Agora Budapest by HB Reavis has received the BREEAM Communities pre-certification, the first commercial building in Hungary to do so. BREEAM provides a framework to support large-scale developments in achieving sustainability.
Agora Budapest has become the first commercial project in country recognized by BREEAM Communities Interim. HB Reavis, an international workspace provider, has put a lot of effort into its development, with its core belief that all projects should support both business and the local community.
Agora Budapest will sit in the vibrant neighborhood.
What is BREEAM Communities and why is it important?
BREEAM Communities International is a simple and flexible route to improve, measure and certify the sustainability of large-scale development plans. All over the world, there are only about 20 projects, which were awarded the BREEAM Communities certificate: one of them is Forest - HB Reavis’ project in Warsaw.
It provides a framework to support planners, local authorities, developers, and investors through the master planning process, before embarking on procurement, detailed building design and construction.
Independent assessors conduct the assessment of the project based on evidence from the design and construction teams. Their work is verified and audited by BREEAM and results in two-stage certification:
- Interim certificate (Pre-Certification) based on outline plans of development
- Final certificate based on a detailed master plan
Most recent pictures from the site, demonstrate the state of Agora Budapest building progress.
Community-oriented activities
HB Reavis carried out multiple arrangements in order to improve business and local communities' everyday life. Amongst the buildings, a spacious square is planned which will host various events throughout both days and evenings to enliven the area. To enable easy access and orientation for visually-impaired and disabled people, HB Reavis sought cooperation with public associations.
Regular meetings are held to maintain a healthy connection with the local community. At the construction site, neighbours and students meet with the developer regularly to get informed about current and upcoming events and to raise any questions and concerns which are directly addressed by the developer’s representatives.
To gain insight into community needs, HB Reavis - in tandem with GfK - consulted with 500 local people to enquire which services and amenities were missing in the area. As a result, Agora Budapest will include retail outlets that will sustain emerging demand in the area and satisfy local needs. Get to know the first of them.
A healthy lifestyle is a big topic, thus a new bike lane connecting the existing ones will emerge as a part of the project. Business people who are keen on cycling will also benefit from lockers, changing rooms and showers facilities inside the building.
Incorporating community-oriented arrangements into the project’s plans will improve the wellbeing of all: not merely people coming to work in the area, but also city dwellers already present.