Alesonor, the well-being community developer with more than 20 years of experience in the Romanian residential sector, has achieved LEED COMMUNITY PLATINUM PRECERTIFICATION for Amber Forest complete suburb, becoming the fourth project in Europe obtaining the Platinum pre-certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Amber Forest is the first and only project in Romania to achieve LEED Cities and Communities pre-certification.
The precertification confirms that Amber Forest has fulfilled all the requirements of LEED Cities and Communities: Plan and Design.
Amber Forest is now part of a group to be certified using the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system. LEED, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), was created by the USGBC and is the world’s most widely used green building rating system.
“Amber Forest LEED PLATINUM pre-certification shows that the project implements essential measures for sustainability and climate leadership,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC. “LEED for Cities and Communities was created to help improve our living standards and ensure every citizen has access to healthy, green and high-performing places and spaces. Cities and communities that achieve LEED certification develop responsible, sustainable and specific plans for green energy, water, waste, transportation and many other factors that contribute to quality of life, such as equity, education, resilience, infrastructure and more. Amber Forest is a prime example of how innovative planning and collaboration can help achieve sustainability and resilience goals.”
“Our vision is to create a community that would set a new standard for sustainable living in Romania and inspire others to follow and develop more sustainable projects. We are creating a complete community where residents can enjoy a high-quality life while being mindful of the environment. Designing and building a community that meets the highest standards of sustainability requires a deep understanding of the principles of sustainable design and the use of cutting-edge technology and materials. For this effort, the guidelines of LEED Cities and Communities standards completed our design and inspired us to an even more ambitious achievement. We are very proud we are among the few projects in Europe to achieve the highest recognition – the LEED CITIES AND COMMUNITIES Platinum Precertification”, said Leonidas Anastasopoulos, Managing Partner Alesonor.
The 31 hectares sustainable project Amber Forest located in the Tunari area, 14 km from Piata Victoriei Square, Bucharest, will feature over 700 green villas and apartments which will benefit from a complete, high-quality infrastructure together with a dedicated area for the family – school, kindergarten and afterschool, co-working spaces with conference rooms, recreation areas, sports, spa, restaurants and shopping, as well as direct access to the Baneasa Forest, the largest forest around Bucharest.
Amber Forest achieved LEED PLATINUM precertification for its commitment to implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at improving sustainability and the standard of living for residents. Some of the items that were analyzed and solutions that are accordingly implemented are focused on: water savings, energy efficiency and low greenhouse gas emissions, materials and resources used, efficient transportation, sustainable site development, biodiversity, low-density development and high-quality of life. LEED is designed to help buildings, communities and cities achieve high performance in key areas of human and environmental health.
“Cities and communities pursuing LEED certification are firmly committed to reducing carbon emissions, promoting ecological vitality, and enhancing the well-being of their residents. Amber Forest’s determination to establish a high-performance benchmark may serve as a model for all. I take pride in supporting Alesonor, a developer that steadfastly prioritizes sustainability and the improved quality of life for its residents,” added Arch. Tamara Dogariu, LEED AP ND sustainability consultant.
Moreover, the Amber Forest community signed a commitment to move towards a zero-waste community and reduce environmental and economic harms associated with waste generation. The independent third party auditing the transition is Zero Waste Romania. The commitment includes the implementation of waste prevention measures, smart door-to-door collection, a reuse, repair and recycling community centre and a composting facility for organic waste.
