“Kauno dokas”, a business center that uses water of the river Neris for cooling, has earned a prestigious award – it became the first business center in the former capital of Lithuania to receive the global BREEAM building sustainability certificate for a building that is already in use.
The BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certificate means that the building meets the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. “Kauno dokas” has been awarded a “BREEAM In-Use” certificate with the grade “Excellent”. The categories of compliance of the materials used with the concept of sustainability, waste management and transport were rated the best.
The business center on the banks of the Neris River is the only one in the Baltic States equipped with a unique, environmentally friendly air conditioning system that uses river water to cool the premises. All the premises of “Kauno Dokas” are designed so that they receive natural daylight, and the elevated floor allows to change the location of office equipment and to distribute electricity sources.
“When we applied for the certification, we expected a high rating, and the “Excellent” category fulfilled all our expectations. This efficient and eco-friendly office center sets a new standard of sustainability in the Kaunas’ office market, meets the growing expectations of customers and will help ensure long-term returns for our fund’s investors,” says Andrius Barštys, Head of SBA investment management company Capitalica Asset Management.
According to Neringa Rastenytė-Jančiūnienė, capital markets manager of the international real estate consulting company “Newsec” in the Baltic States, international recognition of “Kauno Dokas” is important for both the business center manager and its tenants. According to her, BREEAM-certified business centers attract international companies that cite sustainability as one of the criteria for selecting offices. In addition, in business centers highly rated for sustainability, tenants incur much lower utility costs, and for the manager, this rating guarantees stability and demand.
“We already live in a completely different world – sustainability is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity. More and more businesses care about what kind of building they operate in. The managers and employees of the companies located in the building associate themselves with energy efficiency, waste recycling, and a progressive approach to the environment. There is a rapidly growing segment of responsible business in the Kaunas’ office market, for which it is extremely important to operate in an office compound that meets high sustainability standards,” commented N. Rastenytė-Jančiūnienė.
After Capitalica Asset Management completed the second stage of “Kauno Dokas” development in 2019, its leased area increased by 4,600 square meters – from 10,400 to 15,000 square meters. The total investment in the business center and landscaping amounts to 23 million euros. The construction and contracting of the business center was coordinated by the company Urban Inventors.
“Kauno dokas” is leased 100 percent. Branch offices of Danske Bank, Bentley, Dematic Limited, Visma, Nordzucker, Tele2 and other international companies, as well as Lithuanian companies – Kelprojektas, Vadasiga, are located in the office center. Oda.lt, CD8 Clinic and others. Their office space ranges from 100 square meters to 1,900 square meters. The companies located in the business center employ about 1,300 people.
“Kauno dokas” belongs to Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I managed by the SBA group company Capitalica Asset Management. According to the audited data, Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I made 4.4 million euro profit in 2019.
Capitalica Asset Management, which manages Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I, manages commercial real estate in the Baltic States. In addition to Kauno “Dokas”, Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I is also in charge of the “135” business center in Vilnius and the “Luizė” shopping center in Klaipėda. The company is also developing the “Verde” business building complex in Riga. The investment management company was established in 2016. Its control stock (70%) belongs to one of the largest Lithuanian capital business groups SBA, and 30% of the shares is owned by Barštys’ company “Fox Holdings”.
More information:
Andrius Barštys
General Manager, Partner
Mob.: +370 612 30260
E-mail: [email protected]
Laisvės pr. 3, LT04215 Vilnius, Lietuva
