The Craft office building, owned by Ghelamco and currently under construction in Katowice, will be the first in the region to receive the prestigious SmartScore certificate. This certification system confirms the high standard of intelligent solutions in office buildings and their position in comparison with other buildings. In addition, the Craft office building will also be the first in Katowice to be assessed for technological advancement by the WiredScore certification team. JLL is the exclusive agent responsible for the commercialization of the building.
SmartScore certification is still a novelty in the Polish office real estate market. In fact, Ghelamco was the first developer in the country to start certifying its office buildings with SmartScore . It was developed in 2021 by the US company WiredScore to evaluate buildings in terms of functionality for users and the degree of digitization. Owners and users of the world's most technologically advanced office buildings cooperate with the company on their respective projects. The SmartScore system makes it possible to assess the standards of smart buildings and indicate how properties which are certified compare with other facilities.
”Our investments have always gone hand in hand with advanced technological facilities, high user comfort and pioneering solutions. The SmartScore certification system, although it has appeared on the Polish market relatively recently, is not new to us. Last year we certified our Warsaw skyscraper, The Bridge, and its functionalities were rated at the highest platinum level. Our hallmarks are innovation and eco-friendliness. We are committed to making Ghelamco's proprietary solutions, such as Signal OS, available to tenants in different parts of the country. We are proud to be the first in Central and Eastern Europe to certify regional investments in the SmartScore system and the first in Katowice to apply for WiredScore certification, which assures local users of the highest level of comfort,” says Jarosław Zagórski, commercial and development director of Ghelamco Poland.
”ESG and smart solutions are integral parts of our business. We achieve success in these fields by combining our passion for new technologies with our concern for society and the users of our buildings. It is the people - the users of our facilities - who motivate us to constantly seek new solutions and implement them at an ever-higher level. With SmartScore and WiredScore certification, all tenants and users of our projects in the regions will be assured that their building meets the highest technological standards”, says Jarosław Fiutowski, board member responsible for ESG strategy and innovation at Ghelamco Poland.
During the certification of regional office buildings, solutions will be analysed in relation to two main criteria. Functional technologies that affect user comfort and security will be examined first. The next stage will see the certification team evaluate technical aspects, such as digital connectivity, governance and cybersecurity.
Craft – a new quality in Poland’s regional markets
Katowice is among the most dynamically developing business centres in Poland. The expansion of the business sector is also noticeable in the office leasing market. In the heart of Silesia, almost as many offices are being built in the city as there are in Warsaw. The next step for the development of regional business centres is the development of technological facilities and the introduction of international, quality-affirming certification.
Ghelamco's newest development in the region, Craft, will be the first in Katowice to be WiredScore certified. Katowice will also stand out among other centres in Central and Eastern Europe, being the first region to see SmartScore certification. In 2022, The Craft office building joins another Ghelamco investment, The Bridge, located in Warsaw which became the first building in Central and Eastern Europe to receive SmartScore certification at the platinum level, attaining a maximum score in the process.
The 13-story Craft building is a pro-ecological building with an industrial character, located next to the Silesia City Center shopping mall, in the heart of Katowice. Its eye-catching architecture with a terraced shape will be a distinctive point on the architectural map of the city. Craft will offer tenants 26,700 sqm of top-class office space. The building's facade will feature copper-toned elements that will give it an industrial character in deference to Katowice's industrial heritage. The unconventional design will provide six terraces, with one located on the building's roof, providing an exceptional view of the city skyline. In addition, the office building will feature charging stations for electric cars, as well as 60 bicycle spaces along with amenities for cyclists such as locker rooms and showers. A two-story underground parking garage will accommodate 218 vehicles. An additional 28 spaces are planned for the surface parking lot.
Like all Ghelamco developments, Craft will also be BREEAM and WELL certified, attesting to the building's level of comfort and environmental footprint. The office building will be completed later this year.