"This puts us ahead of our competition," says Staffan Haglind, Skanska's Green Business Officer. "Väla Gård demonstrates that we walk the talk. It proves that Deep Green is achievable and the building will be a true showcase of our capability. This is certain to further spark customer interest in Deep Green offices."
Yearly cost savings of about USD 300,000
The Väla Gård office was constructed on the site of an old farm and is located just northeast of Helsingborg. The 1,777 sq m (19,127 sq ft) office building was completed in October 2012. The building now houses Skanska's regional offices in Helsingborg under one roof and enables yearly cost savings of about USD 300,000.
Zero primary energy, waste and hazardous material
According to Skanska's Color Palette™, a Deep Green project must achieve at least three of the following six objectives:
- net zero primary energy,
- zero waste,
- zero unsustainable materials,
- zero hazardous materials,
- near zero carbon construction and
- net zero water.
Väla Gård achieved net zero primary energy, zero waste and zero hazardous materials. The project is aiming to earn the world's second highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ever.
Should be building energy-efficient offices like Väla Gård everywhere
A former Swedish MP and former spokesperson for the Swedish Green Party, Maria Wetterstrand, recently visited Väla Gård. "If we can build sustainable and energy-efficient offices like Väla Gård, why don't we do it all the time, everywhere?" she asked.