A Swedish developer is pilot bespoke international version of BREEAM Communities 2012 to ‘ensure the sustainability of future communities whilst retaining the area’s rich cultural history’.
Stockholm-based developer Diligentia is the first to use a bespoke international version of the new BREEAM Communities scheme in the regeneration of the Western Harbour district of Malmö in Sweden. A key objective for the project is to ensure the sustainability of future communities whilst retaining the area’s rich cultural history.
Kabeln (the Cable) is a 6.3 hectare mixed use development in Sundbyberg encompassing offices, retail space and residential dwellings. An industrial area since 1897, the site started as a horseshoe nail factory and later become a hub for cable-making. Diligentia purchased the factory buildings in 1982, converting them into offices and light industrial buildings to meet the changing needs of businesses in the area.
The company plans to develop the site over the next 10 years to create a modern, inclusive neighbourhood that is ‘safe, accessible and feels alive both during the day and at night.’ It will become an integral part of Sundbyberg’s city centre whilst at the same time maintaining its own strong identity.
To reflect the history of the site, new buildings will be constructed in the same form as existing buildings, using simple materials such as red brick, glass and concrete. BREEAM Communities will be used to ensure the project achieves its sustainable and aesthetic goals whilst taking into account local priorities.
This is Diligentia’s second masterplan to undertake BREEAM Communities certification. The first development, Masthusen, is currently obtaining the first certificate in the two-stage process. Some of the Masthusen assessment criteria focus on lessons learnt from earlier Western Harbour developments such as providing appropriate space for new, small businesses and supporting existing businesses by ensuring that new businesses complement rather than compete with them. Additional BREEAM criteria focus on making space available for food growing, providing internal community spaces and reducing light and noise pollution.
Anna Barosen, BREEAM Communities project leader for Diligentia, says: ‘BREEAM Communities certification provides us with an ideal opportunity to not only review, but also ensure we are using international best practice in the design of our communities in Sweden. For us (Diligentia), the BREEAM Communities standard for both our Masthusen and Sundbyberg projects provides the ability to assess a wide range of sustainability issues within the same project.’
For more information on the Masthusen and Sundbyberg schemes, visit www.breeam.org
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