Warsaw UNIT is First Skyscraper in Poland to Apply for WELL v2 Certificate
Ghelamco has initiated the WELL™ Certification process for Warsaw UNIT, its latest project which is being delivered in the business centre of Warsaw. It will be the first skyscraper in Poland to receive the prestigious certificate in its newest WELL v2 Core version.
WELL Building Standard is a multi-criteria building certification system, which focuses on the comfort of building users. Unlike other popular certificates on the property market, such as BREEAM or LEED, WELL takes into account mainly those aspects that affect the health and well-being of building users.
“In today’s market conditions, a comfortable and employee-friendly office is one of the key criteria of choosing the workplace, whereas for employers it is a powerful HR tool. This is why the companies that want to attract talent must stand out in this respect. We have decided to certify Warsaw UNIT in the WELL system as it is the only certificate on the market which sets very rigid requirements in the area of employee health and well-being,” says Jarosław Zagórski, Commercial and Business Development Director, Ghelamco Poland. “Also worth noting is the fact that Warsaw UNIT is the first skyscraper in Poland which is applying for the certificate in its latest WELL v2 Core version”.
Working in a healthy building is important not only for employees themselves, but also brings considerable benefits to the employers. A large body of research shows that healthy working conditions translate into higher employee productivity (on average ca. 26%), lower staff turnover (on average ca. 30%), and fewer sickness absences (drop by up to 50%). Companies based in buildings certified in this standard are also more attractive to talent, i.e. individuals with particularly high qualifications. Such companies are able to attract two times more talent than their competitors.
WELL Certification is a complicated and long-term process, conducted individually for every building, which is why getting the certificate with a high level is a big challenge. The certification includes more than one hundred main assessment criteria and hundreds of requirements which cover almost all aspects of the building’s use and operation. They are organised into 10 categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Control, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community. Importantly, though, the requirements must be implemented in practice and continuously complied with. Therefore, in order not to lose the certificate, reviews of the certified buildings are conducted every 3 years by representatives of International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI), who make the necessary measurements, review the documentation, and pay an on-site visit. The building must also successfully undergo testing of the quality of the internal environment, including parameters such as air, water, sound, light and thermal comfort. All this makes the certificate broadly acknowledged as reliable and prestigious.
“WELL is primarily a set of best practices and solutions which, when integrated into the project, have a positive impact on the building’s operation and the wellbeing of its users. The latter aspect is of key importance, which is why together with the project team we have identified a few dozen improvements which have been implemented in the projects for the individual industries. Their positive impact will surely be appreciated by the tenants, building service personnel, and even passers-by walking past Warsaw UNIT. We are very happy that Ghelamco has decided to apply for the latest WELL v2 version of the certificate. It is an ambitious undertaking, but we are sure that the project team which has recently won BREEAM Awards 2019 for Wronia 31 will stand up to the challenge,” says Daniel Hojniak, accredited WELL expert from Sweco, who is coordinating the Warsaw UNIT certification process.
About Warsaw UNIT
Warsaw UNIT is being built at Rondo Daszyńskiego, in the very heart of Warsaw’s new business centre. The 202-metre high building will provide 57,000 sqm of modern office space on 45 floors.
Major roads and transfer hubs meet in the direct vicinity of the building. Nearby there is the second metro line, bus and tram stops, as well as the urban and suburban train station.
The project’s uniqueness lies in its architecture, which refers to the modernist heritage enriched with innovative solutions. The podium of the building will be covered by kinetic facade known as the “Dragon Skin”, made of thousands of moving plates. It will visibly react to every puff of wind, forming on its surface unique images modelled by forces of nature.
The ground floor of the skyscraper will host commercial spaces and food amenities, available from the street level. The building will also provide a multi-storey garage for 450 cars as well as infrastructure for cyclists, including parking lot for bicycles, locker rooms and showers. Warta, one of the leading insurance companies on the Polish market, has become Warsaw UNIT’s strategic tenant. The company will occupy nearly 20,000 sqm of office space. The agreement was signed in June this year for a period of 10 years.
