On May 29th, 2018, one of Hungary’s most modern office buildings, the Ericsson House, was officially handed over in the presence of the Prime Minister of Hungary and Ericsson’s worldwide CEO. This new building, developed by WING, features not only offices, but also one of the Swedish company’s largest European Research & Development centers.
Good transportation links, the latest technological infrastructure, quality services, environmentally friendly construction and operation – these are the complex demands of the 21st century. Only a small number of properties in the Hungarian office market are able to satisfy these demands. Science Park owned by Heitman European Property Partners IV has recently been awarded a BREEAM in Use “Very Good” rating in all three possible categories, a unique achievement in Central and Eastern Europe.Demand for environmentally friendly office buildings is constantly growing among tenants in Central and Eastern Europe. With a building of this kind, besides the environmental impacts there are also some important economic considerations, as maintaining such a facility is less expensive, enabling the companies that rent office space to achieve considerable savings on their office rental and maintenance costs. In Hungary, AIG/Lincoln had a pioneering role in The Quadrum, the first building in the country to be rated “Very Good” under the BREEAM* rating system, which was awarded in 2006 on the basis of the building's designs.
Heitman and AIG/Lincoln cooperation on the Science Park certification has resulted in the only facility in Central and Eastern Europe to achieve this in all three possible categories: “asset”, “building management” and “occupier management” (Ericsson). Contributing to the “Very Good” certification was the 2012 investment by Science Park in a heat recovery system reusing the waste heat from building mechanical systems to supplement the perimeter heating in the office areas. During the implementation of this project the entire building management system was replaced, and the building mechanical systems were also upgraded. Based on measurements taken in the first quarter of 2013, the building's winter gas consumption decreased by almost 60% and electricity consumption in common areas by close to 10%. Due to the unique solutions put in place in the office building, in addition to the energy and cost savings, the building’s environmental impact was also dramatically reduced.
The almost 30 000m2 Science Park has maintained 95% occupancy since it was completed in 2004. The largest tenant is Ericsson – the company’s Budapest research and development centre is housed here – which in 2012 both expanded the scope and extended the term of its rental agreement.
According to the company’s deputy CEO Roland Jakab, important considerations when choosing the site were the proximity of the universities, the green environment, the excellent transportation links and the fact that the part of the building they occupy was fully customised to suit their needs. In 2009 Ericsson set the objective of reducing its carbon footprint by 40% over a period of five years. This company managed to fulfil this undertaking in four years, primarily through systematic developments applied across their product range, and by increasing the energy-efficiency of their products. Ericsson is working to transform “Technology for Good” from vision to action all around the world. It aims to use its expertise and innovations to provide solutions to global challenges, and is working to create a more sustainable world. Ericsson’s commitment to environmental protection has contributed greatly to Science Park's success.Science Park’s BREEAM designation adds to its unique value proposition and existing amenities including a restaurant, café, covered smoking area, bicycle racks and car wash. The office building is located in a greenbelt area, and is easily approachable both on foot and by public transport. These features all help to promote environmentally friendly transport and a healthy working environment, which are critical components of sustainable buildings of the future.
