Nové Lido receives prestigious BREEAM Communities Interim Assessment
An international expert team’s two-year period of meetings, discussions, consultations and development studies have delivered the first result. The long-planned Nové Lido project by JTRE, which envisions extending Bratislava’s city centre to encompass the Danube’s right bank, has received prestigious green certification.
"We’re proud that our forthcoming Nové Lido project is only the twelfth development in Central Europe to have met very strict sustainability criteria, and thereby received prestigious BREEAM Communities Interim Assessment (Step 1).
Pavel Pelikán, JTRE’s executive director
Awarded since 2008, BREEAM Communities certification differs from other green certifications by going beyond the evaluation of individual buildings to also consider a project’s wider entire area or neighbourhood. This international rating system is administered by BRE, a UK-based independent institution.
"Step 1 is the first, fundamental part of the certification. During the conceptual design phase, it includes the analysis of numerous environmental, social and economic impacts in cooperation with experts. Current land status and design methods are evaluated to deliver optimal solutions in terms of biodiversity, flood prevention, mitigating the effects of climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ecological transport alternatives, residents’ health benefits, cultural enjoyment, availability of services, or job creation."
Martin Stohl, JTRE’s ESG manager
Step 1 certification can only be followed by final BREEAM Communities certification when all recommendations have been incorporated into the detailed design. An assessor is appointed to track a project throughout the certification process, which in Nový Lido’s case is Hans van de Sanden, the experienced Dutch sustainability expert: "The survey results will now be implemented in the urban layout and detailed urban design. The detailed urban design will be the subject of the final BREEAM Communities certificate, awarding points for the quality of landscaping, biodiversity, sustainable transport, street layouts, housing types, public realm, inclusive design, and many more design details.”
Although JTRE has already been awarded prestigious BREEAM and LEED certificates (including the highest ranking) for ten of its office and retail projects, this is the first certificate to consider a wider area. "This complements JTRE’s aim to achieve Nové Lido’s carbon neutrality, which meets the objective of SECAP - the new Climate Plan of Bratislava, the Capital of Slovakia," added Martin Stohl.
This new urban district’s sensitive design is the compelling result of JTRE’s long-term liaisons with leading local and international architects, urban planners, landscape architects, and consultants involved in social responsibility, sustainability, ecology, sociology and green tech. The visionaries behind the Nové Lido urban study are architect Juraj Benetin and the Compass Architekti team; while project contributors included Jakub Cigler architects and urban planners, Marko & Placemakers, Gehl Architects and GFI.
