The newly-established Poštová 1 business zone in Žilina has been designed and is being constructed with the environment in mind, using highest standard, state-of-the-art technologies. In October, Poštová 1 was certified LEED GOLD v4.
The newly-established Poštová 1 business zone in Žilina has been designed and is being constructed with the environment in mind, using highest standard, state-of-the-art technologies. In October, Poštová 1 was certified LEED GOLD v4.
To be certified by LEED in the GOLD v4 category, demanding environmental protection and human health requirements have to be met. Besides energy savings, certification particularly included demonstrating enhancement of working environment quality and ecological optimization.
• How does a heat island keep from being formed?
Highly reflective white materials are used to prevent the building’s roof from overheating. This lowers cooling costs, with the material contributing toward a cooler microclimate around the building. In addition, there is proprietary technology on the roof to limit heat buildup. The trees that were growing around the building site have been preserved and additional trees since planted to keep the zone’s environment at a pleasant temperature even in summer. The outdoor parking area was also designed with white reflective material to stop any overheating. Trees were also planted to provide parked cars with natural shade.
• How were the trees growing at the business center site saved?
Any movement by heavy machinery was prohibited near the existing trees and their root systems to not cause damage to them. Finally, any trees that would have otherwise been felled to make way for the building were preserved instead.
• How did you save drinking water?
Low-flow faucets and showers were installed along with toilets and urinals designed to save water. This saves two million glasses of water a year. State-of-the-art draining wells and oil traps capable of capturing up to 300 cubic meters of rainwater have been installed under the newly-created parking area. The captured water does not flow either into the local sewer system or away from the local environment, but remains in place to evaporate and fulfill its natural ecological functions. To further maximize savings, captured rainwater is used to water vegetation.
• How did you keep waste from being dumped in landfills?
When the business zone was constructed, maximum use was made of materials recycled from the building that used to stand there. So up to 95.7% of the building was actually built from so-called “waste”!
• How are you reducing dust in the offices?
Even as the building was being constructed, we were carefully protecting air conditioning and ventilation systems from dust. Highly efficient filters keep air supplied during the entire operation free of dust.
• How are you reducing energy consumption?
Simulations have provided us with solutions for increasing energy efficiency, how much the building needs and efficient ways to supply it during the entire year.
• Why come by bicycle?
An attractive storage room has been built for keeping bicycles with an entrance from the ground floor, changing rooms and showers. There are also charging stations located at parking spaces next to the building for electric vehicles.
Our philosophy is to always seek out environmentally friendly solutions. The main advantages of a green building especially include lower operating costs, better quality working and living conditions and, not in the least, an increase in its investment value. Besides modern office and retail space, Poštová 1 also has sufficient parking and green areas around the building.
Another further, huge success and concurrently a recognition of the quality of our work is the EUROSTAV publishing house awarding the Žilina Poštová 1 Business Center its most prestigious VISIO 2020 award as the most significant act in sustainable architecture and construction of 2018-2019.
