The facades of the second business center "Park Town" being built in Vilnius will be powered by electricity. So far, this is the only business park in Lithuania that has installed photovoltaic modules on its facades. However, this innovation, which is still extremely rare in our country due to large investments and complex design, is expanding rapidly in the Western world.
According to Lino Savickas, director of asset management at Darnu Group, one of the largest real estate development and management companies in Lithuania, the decision to convert sunlight into energy for common room lighting has already paid off in the facades of the first Park Town building.
"The building consumes less electricity from non-renewable sources. However, this is not only a practical advantage: we receive feedback that such technologies also increase the satisfaction of those working there due to the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of the environment, sustainable and responsible consumption with the most modern solutions", says the representative of "Darnu Group".
Growing awareness dictates challenges for developers
The modules already integrated into the facade parts at the factory do not stand out in the environment and generate electricity for the building. Such facades cover the southern side of the second Park Town building, which receives the most sunlight.
According to L. Savickos, there is still only one business park in Lithuania that stands out with such innovation, but in countries that highly value environmental protection, these solutions are already becoming a trend: from residential buildings in Melbourne to exhibitions and a business center in London, and the leader of our region is Germany, where photovoltaic modules are already has many application examples.
The prospects of this technology are best described by the known JAV a report published this year by the innovation market research and industry analysis company n-tech Research. It predicts an impressive development of the building-integrated photovoltaic modules market: if global sales reach 2,9 billion by the end of this year. US dollars, that is already 2023 billion in 5,7, and even 2027 billion in 11,6. The study also emphasizes that the main object of the technology's activity is high-rise office buildings with particularly large areas that can utilize solar energy.
"Modern employees of Lithuanian companies, like Westerners, want to work in an environment friendly to nature. People's awareness is growing and the need for economy goes hand in hand with solutions for a more sustainable environment. Understanding this, we strive to create buildings that serve the future and meet global trends. It's not cheap or easy, but we want company employees to feel good here even after a decade," assures L. Savickas.
Due to the special focus on sustainability, the Park Town business park is certified according to the international standard for the assessment and classification of the environmental impact of buildings, BREEAM. The certificate ensures the creation of healthy working conditions for employees according to the best global practices and the highest quality standards, taking into account lighting, noise and comfort.
The second building will also feature more than one modern solution. In addition to the electricity-generating facades, heat will be extracted geothermally, the elevators will generate additional electricity as they descend, a green terrace will be installed on the first floor, and a Japanese garden will be located next to the business park on a 5-hectare area.
A win-win situation
Specialists agree that the main solutions for the development of real estate are focused on energy efficiency and installation as quickly as possible. These guidelines satisfy all interested parties: they allow project developers to ensure higher building quality, premises tenants - lower energy resource bills, opportunities to work in cutting-edge offices and contribute to the preservation of environmental well-being, and manufacturers - to save time.
"Our goal is to do as much work as possible in the factory and as little as possible in the facility. In order to achieve such an indicator, the quality of the project is significantly increased and the installation time at the facility is shortened", asserts Linas Karžinauskas, director of KG Constructions, the leading manufacturer of aluminum constructions in the Baltic States, which installed the facades of Park Town buildings.
According to him, the buildings of the "Park Town" business park are distinguished not only by photovoltaic modules, but also by complex facade solutions, which are determined by a non-standard, curved roof.
22 sq.m. is being developed surrounded by a Japanese garden. m. The Park Town business park of the highest class A offices in the area is located in a strategic location - a gathering place for the business community Constitution Avenue at the end Both buildings of the business park will be characterized by high quality based on smart technical and engineering solutions and convenient infrastructure, providing an opportunity to easily connect with any part of the city by both personal and public transport.
For the convenience of employees, the park will have conference halls meeting the highest requirements, a sports club, cafes, restaurants, beauty salon, dry cleaner and other daily services.
In total, Darnu Group is investing 40 million in the project. Eur.
"Darnu Group" unites more than 20 companies engaged in real estate activities, manages a group of sports and wellness companies and hotels. Last year, the turnover of the company reached 52,5 million. EUR, and the value of managed investment property - 169 million. Eur.
