Leading European property company, Unibail-Rodamco, is celebrating a double BREEAM success after achieving top sustainability scores for both a new and an existing shopping centre.
The organisation, which owns 82 shopping centres across Europe, was recognised today at the Expo Real trade fair in Munich for its commitment to sustainable development, setting the standard for new and existing international retail premises.
Gavin Dunn, Director of BREEAM at BRE Global, said: "Congratulations to Unibail-Rodamco on a great achievement in accomplishing two BREEAM firsts. A first Excellent for a new shopping centre under BREEAM Europe, and the first certification under the new BREEAM In-Use International for an existing shopping centre. These projects demonstrate Unibail’s commitment to driving sustainability across their portfolio, addressing both new and existing buildings.”
So Ouest is the first European shopping centre to be certified Excellent under the BREEAM Europe: Retail 2009 scheme. The major refurbishment and extension of the 48,500m2 shopping centre in the Parisian suburb of Levallois-Perret, achieved a final BREEAM score of 78%.
Charlotte Miriel, Innovative Projects Director for BREEAM assessors GreenAffair, said: “BREEAM certification was deeply embedded at each phase of the project, from design to commissioning. For us, So Ouest is the new environmental European standard for a shopping centre.”
Cité Europe in Calais is the first mall in Europe to achieve certification under the new BREEAM In-Use International scheme (68,200m2 GLA). It achieved high scores under the Asset and Management parts of BREEAM In-Use, with a particularly notable achievement of an Outstanding rating in the Management category.
Christophe Garot, Group Head of Environmental Sustainability at Unibail-Rodamco, said: "BREEAM In-Use is not seen as an additional cost or bureaucratic constraint, it is part of our culture and management to improve the performance of our asset on a daily basis. The BREEAM approach allows us to integrate and stimulate our tenants and maintenance suppliers to be sure that each technical device (lighting, ventilation, heating and cooling etc) will be properly maintained and operated 365 days per year.”
Stefaan Martel of BOPRO, who were the BREEAM In-Use Auditor for the project, said: “Cité Europe’s outstanding rating is the result of Unibail-Rodamco and Bopro’s efficient partnership which leads to ongoing performance improvement of their portfolio of shopping centres and office buildings.”
In total, 21 of Unibail-Rodamco’s shopping centres across Europe are now BREEAM In-Use certified in line with the group’s ambitious target to roll out BREEAM certification on the whole managed portfolio.