To drive and meet demand, Polish developer Torus aims to achieve the highest level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for all their properties in the Gdansk area. To achieve this for two new office developments, they sought a partner for security solutions with extensive experience supporting green building certification and specifications. They partnered with Assa Abloy Opening Solutions.
Like all Torus office buildings, the new Format office building and Alchemia mixed-use development are equipped with advanced technologies and set the highest standards for innovation and sustainability. Where possible, Torus choose products which have Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Green Circle documentation, favouring access control solutions which reduce both carbon footprint and energy costs.
Growing demand for green building certifications
To obtain the highest possible LEED rating, Torus works with suppliers committed to sustainable development and consistently demonstrates good practices in this area. Assa Abloy BIM & Specification consultants have expertise supporting all types of the green building project. Detailed contribution sheets for six leading certification schemes —including LEED — are available from the company as a download. Each sheet identifies the contribution made by multiple products and technologies towards criteria in the scheme.
“These contribution sheets are just the starting point for a hands-on collaboration which benefits the final building — in environmental, economic and social terms — over its full life cycle,” says Alicja Leszczynska, Specification Manager Poland at Assa Abloy “Collaborating with Assa Abloy equipped Torus developments with innovative solutions which improve buildings’ energy performance.”
Assa Abloy also publishes several independently audited EPDs. Each one details an individual product’s total impact — a map of its footprint, from raw material, through manufacturing, logistics and use, to end-of-life recycling. These life-cycle assessments inform customers and detail the information required to support a submission to green building schemes. “Wireless access control solutions such as energy-efficient Aperio handles, provide a high level of security, enable integration with other systems, and read many technologies, including mobile credentials,” explains Roman Sokolowski at Torus.
Reducing energy use by choosing the right access control solutions
Access control at the two new Torus buildings uses integrated, energy-efficient hardwired and wireless solutions: Aperio wireless door handles plus HID Iclass SE and HID Signo readers.
Battery-powered Aperio devices which secure doors consume much less energy during installation and operation than a comparable wired solution. According to the company, HID Signo door readers have an Intelligent Power Mode (IPM) which saves 41% energy compared to equivalent readers without IPM configuration.
“Wireless Aperio also provides flexibility, giving the possibility of expanding the system or using it elsewhere in the case of changes in the arrangement of office space,” says Torus’ Roman Sokolowski. “The lack of wiring significantly reduces materials use, reduces costs, and ensures quick installation.”