Vilnius, Klaipėda and Šiauliai Akropolis were certified according the international BREEAM standart

The Akropolis centres in Vilnius, Klaipėda and Šiauliai have earned recognition from the BRE Global organisation: these shopping and entertainment centres and the Vilnius Akropolis business centre have been issued the international BREEAM In-Use building sustainability certificates.

The BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification shows that these buildings are certified to conform to the highest sustainability requirements and standards. The BREEAM In-Use certificates which were issued to the Akropolis centres are awarded to buildings that are already in use.

According to Dominykas Mertinas, Head of Marketing and Communications at Akropolis Group, the certification of the shopping, entertainment and business centres controlled by the company has been one of its strategic goals.

“In creating a safe and pleasant shopping experience for our clients and visitors at our shopping centres, as well as retail-friendly conditions for our tenants, we have followed the highest standards in the market. The certification of the shopping centres is part of Akropolis Group’s ESG programme, which covers environmental protection, the social environment and corporate governance. We are excited that the solutions utilised in our shopping and entertainment centres that are friendlier towards the environment and the public have also been positively evaluated by the sustainability experts,” Mr Mertinas said.

The Šiauliai Akropolis was rated “Very Good”, while the Vilnius and the Klaipėda Akropolis and the Vilnius Akropolis business centre were rated “Good”. The audit of the shopping centres for the purpose of BREEAM certification was performed by Vesta Consulting, a building sustainability certification and consultancy company.

When it comes to BREEAM certification, the building’s sustainability is assessed according to the following categories: internalenvironment (health and wellbeing); amount of energy used for heating and cooling; and water consumption, transportation, materials used, waste management, ecology and pollution.

The Vilnius, Klaipėda and Šiauliai Akropolis and the business centres were given the highest, 100% marks for waste management. The Šiauliai and Klaipėda Akropolis received a higher score for their transport management solutions, while the Šiauliai Akropolis and the business centre in Vilnius received a higher rating in terms of the materials used.

According to Mr Mertinas, Akropolis Group will aim for all of the shopping centres controlled by the company to be rated “Very Good” under the BREEAM standard by 2026.

“The process of certification has allowed us both to evaluate the sustainability of the managed buildings, as well as it has helped us to draw up a set of guidelines for their further development, while revealing potential areas where we can improve to provide even better conditions for both the people working at the shopping centre and the people visiting them,” Mr Mertinas explained.

The BREEAM certificates are valid for 3 years, and a strategy is now being developed to further improve the buildings. It is expected that once the 3-year period is over, the Akropolis centres will then be re-certified under the newest BREEAM In-Use standards.

The Riga, Ltvia based Akropole shopping, entertainment and business centre managed by Akropolis Group has also been certified under the international BREEAM standards: both the shopping and entertainment centre, and the business centre have been rated “Very Good” in the BREEAM New Construction category.