Skanska’s latest and largest office project in the Czech Republic, Port7, has achieved the prestigious LEED Platinum certification in the latest version v4. According to available information, the project received the best rating of all commercial projects built in the Czech Republic last year. Buildings D and E even ranked among the top-rated in the ranking of the most sustainable office buildings in Europe certified in 2023. The demanding environmental criteria were met both during construction and now during the operation of the building. Skanska managed to achieve 3 platinum certifications in the campus certification scheme at the same time.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) environmental certification is one of the most widely used building sustainability rating systems in the world. It evaluates the operational efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Skanska’s latest project Port7 scored 84 points for Building A and 85 points for Building D and Building E.
The Port7 project was assessed against the stringent criteria of LEED v4/4.1 certification, which are significantly more demanding than previous standards. The commitment to environmental responsibility is evident in the careful approach taken during the certification process. In addition, Port7 approached sustainability in a comprehensive manner, seeking multiple certifications for multiple properties at the same time. First, the entire Port7 campus went through the process, evaluating elements shared by all three buildings. Subsequently, each building underwent its own certification.
“Sustainability is part of Skanska’s DNA and the additional success of the LEED Platinum rating confirms that we are delivering on our long-term commitment to ESG compliance. This success, especially under the demanding LEED v4/4.1 certification, demonstrates our know-how and ability to create projects that are attractive to tenants and visitors alike. We have put in place a range of measures to reduce the environmental impact of the building both during design and construction and during operation,” says Eva Nykodymova, Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager for Skanska’s Commercial Development Unit for Central and Eastern Europe.
Port7 has guarantees of origin for 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. The installed technologies significantly reduce the energy consumption of the building and support water conservation. Thanks to highly efficient technical measures, it achieves energy savings of up to more than 40% compared to the LEED certified reference building. This not only reduces the environmental footprint, but also provides economic benefits to tenants in the form of lower operating costs. For example, using energy-efficient furnishings or collecting rainwater and then using it for irrigation saves up to 43% water compared to a standard building (LEED reference).
Port7 also features a high performance façade design and an efficient and flexible HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. More than 90% of all regularly occupied spaces are lit by natural daylight, supplemented by LED lights and lighting controls in common areas. Blower-door tests carried out in all three buildings have shown excellent façade quality and the measured parameters are close to passive house values. In addition, the project promotes biodiversity as much as possible and has replaced the brownfield with a large revitalised park along the river and a future community garden.
“The technologies have been designed to meet not only the requirements based on Czech technical standards, but also the even stricter conditions Skanska has set for savings under LEED certification and for ensuring the quality of the indoor environment under WELL and WELL Health-Safety Rating certification, which the building is yet to undergo,” says Eva Nykodymová.
The building’s operations are controlled by a data-driven Building Management System (BMS), which leads to increased energy efficiency, reduced operating costs and increased comfort and productivity for building occupants. Individual technologies can be managed efficiently through the BMS system. Lighting is adjusted according to the time of day and the ventilation system provides fresh air based on the CO2 concentration in the room. Efficient heating is made possible by an adjustable building occupancy schedule.
In cooperation with Prague 7, Skanska also renovated the waterfront, where the company created a new 17,000 square metre park. This also created a completely new connection between the U Vody and Stromovka parks. The project thus serves not only the tenants, but the entire district.
“Our aim was also to integrate the building into the surrounding area, i.e. to consistently take into account the social aspect so that the project creates harmony with the surrounding environment,” says Eva Nykodymová in conclusion.
Success in LEED Platinum certification would not have been possible without the strong involvement of both Skanska teams, i.e. the commercial development and civil engineering units. At the core of the entire project was cooperation, mutual understanding and the will to go one step further. Other experts, especially in the field of energy modelling and commissioning, also worked on the project and contributed to this beautiful success.
The overall architectural concept of Port7 was prepared by the respected studio DAM.architekti.
