First BREEAM project certified in Spain

The outlet centre FACTORY La Coruña, developed by Neinver, has become the first BREEAM certified project in Spain.

Arup was the BREEAM® assessor and sustainability consultant for this retail project, which has been certified with a ‘good’ rating in the design and procurement stage of BREEAM Europe Retail 2008.

Neinver, a client of Arup in Europe, is a leading international real estate company focusing on real estate development, assets and fund management.

More than ten projects are currently pursuing BREEAM certification in Spain, a signal that this sustainability performance certification is becoming increasingly popular outside of the UK.

Due to the high demand for sustainability certifications, Building Research Establishment (BRE) Global recently launched BREEAM Europe and BREEAM Gulf. BRE is currently assessing the need for other geographical schemes, following in the footsteps of Spain and the Netherlands.

Subject to the project type and client interest, Arup’s Madrid office will continue using BREEAM, LEED® or local VERDE certifications as a tool to deliver sustainability consultancy.

Arup see these tools not as a goal in itself, but as a way to contribute to the design of better and more sustainable buildings and neighbourhood developments.