Olivia Business Centre has undergone the most comprehensive analysis conducted by experts from the International Well Being Institute (IWBI) from New York. The safety of building users has been checked, as well as solutions improving the quality of life in the business centre, in both everyday use and in the context of the ongoing pandemic. In each category, Olivia received a maximum score of 25 out of 25 points. It received this rating in 22 basic categories and in 3 new ones related to innovations implemented on site. This is the first such result in the world, which confirms that Gdańsk’s buildings are among the business world’s leaders.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating is a data-based, independently verified assessment for buildings, focusing on the analysis of operational rules, use and maintenance standards, stakeholder engagement and contingency plans to ensure maximum COVID-19 protection at present and in the future, ensuring the safety and comfort of their users. Many famous people from all over the world, including Lady Gaga, Robert DeNiro, Michael Jordan, Venus Williams and many others, have engaged in a broad campaign to restore confidence in public spaces.
The campaign promotion video can be viewed on the website:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDg-kKJXQKI&ab_channel=IWBI
WELL Health-Safety certification takes into account guidelines regarding the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections from the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centres, crisis management agencies, recognized standards associations such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, as well as leading academic and research institutions.
“Proving performance through external validation further demonstrates a commitment to people now and in the future. Our certification is based on the insights of nearly 600 virologists, government officials, scientists, business leaders, architects, designers, construction scientists and real estate professionals, as well as the WELL construction standard – the world’s leading platform for the development of healthy buildings and spaces,” writes Rachel Gordon, CEO of IWBI in the congratulations letter. “The assessment shows that Olivia Business Centre prioritises health and well-being, inspiring the trust of those who frequent the site and the wider community around it,” Rachel Gordon adds.
WELL, however, is primarily a guarantee of an extensive infrastructure that increases the quality of life and comfort of each building user. The dominant trend in the design of modern buildings, which is a sustainable manner takes into account a holistic approach to the needs related to health, well-being and comfort of use.
During the last year, Olivia Business Centre has implemented a number of solutions that position it as a leader in the field of wellbeing. In summer, there are meetings of Residents on the patio, sports events are arranged that are very popular and exhibitions of paintings, photographs and sculptures are organized. Soon, a unique, public, all-year-round garden will be open. All these events and amenities can be used safely by Olivia’s Residents and guests, thanks to the applied solutions that have been recognized by the certifying institution.
Olivia is one of the first office centres in the world to have implemented ion air purification technology in its buildings, which has been used so far in the most prestigious facilities in the world, including the White House, the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, and private Gulfstream jets. The devices installed saturate all internal areas with ions capable of destroying viruses, bacteria and other pathogens in the air-ventilated to the premises. The air purification process takes place continuously while people are in the room, so the fight with the pathogen begins from the moment it appears in the room.
“We keep the safety and quality of life of our space users as an absolute priority, which is why we are happy to undergo such an important certification, carried out by a certification body known throughout the world, for which the priority is the comfort and well-being of people using the space,” says Konrad Danecki from Olivia’s investor supervision. “During the preparations, we set ourselves the goal of meeting the requirements down to the smallest detail, aiming to obtain the maximum rating in all categories. We are proud that the goal was achieved 100% and that we are one of the first buildings to join the campaign to restore normality and freedom of movement in public buildings. The WELL Building Standard is the world’s most important tool for promoting healthy buildings and human-friendly spaces. Such a high rating proves that health and well-being are a priority for Olivia, inspiring the trust of those who visit our facilities and the wider community,” adds Konrad Danecki.
Air purification technology is not the only innovation to have been delivered. Active titanium coatings have been applied in the common parts of the buildings (elevators, lobbies, access paths to garage halls), creating high-touch surfaces free from pathogenic microorganisms. Bacteria, fungi and viruses are eliminated, and their residues are broken down into carbon dioxide and water. The coating, which was developed by Polish company Lumichem, and scientists from the Jagiellonian University, was used in all eight office buildings in the Olivia centre.
In addition, the level of air filtration in air handling units has been raised from G4 to F7 class, which is the highest level of filtration currently available. Sensors for VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and particulate matter (PM) pollution have also been installed. Thanks to this, it is possible to monitor the purity of the air and, as a result, eliminate harmful compounds from fresh air drawn in from the outside and pumped into the buildings. Systems for controlling the intensity of air exchange were also installed based on the knowledge of the current CO2 measurement results, which contributes to a significant increase in the comfort of those staying at the workplace. As part of the strategy implemented at Olivia Business Centre, additional solutions contributing to increasing the safety of office workers were also prepared: sterilizers for entry cards were purchased, elevator settings were changed, so that in the standby mode the lift cabin remains open, allowing larger amounts of fresh air.
By undergoing such rigorous certification, Olivia has obtained the safety and quality of life status, which characterizes the most prestigious buildings in the world. At the same time, it gives a strong signal of the possibility of returning to the life that everyone knew before the pandemic and means direct social and professional meetings, or participation in interesting live events, free from health concerns.
Olivia Business Centre in Gdańsk, Poland is the largest and most modern office and business centre in the Tri-City agglomeration. Its target size will significantly exceed 200,000 sqm and already amounts to 175,000 sqm, which makes Olivia Business Centre the largest office project in Poland. Olivia’s largest residents are Airhelp, Amazon, Arrow, Bayer, Deloitte, Energa, EPAM, Fujifilm, Nordea, PwC, Ricoh, Sii, Staples, ThyssenKrupp.
