The number of “green” eco-offices in Moscow is set to double by 2015 when 10 additional buildings get certifications that highlight their resource efficiency, according to a study released by Jones Lang LaSalle this week.
At present, less than 2.5 percent of Moscow’s premium office buildings – 253,000 square feet – are certified with the international green-building standards BREEAM or LEED.
These numbers already give Moscow the edge over cities including Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in terms of the total certified area, but lags where certified objects are concerned. In this instance, Moscow’s 2.5 percent comes against 6-12 percent green offices in Eastern European cities.
A rapid rise is expected, however, as interest from developers and occupiers peaks. Office spaces with minimal impact are part of an increase in larger environmental consciousness, as well as keeping the cost of amenities down.
A factor driving the rise in popularity for “green” offices internationally is the desire to keep energy costs low. However, this is not a big factor in Russia, where energy costs are already considerably lower than in Western countries. What matters, however, is the status value of such a project.
“In Moscow, the “green” building status is a hallmark in commercial real estate,” said Kseniya Agapova, consultant in ecological innovations at Jones Lang LaSalle. “The prestige of having an office in a ‘green’ building also plays an important role.”
The new developments will see Moscow join with London, Calgary, Qatar, and St. Petersburg in the push for a more sustainable office space future.