A comparative overview of the certification systems that are relevant to the market
Green buildings
Gaining certification for 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. In this context, property sustainability certificates allow compliance with sustainability criteria to be measured and compared in accordance with nationally established and internationally recognised certification systems. These systems include the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) and the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).
Green building certifications
Our portfolio comprises 364 outstanding green buildings worldwide.
As at the end of 2022, our portfolio comprised 364 properties certified as sustainable with a market value of over EUR 39 billion, including The Edge in Amsterdam, Kings Place in London, TOWER185 in Frankfurt, BOB.Rheinallee in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Stantec Tower in Edmonton (Canada), Parkview in Prague and the Generation Park Z in Warsaw, as well as the vidaXL logistics complex in Venlo, the Netherlands. Based on the total real estate assets of the Deka funds, this corresponds to a certification rate of 79%.
Selection of our green buildings
The Edge in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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, meaning that the office building in Amsterdam demonstrably meets the highest standards in terms of connectivity, digital infrastructure and future security.
Energy-positive
The Edge is not just energy-neutral, it’s 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. Not only that, the energy can also be used for other tasks like charging electric cars.
Biodiversity
The specially designed natural green space around the building provides a home for bees and bats and also features 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 greenery.
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 electric vehicle charging stations), an intelligent 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 in Prague, Czech Republic
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 contemporary design 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 are also testament to 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, accessibility and comfort
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.
The design and amenities of the building – including modern, flexible office space and conference rooms with business grade Wi-Fi and a roof terrace with bar, grill and seating – place 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 in Cork, Ireland
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. Since then, the team has rolled out a host of sustainability initiatives, earning Mahon Point BREEAM Excellent ratings in the Asset Performance and Building Management categories in 2023.
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”. As an 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. Today, shoppers can make use of six electric vehicle charging stations, including four 250 kW Tesla Superchargers. More charging options are set to come.
Green energy
Since 2017, the centre has operated exclusively using green energy – a combination of wind power, solar energy, bioenergy and hydroelectric power. Much of that energy comes from the solar array on the roof of the shopping centre. Measuring a total of 1,587 sqm, it produces some 250,000 kWh of solar power a year. The panels deliver roughly 25% of the centre’s yearly electricity needs, helping save 131 tonnes of CO2 emissions 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: The Mahon Point shopping centre reduced its power consumption significantly by converting to energy-saving LED lights.
BOB.Rheinallee in Ludwigshafen, Germany
Sustainable by concept
In 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 building only uses electricity to cover all of its energy needs, with no gas- or oil-based systems installed. This lays the foundations for climate-neutral operation. In technical terms, the building is heated using a geothermal system with a heat pump combined with concrete core activation and a digital control system exclusively designed for the building.
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, reducing sources of error and optimising subsequent operation. All space-creating interior walls are free of technical installations and can even be repositioned while the building is still operational 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 devices and actuators that generate data that is extensively monitored. In addition, the heating and cooling system processes data from the latest weather forecasts to pre-emptively adjust the highly efficient temperature control system to predicted temperatures for the next days. BOB monitoring ensures that the system operates comfortably and energy-efficiently over the long term.
Balancing natural and artificial light
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 “pulls” a variable amount of light into the building depending on the seasons. The total window area is designed in such a way that the amount of light entering the building is in proportion to the light’s energetic properties (solar energy input). Daylight control and highly efficient LED lighting round off the lighting concept.
Indoor climate
A pleasant and comfortable indoor climate is created at BOB.Rheinallee through the use of concrete core activation. Pipes inside the concrete heat or cool the ceilings. This system, which is based on the natural radiation of thermal energy, 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 heat or cool rooms is significantly reduced.
Verde SW1 in London, UK
Sustainably core renovated
Verde SW1 is an office building in the immediate vicinity of Victoria Station in London that has received a complete core renovation. The building comprises around 30,000 sqm 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 a rating of Excellent.
The building, which was originally constructed in the 1990s, was core renovated and upgraded to a modern office building while retaining 80% of the existing building structure. The core renovation alone saved avoided approx. 11,800 tonnes of CO2 emissions compared to demolition and new construction. In addition, some of the dismantled components were able to be reused or recycled, with one example being the glass in the building, which was turned into new glass products.
Park in the Sky
The Park in the Sky is a central design element of the renovation work. Six roof gardens provide exceptionally high user comfort in central London while also increasing the biodiversity of the urban space. The terraces vary in size from approx. 300 to 600 sqm and are planted with up to 40 different plant species.
Digital consumption analysis
Thanks to a modern, digital readout system, consumption data relating to shared areas and areas used by individual tenants can be analysed in real time. This data is available to both the tenants and the landlord, ensuring both transparency and accessibility of information and providing 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 workout there is also the possibility of using the Verde SW 1’s own fitness area.
Bureau, 90 Fetter Lane in London, UK
Car-free underground car park
The comprehensive renovation 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 standards. The energy-efficient building meets the highest standards for a contemporary working environment and offers high-calibre companies flexible Grade A offices with total space of roughly 7,000 sqm.The largest tenant is the brewery group Anheuser Busch InBev, which has its British headquarters here.
Free from fossil fuels
Moving away from the direct combustion of gas or oil is of enormous importance on the journey to CO2-neutral building stock. 90 Fetter Lane is fully-electric with 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 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, there are also plans to expand the building’s level of automation even further, optimising the building’s operation and user comfort.
Mobility
Even though London has an extremely dense network of public transport, commuting by bicycle in the British capital has developed well beyond a fashionable trend in the last ten years. In addition to the reduction in journey times that are often possible, there is also a positive health effect. Against this backdrop, 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 in Milan, Italy
Sustainable in an historic context
BROLETTO 16 is located in the heart of Milan’s historic central business district. The investment comprises two originally adjacent buildings, which were combined in 2019 at the address Via Broletto 16 and revitalised to form a high-quality ensemble with one historic and one modern façade. The LEED Platinum certified building is characterised by its holistic sustainability concept. Attention was paid as early as in the planning and construction stages to the procurement of regional and recycled materials.
Water and energy efficiency
Both the water and energy concepts are designed to save resources. Rainwater is collected and used to water the plants in the exterior area. Inside, water-saving fittings ensure that as little fresh water as possible is used. Heating and cooling are provided by geothermal energy using heat pumps, ensuring a positive energy balance. A proportion of the electricity required for this system is generated directly on the building via photovoltaic elements on the roof. The mechanical ventilation of the building is controlled as needed via CO2 sensors.
Green oases
The planning team paid special attention to the building’s roofscape. Generous roof terraces and greenery offer a high-quality experience for users. Elegantly designed canopies provide shady retreats on sunny days, while the solar panels on the canopy tops generate part of the building’s required energy. An inner courtyard and various terraces invite users to relax.
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 also large bicycle parking spaces in the underground car park as well as changing and shower facilities.
Cubes in Düsseldorf, Germany
Cubes – Comfort and efficiency combined
Modern heating using a mixture of district heating, geothermal energy and activated concrete ceilings make this three-unit office complex in Düsseldorf particularly efficient and create a high level of indoor comfort for the users. This, coupled with the high-quality location in the middle of a historic park with a view of the Rhine and the three inner courtyards, meets the high standards of a modern office property. The sustainable operation of the building is underpinned by the Silver DGNB certification.
Panta Rhei in Düsseldorf
Go with the flow
The Panta Rhei office building is a major landmark that is clearly visible even when approaching Düsseldorf by air. The poetic-sounding name means “everything flows” and is impressively reflected in the gentle waves of the seven-storey building’s façade. Sustainability and tenant comfort play a central role in Panta Rhei: The building has received LEED Gold sustainability certification and offers flexible floor plans, modern heating and cooling systems, and optimal energy and cost efficiency.
Westend Sky in Frankfurt, Germany
LEED Gold for Westend Sky in Frankfurt
Following an extensive repositioning by Deka Immobilien, the building received LEED Gold Core & Shell certification and meets the highest standards with respect to functionality, sustainability and a healthy indoor environment. In addition to an extensive energy-oriented renovation of the façade and building services, the floor plan was designed to provide modern office environments to meet tenant requirements. The newly designed exterior grounds provide a significantly larger amount of green space to create a pleasant environment
Skylight in Frankfurt, Germany
Skylight in Frankfurt receives LEED® for Commercial Interiors Platinum certification.
Skylight is one of the first office properties in Frankfurt am Main to be equipped with LED lighting featuring daylight-dependent regulation throughout the building. This decreases power consumption by around 70 per cent, which is equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by 190 tonnes a year. The property has received LEED® Platinum for Commercial Interiors certification.
Eleven in Hamburg, Germany
Eleven in Hamburg receives LEED Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance Gold
The Eleven office building in central Hamburg has received LEED® Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance Gold certification. Tenant cooperation and investments in water efficiency and non-smoker protection were needed to achieve this. Some 75 per cent of the tenants use public transport, documenting the sustainability of the location.
Terrace Tower in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Central, sustainable, excellent
Located in the immediate vicinity of the Amsterdam exhibition centre, the high-rise building features an impressive terraced form and offers tenants their own green roof gardens on eight floors. The holistic sustainable consumption concept uses a heat pump with ground-source energy for heating and cooling. The electricity required for the heat pump is partly generated directly via solar panels on the roof. Tenants have a total of approx. 17,000 sqm of bright, flexibly configurable space at their disposal, which meets all the requirements of a modern office environment. Of course, the building, which has been awarded BREEAM Excellent certification, does not lack a first-class infrastructure for bicycles and electromobility, featuring 282 secure bicycle parking spaces and 20 charging points for electric cars.
8 Hanover Quay in Dublin, Ireland
Industrial charm in a prime location
Located directly on Dublin’s Grand Canal, the building was originally constructed in 1920 as a warehouse. In 2016, the building was revitalised to new construction quality and converted into an office property. A lot of detailed work was invested in the restoration of the historic stone façade. The resulting leasable area of approx. 3,750 sqm combines industrial charm with modern technology and a prime location. The single-tenant asset is let on a long-term lease and has been certified with the British BREEAM Very Good seal of quality for sustainable construction.
Via Orefici in Milan, Italy
LEED Gold Core & Shell for Via Orefici in Milan
Originally a mansion, this property is split into two sections and is centrally located in the traditional business centre of Milan, just two minutes by foot from Milan Cathedral. The renovation that was completed in 2019 transformed the building into a mixed-use property with LEED Gold Core & Shell certification, elegant retail space on the ground floor and lower level, and modern class A office space on the five upper floors.
Kings Place in London, UK
Kings Place in London
The building itself is already unusual. Located directly on Regent’s Canal in London, the property includes office space as well as a restaurant, art and event areas and a theatre. Building management received an Outstanding rating under the BREEAM In-Use rating system, achieving the highest score ever granted in the United Kingdom. The building has a well-thought-out sustainability design with features ranging from showers for bicycle riders to support green travel, to a green roof to improve biodiversity. Kings Place received the 2017 BREEAM Award in the Office In-Use category in March 2017.
DC Tower 1 in Vienna, Austria
LEED Platinum for Austria’s tallest building
DC Tower 1 combines architectural aesthetics with an advanced green design and functionality. The tallest hotel and office building in Austria uses energy-saving lighting and air cooling, among others, as well as zone activation and heat recovery in its ventilation systems. The tower also has a photovoltaic system and a free-cooling system that uses ambient resources for cooling purposes.
City Green Court in Prague, Czech Republic
City Green Court in Prague
This eight-storey office and commercial building in Prague is the first building to receive LEED Platinum certification in the Czech Republic. Energy is conserved by using automatic lighting activated according to the light conditions outside the building. Rainwater is reused to save water, and the large atrium uses natural ventilation.
VidaXL Phase III in Venlo, Netherlands
VidaXL Phase III – Venlo, NL
During the construction of the VidaXL in Venlo, special attention was paid to good accessibility for different target groups. Four of the 271 car parking spaces are for disabled users. Another 10 parking spaces were equipped with charging stations for electric cars. Bicycles can be safely parked in the approx. 30 m2 bike store, where charging stations are also available for e-bikes. In technical terms, the building is state-of-the-art and particularly energy-efficient. The lighting is LED-only and the ventilation system for the offices and parts of the halls is equipped with heat recovery. In addition, a solar energy system is being planned and BREEAM certification will be implemented in the near future.
Atrium One in Warsaw, Poland
Atrium One in Warsaw
This office and retail property is located in the heart of the capital city of Poland, right next to an underground railway and tram station. Atrium One has received LEED Platinum Core & Shell certification, making it one of the greenest properties in the CEE region. The building contributes to sustainability by conserving energy and water, using the ground-source heat as regenerative and geothermal energy for heating and cooling, and making use of rainwater and grey water.
Torre Titanium La Portada in Santiago, Chile
Torre Titanium La Portada
This office tower – certified LEED Gold Core & Shell – is located in the centre of the capital city of Santiago, Chile, and is one of the tallest and most modern buildings in South America. In addition to a good strategic location with respect to public transport, there are also close to 300 bicycle parking places available, and electric car parking places with charging stations. Highly efficient curtain walls ensure optimal lighting conditions and minimise solar radiation.
