Time capsule buried within the foundations of Elemental Skanste
Today, during a special ceremonial event, a capsule for future generations was buried within the foundations of the Elemental Skanste office building in Riga. Elemental Skanste is a unique concept in the Skanste district and is due to be completed next summer. Designed in accordance with international sustainability standards, it will become the second public building in Latvia and the first in Riga to use ground source heat for heating and cooling purposes, using geothermal piles.
The office building, designed according to the enhanced energy efficiency method, has been certified as a Nearly Zero Energy Building, and the project has achieved a BREEAM Sustainability Certificate rating of Excellent.
The project is owned and being developed by the long-established Kapitel real estate company and is being constructed by Merks. Today’s event was attended by Kapitel CEO Taavi Ojala and Project Development Manager Margus Mändmets, Imants Krēsliņš, Sales Manager of Elemental Skanste, Andris Bišmeistars, Board Member of Merks, and Vilnis Ķirsis, Deputy Chairman of Riga City Council. The participants stressed the importance of thinking about sustainability in all areas, and particularly in construction projects and new working environments, which all have a long-term impact.
“Nowadays, energy efficiency has become an increasingly important factor in project development and realisation, but in recent years in particular the need for new innovations has become more and more vital. From both the landlord’s and an urban planning point of view, it is important that projects incorporate values such as sustainability, innovation, functionality and affordability. It is essential that the building is environmentally friendly while also able to provide everything that is needed for today’s fast-paced life,” said Taavi Ojala, CEO of Kapitel. Kapitel has received sustainability certifications for most of its portfolio and is developing all upcoming projects according to BREEAM certification.
The combined area of the Elemental Skanste office complex is expected to be 33,500 sq m, of which 21,000 sq m is planned as Class A office units for lease. Additional spaces include a conference centre, a co-working area, a bicycle storage area with 400 spaces, showers, changing rooms and various catering and service areas. There will also be around 500 parking spaces, including 200 spaces in the underground parking area.
Elemental Skanste is characterised by outstanding architecture, modern technical solutions, a first-class indoor climate, a ceiling height of at least three metres and raised floors that provide the flexibility to change the spatial plan and the layout of workplaces.
“The Skanstes district is becoming the most modern part of Riga city centre and we are pleased to have been involved in its development for the past number of years. The attractive architecture of the Elemental Skanste office building will perfectly complement the urban environment of Riga and will be particularly suitable for today’s progressive community of people who are concerned about global trends and green policies. Merks team of professionals is working hard to ensure that all the construction works are completed within the planned deadlines and that we will be able to come together in the new Elemental Skanste office building in the second quarter of 2023,” commented Andris Bišmeistars, Member of the Board and Construction Manager of Merks.
“Elemental Skanste will undoubtedly be prove to one of the most significant projects in Riga in the coming years, developing our city and especially the Skanste district as a modern and sustainable business hub. I am particularly pleased that this project is focused on increased energy efficiency and sustainable building standards. This will be the first public building in Riga to be heated using ground source heat, with geothermal heat pumps in the foundations of the building. Russia’s war in Ukraine shows that energy efficiency is not only important for climate and the economy, but also for security. Riga City Municipality will continue to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and actively work with developers, investors and producers to develop the economic strength of Riga within the Baltic region,” added Vilnis Ķirsis, Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council.
Kapitel is the principal developer of the Elemental Skanste project at Skanstes iela 25, Riga, and the construction is being carried out by Merks Ltd. Since construction began, interest from potential tenants has been growing. The construction of Elemental Skanste is expected to be completed by the end of the summer 2023. This represents the first phase of the Skanste development project; the development of three additional office buildings and a multi-storey car park will follow.
About Kapitel: Kapitel is one of the largest real estate companies in the Baltics, developing and managing shopping centres, hotels and office buildings. The Group’s real estate portfolio includes more than 244,000 sq m of rental space. The company owns four office buildings (Delta Plaza and Sõpruse Ärimaja in Tallinn, Narbuto 5 in Vilnius and I.P. Pavlova 5 in Prague) and has holdings in four shopping centres (Spice and Spice Home in Riga, Panorama in Vilnius and Viru Keskus in Tallinn). The company owns Nordic Hotel Forum (managed by Nordic Hotels OÜ) and 50% of Tallink City Hotel, managed by Tallink Hotels. The company owns a 50% stake in Kapitel Logistics OÜ, which owns two logistics centres on the Tallinn bypass.
About Merks: Merks construction company is a general contractor in the construction of public, residential and industrial buildings, as well as engineering structures, and it has been operating in Latvia since 1996. Merks has built more than 120 different facilities in Latvia, including public buildings, industrial buildings and engineering structures, and more than 1,500 apartments. Merks is part of the Merko Ehitus group, a construction and real estate group listed on the NASDAQ Tallinn Stock Exchange since 1997.