AFI Europe announces a series of plans aimed at achieving ambitious sustainability targets for all its projects, a significant reduction of carbon emissions, the well-being and safety of their occupants, as well as transforming real estate projects into smart buildings with a high degree of access to technology.
According to the company’s sustainability strategy, one of the most important objectives is to obtain, by 2025, the “LEED Zero Carbon” certification for all ongoing office projects, and also for all future AFI Europe’s projects targeted to be developed in the future in Romania. Therefore, AFI Europe Romania enrolled in the process of obtaining “LEED Zero Carbon” certification, process targeted to be finalized within the next 2 years.
The company is assisted by Colliers as a consultant and shall primarily target all operational buildings in AFI Europe Romania’s portfolio. Based on an initial process of evaluation, a set of measures shall be issued and implemented such as: increasing energy efficiency (by BMS optimization, LED lighting and controls, improvement of insulation and other technical improvements), using green energy (100% electricity from renewable sources) and plan improvements to diminish carbon emissions from fossil fuels.
“AFI Europe is taking the impact of buildings on the environment to the next level, by committing to LEED Zero Carbon certification for its entire office portfolio. Obtaining carbon neutrality by 2050 is a target of European Union and AFI Europe Romania acts as a pioneer on the Romanian market by making these early improvements. We are excited that our ESG Strategic Advisory team will consult AFI during the process of LEED Zero Carbon certification. This program has a unique ability to verify this new level of milestone in sustainability by tackling climate change and encouraging enhanced progress on the triple bottom line of “people, planet and profit”, mentioned Oana Stamatin, ESG Chief Officer – CEE & Romania, Colliers.
On the long run, AFI Europe’s strategy involves a carbon-free approach for all ongoing office projects and that will be developed in Romania, and its commitment to a sustainable development anticipates and moves several years ahead of the objectives set at the European level.
7 office projects certified as sustainable projects
To date, AFI Europe has obtained LEED and BREEAM green certifications for all 7 office projects existing in its portfolio: AFI Park, AFI Tech Park, AFI Victoriei Plaza, AFI Park Floreasca, AFI Lakeview, AFI Park Timișoara and AFI Park Brașov, and also for AFI Brașov shopping center and AFI City Bucuresti Noi residential compound which received the certification “Green Homes”. AFI Cotroceni and AFI Ploiești shopping centers are under process of obtaining the green certification.
With regards to the well-being and safety measures for buildings occupants, during 2021 the company has invested in Romania approximately 1 million EUR in the latest Bi-polar ionization air purification system, which has been installed in all office buildings and shopping centers from AFI’s portfolio. To provide comfort, well-being and productivity to all projects occupants and visitors, the quality of the indoor environment is ensured by improved ventilation and increased intake of fresh air, reduction of air pollutants from building materials, adequate thermal comfort or access to natural light.
At the beginning of 2022, the company announced obtaining the Well Health & Safety certification for its entire office portfolio in Romania. This covers five key areas, including cleaning procedures, air quality management and health services.
“We are constantly concerned with providing a healthy and safe working environment and community to all tenants present in our buildings, using the most modern systems available today. From our point of view, well-being and health are invariably linked to the impact we have on nature. This is also the reason why all our actions in recent years converge in the direction of sustainability, both in the building’s construction phase, by purchasing sustainable materials and reducing the carbon footprint related to the construction process, as well as in terms of operation and use of buildings. We are investing significantly in the latest solutions for reducing water and energy consumption, using renewable resources, selective waste collection, as well as encouraging sustainable transportation for the tenants by using bicycles and electric cars”, mentioned Emma Toma – Head of Office Division, AFI Europe Romania.
