Rising energy costs play into the hands of the construction of energy-efficient buildings

Prague - The rise in energy prices could soon be one of the main drivers for the construction of "green" office buildings. Such buildings may also be more attractive to investors. This was the consensus among participants in today's discussion organized by the Association for the Development of the Real Estate Market and the Czech Council for Green Buildings.
    "Energy prices will rise, along with the operating costs of buildings," said Petr Urbánek. According to him, this will mean reduced income for office owners, as there may not be room for increasing rent. The construction of energy-efficient buildings, according to Boris Zupančič, director of the Czech Council for Green Buildings, usually does not require higher costs than regular buildings.
    Energy-efficient buildings may play a larger role in real estate transactions in the future, believes Eduard Forejt from the consulting company Jones Lang LaSalle. Foreign investors often do not know local investors, and thus an ecological certification of an office building can give them assurance that they are not buying a "pig in a poke." Furthermore, according to Forejt, ecological certification of buildings could become a competitive advantage for offices that are already older but still want to attract tenants.
    There are several certification systems abroad. They differ mainly in methodology and criteria for evaluating buildings. Buildings are often assessed not only from an ecological standpoint, but also based on the comfort they provide for their users. Examples include the British BREEAM system, the American LEED, the German DGNB, or the GreenBuilding certification valid in the European Union. Since this year, domestic buildings can also obtain the SBToolCZ certificate developed by experts from the Czech Technical University in Prague and other domestic institutions.
    Some buildings in the Czech Republic have already obtained international certificates. For example, the Nordica office building in Ostrava has received the GreenBuilding certificate, the ČSOB headquarters in Prague-Radlice has LEED certification. The office buildings Zlatý Anděl in Prague-Smíchov and BB Centrum Building Beta in Prague's Michle have received the international ecological certificate BREEAM.
    Since 2009, there has been a legally mandated method for assessing the energy efficiency of buildings in the Czech Republic. All new buildings or renovations of buildings with a floor area over 1,000 square meters must have a so-called energy performance certificate. The certificate reveals how a specific building performs in terms of energy efficiency.