LOKALE IMMOBILIA | OFFICE BUILDING MANAGEMENT
Modern building management systems (BMS) have been instrumental in making sure that the above-mentioned green building solutions are taken full advantage of. The systems optimize energy consumption by switching to an energysaving mode after working hours. “The most modern office buildings in the world, such as The Edge in Amsterdam, are highly automated,” said Maciej Markowski, partner, head of workplace strategy, Central and Eastern Europe, at Cushman & Wakefield. BMS solutions allow for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting systems to use less electricity during certain times of the day. This is possible due to the use of solutions including motion detectors. Kalisz pointed out that building management systems are also compatible with concrete core tempering systems, a new solution in the Polish market that is used for heating and cooling office buildings. BMS adjusts the temperature of the core to the current atmospheric conditions outside the building.
FEELING SAFE AND SECURE
However, saving costs is not the only use that such systems can be put to. Piotr Kalisz, senior associate, office agency, at Colliers International, pointed out that modern building management systems also enhance safety and security in office projects. Sensors installed in modern buildings are able to detect irregularities such as an exceedingly high carbon dioxide concentration in a particular room and act accordingly. The system changes ventilation parameters so the concentration can quickly be lowered and proper air quality restored. For their part, access cards allow employees and visitors to go by lift to certain floors only. Admittedly, solutions such as the employment of personalized access cards can also play the role of nice gimmicks for tenants. Upon learning that the CEO has entered the building, for example, the system may tune the temperature and lighting in his or her room to the favored parameters, or even turn on the coffee machine. “Such advanced solutions are still rare but are slowly becoming more popular,” Kalisz said.
EFFICIENT SPACE
According to Marcin Goncikowski, an architect and associate at Kuryłowicz & Associates, market competition has been making developers put more and more emphasis on the flexibility of space arrangements. The same amount of space can now accommodate more employees than it used to. Architectural solutions that help boost flexibility include the modularity of the grid and
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the facade of the building, as well as the use of floor-to-ceiling windows that ensure excellent access to natural light. Office market experts also point out that office buildings of today are becoming more and more open to their surroundings. Office building lobbies, for example, increasingly house co-working space and cafes, Markowski noted. Goncikowski pointed to the improving quality of the common areas inside office buildings, as well as the space surrounding the buildings. These areas currently typically offer access to Wi-Fi and house various amenities and services targeted at tenants.
SMART PARKING
The development of technology has also affected parking lots in office buildings. The Warsaw HUB project that is now being developed by Ghelamco Poland, for instance, will feature a car recognition system and a charging station for electric cars. It is also increasingly common for modern office buildings to include infrastructure for The most those who prefer to come to the office by bike. modern Warsaw Spire, for one, features a separate ramp office and a parking lot for bicycles, as well as changbuildings ing rooms and showers for cyclists. in the world Changing habits may in the future make the are highly need to find more efficient parking solutions less automated. urgent. Markowski pointed out that the promotion of public transportation has become a trend and many young people today use public transport or Uber, rather than buying their own car. “Owning a car is no longer the obvious choice,” Markowski argued. According to him, the appearance in the market of autonomous cars could, within the next decade, further decrease the demand for parking space in office buildings.
DOES IT PAY OFF?
By using advanced technology in their new office projects developers are certainly responding to the increasingly fierce competition in the market and the more demanding requirements of their clients, but are such solutions always a must? According to Zagórski, the innovativeness of office buildings is today, above all, a market requirement. The presence of advanced solutions has become one of the key factors companies consider when choosing a particular building as their corporate headquarters. And this is all the more important since some of the most innovative companies globally are now leasing office space in Poland, Zagórski noted. Of course, much depends on the particular project. Kozłowski pointed out that each scheme has its individual budget and priorities. Of major significance are the expectations of future occupants – often, a large tenant that is interested in leasing space in a given building requires the