The recently opened Artery business centre in Vilnius has received international recognition for sustainability, earning an Outstanding rating under the BREEAM International New Construction standard.
Only a handful of buildings in the Baltic states have achieved this highest-level rating, which demonstrates compliance with the most stringent requirements for sustainable buildings.
Sustainability prioritised from design to operation
Marius Žemaitis, Fund Manager at Lords LB Asset Management, the company behind the development of the business centre, emphasises that sustainability was one of the main priorities throughout the design and construction of the A+ energy-efficiency class building. The sustainability solutions implemented at Artery were also highly valued by the tenants that chose to establish their offices in the business centre.
“Our goal was to make Artery one of the most sustainable and modern business centres in the Baltic states, ensuring that it blended harmoniously into the city’s architecture while providing an exceptionally comfortable working environment. We remained committed to this goal throughout the construction and fit-out process. The entire building was designed to offer tenants a high level of functionality and comfort while minimising its environmental impact. For many companies, sustainability was one of the most important considerations when choosing their new office,” says Žemaitis.
The BREEAM International New Construction certificate with an Outstanding rating confirms that every stage of the building’s development – from the initial design proposals to the completion of construction – was implemented in accordance with the highest sustainability standards.
“Under the BREEAM assessment system, Artery is an exceptionally environmentally responsible building that protects not only the environment but also the health and wellbeing of the people working there. Qualified and certified experts were involved throughout the construction process, monitoring and assessing compliance with BREEAM requirements,” says Kęstutis Kvietkauskas, CEO of assessment company SEES Group.
According to Kvietkauskas, before the certificate was issued, the building underwent three years of assessment covering various aspects of the construction stage alone.
Innovative and environmentally responsible solutions
Designed by US architect Daniel Libeskind, the building’s light, dynamic façade conceals a range of innovative engineering solutions that help create a highly favourable working environment while minimising the environmental footprint. According to Žemaitis, sustainability not only enables more efficient resource management but also contributes to the wellbeing of office employees.
To ensure an optimal indoor climate, every floor is equipped with an innovative air humidification, heating, cooling and ventilation system. The system transfers excess heat from some areas of the building to heat others. It also monitors carbon dioxide and humidity levels throughout the premises to maintain conditions that are ideally suited to occupants.
“The innovative solutions developed specifically for Artery reduce the business centre’s heating and ventilation costs by half compared with similar buildings. This means that the companies based here benefit from an excellent indoor climate while paying less for it,” says Žemaitis.
The business centre features smart regenerative lifts that generate electricity and efficiently manage passenger flows, ensuring that waiting times do not exceed 30 seconds, even during peak periods.
Another environmentally responsible technology that helps reduce tenants’ operating costs is the use of electricity-generating façade panels. The solar modules installed on the smaller tower of the business centre have a capacity of 55 kW and are expected to generate approximately 55,000 kWh of electricity annually.
The 20,000 sq. m building also features one of the largest electric vehicle charging facilities in Vilnius, with 28 charging points, as well as a charging station for electric scooters and secure bicycle storage.
Artery is rapidly attracting leading companies from a range of sectors. Visma Tech, URBO Bank, Roche Lietuva, BMI Executive Institute, People Link and other Lithuanian and international companies have already established operations in the business centre.
The project, representing an investment of more than EUR 90 million, is being developed by Lords LB Special Fund I Subfund A, a closed-ended real estate investment fund for informed investors managed by the investment management company Lords LB Asset Management.
Photo by N. Tukaj
