fitness area.
Bureau, 90 Fetter Lane, London EC4 – Underground parking: car free
The comprehensive refurbishment of the office building built in the 1980s in the middle of central London has paid off. After extensive modernisation in 2018, "Bureau - 90 Fetter Lane" received the rating Excellent according to "BREEAM New Construction". The energy-efficient building meets the highest standards for a contemporary working environment and offers high-calibre companies flexible Grade A offices on around 7,000 m². The largest tenant is the brewery group Anheuser Busch InBev, which has its British headquarters here.
Free from fossil fuels
On the way to a CO2 neutral building stock, the renunciation of direct combustion of gas or oil is of enormous importance. 90 Fetter Lane has fully electric operation based on heat pump technology for heating and cooling, and there is no use of fossil energy in the building. By purchasing green electricity to operate the heat pumps, the building will even be CO2 neutral in operation.
Thinking ahead
Despite the BREEAM certification achieved and satisfied users, Deka Immobilien has further ideas for improving 90 Fetter Lane in the coming years. For example, an in-house photovoltaic system on the existing green roof will generate part of the required electricity itself, thus reducing the procurement of green electricity. To further increase efficiency, it is also planned to further expand the building automation and thus optimise the building's operation and user comfort.
Mobility
Even though London has an extremely dense network of public transport, commuting by bicycle in the English capital has developed well beyond a fashionable trend in the last ten years. In addition to often achievable time benefits, the health effect of cycling is also appreciated. Against this background, the users of 90 Fetter Lane also have the opportunity to park their bikes in the underground car park, protected from wind and weather. In the course of the renovation, parking spaces for cars were even given up for this purpose. In addition, there are changing facilities and showers for the building users.
BROLETTO 16 – Sustainable in historic context
"BROLETTO 16" is located in the heart of Milan's historic CBD. The investment comprises two originally adjacent buildings, which were combined in 2019 at the address Via Broletto 16 through revitalisation to form a high-quality ensemble with a historic and a modern façade. The LEED Platinum certified building is characterised by a holistic sustainability concept. Already in the planning and construction stages, attention was paid to the procurement of regional and recycled materials.
Green oases
The planning team paid special attention to the building's roofscape. Generous roof terraces and greenery create a high quality of stay for the users. Elegantly designed canopies provide shady retreats on sunny days, while the tops, covered with photovoltaics, generate part of the building's required energy. An inner courtyard and various terraces invite users to linger.
Mobility
The location in the heart of the historic centre near Piazza Cordusio and Milan Cathedral ensures excellent transport connections. Shops for daily needs are within walking distance. To make commuting to work by bike more pleasant, there are large bicycle parking spaces in the underground car park as well as changing and shower facilities.
