Sustainability and economic efficiency: these are the priorities for ecoPARKS GmbH in the development of high-quality business parks and neighborhoods. An interview with Wirtschaftswoche magazine.
Mr. Schwarzpaul, Mr. Kunz, what is the situation regarding sustainability in the development of commercial real estate?
WILM SCHWARZPAUL: All stakeholders are aware of the importance of sustainability—not only in terms of climate protection, but also with regard to human- and business-friendly urban development. Sustainable construction can also go hand in hand with more efficient cost structures and make companies more attractive to employees. However, in Germany, more could already be done in commercial construction today, and above all, it could be done more easily.
What is ecoPARKS doing about this?
JÖRG KUNZ: We want to establish a new standard in the market that reconciles ecological, social, and economic goals. We do this by developing sustainable, modular commercial and industrial properties that can be flexibly adapted to the changing needs of users— from co-working spaces and start-up garages to production facilities. To this end, we are working in particular as a partner to local authorities to explore new concepts for commercial real estate that fit responsibly into their surroundings. In this way, we are creating real added value for cities.
Do you have a specific example?
SCHWARZPAUL: One specific example is the new production facility for Kuroda Jena Tec, which we have just completed in Jena. We built the entire facility for the high-tech mechanical engineering company out of wood. The structure and a large proportion of the building materials used are recyclable and cradle-to-cradle, meaning they can be returned to the raw material cycle without any loss. A wooden building construction also has the advantage that the components (such as beams and supports) were prefabricated, space-saving, and therefore more sustainable to transport. The facade and roof greening reduces fine dust and improves the microclimate. This is a huge advantage, as can be seen right now – keyword: gas.
What did you learn from this project?
KUNZ: All components for the project in Jena were digitally planned and coordinated. We will rely even more heavily on digital tools for current and future projects. With the help of a "digital twin," , for example, we can simulate the actual heating and energy requirements of a building, even incorporating weather data. This eliminates the need for oversized building services planning in accordance with DIN standards, which can save up to 50 percent of the costs. In the further course of the project, the digital twin will then be used for integral planning, customer configuration of the office and production environment, and preparation for operation, including energy, maintenance, and audit management.
SCHWARZPAUL: Digitalization is indeed a great benefit for sustainability. In addition, efficient, digital planning in advance simply saves investment costs. And there is one more thing that is important to us: a well-designed and attractive commercial building attracts employees and increases the attractiveness of the location – and takes this into account. You will hardly find anything like this anywhere else in Germany. The building has been constructed in accordance with BEG 40 EE and, thanks to a PV system covering the entire roof and the use of heat pumps, creates added value for building owners, the companies located there, and, last but not least, the local authorities.
