VELUX Commercial’s Post

🌟 The Ellinikon, a new district on the grounds of the former airport of Athens 🌟 Germany’s leading business newspaper Handelsblatt has a nice article today about what is probably Europe's largest urban development. As the article is in German language, let me summarize: This €9 billion urban development project by Lamda Development is transforming the former Athens airport into a smart, sustainable city. Ellinikon promises a 15-minute city concept, promoting walking and cycling. Once development is completed this new district will host 75,000 jobs and contribute 1.5% to the Greek GDP. Highlights include: 🌳 The largest coastal park in the Mediterranean 🏢 10,000 residential units, hotels, offices, and shopping centers 🏗 Riviera Tower, set to become the tallest building in Greece at 204 meters 🏫 Schools, sports facilities, a university campus, a clinic, and a marina In 2014, Lamda Development was awarded the contract for the development following a tender. "With Ellinikon, we are building a new city that puts Greece at the forefront of 'smart living', sustainability and innovation," says Odisseas Athanasiou, CEO of Lamda Development. This project is a significant leap towards Greece's modern, eco-friendly urban future! 🌍🚀 The overall concept and the Riviera Tower was designed by some of the world's largest architecture firms and star architects, including Foster + Partners, US architecture firm Sasaki, or Bjarke Ingels Group. At AFRY, we are extremely proud that we have been asked to develop the Technology Master Plan for the “The Ellinikon”, together with our partners from Delloitte, CIMA/CIGA, and Enomix. AFRY Management Consulting and AFRY engineers have analyzed infrastructure options with their CAPEX/OPEX and revenue potential, assessed operational aspects and how Digital Twins is best used in such an environment, as well as sustainability aspects of the Ellinikon. If you are interested to know more about Smart Cities and what AFRY can do for you in this area, please reach out to us. Claudio Molteni Antonio Nodari Antonio Michelon Roland Lorenz #futurecity #Ellinikon #UrbanDevelopment #Sustainability #makingfuture #smartcity #smartinfrastructure

Check out this blog series around discussions on equity, sustainability, and health with some of my fellow colleagues and emerging leaders at Civitas. Topics, that may sound cliche and overused, but are integral in the design of successful places. (accompanied by obligatory design-in-action shot 👊)

In Madrid, an architectural icon is being reimagined for the modern era. New Colón Towers is more than just a building – it's a glimpse into the future of urban life. Here are the four essential concepts driving this revolutionary project: ⚙️ PROGRAM The New Colón Towers serve as a blueprint for multifunctional spaces – from dynamic workspaces that turn into event venues, to communal areas that foster collaboration and creativity. 📱 TECHNOLOGY Technology is the heartbeat of New Colón Towers. Integrated tech is not just a convenience here; it's the foundation for a structure that adapts and evolves with its users. 🌱 SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is no longer an afterthought – it's a prerequisite. New Colón Towers is going to be the first NZEB (Nearly Zero-Emission Building) in Spain. 🙂 WELLNESS Finally, New Colón Towers places human wellbeing at its core. Natural light, green spaces, and wellness centers are designed to enhance the quality of life. #NewColonTowers #Madrid #luisvidalArchitects

🌍 Happy Earth Day from Urban Campus! We are focused on caring for our planet not just today, but every day. For us, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – it's at the core of everything we do. Here are just a few ways we are working towards a greener future... 🎖 We're consistently achieving BREEAM certifications, which ensures that our buildings meet the highest standards of environmental, social, and economic sustainability performance. 🏡 Our projects include buildings designed to Passivhaus standards, drastically reducing our ecological footprint by optimizing energy efficiency. 🌱 We recently unveiled that our Madrid coliving "Cuatro Caminos II" will be our first carbon-neutral building, paving the way for a sustainable architectural future. We believe our responsibility extends far beyond property development and management. We are dedicated to creating spaces that promote health, well-being, and ecological balance, ensuring that our impact on the planet is always a positive one. Happy Earth Day! 💚🌍🍃 #EarthDay #Sustainability #GreenFuture #EcoFriendly #BREEAM #Passivhaus #CarbonNeutral

Beautiful, sustainable, together: validation of the New European Bauhaus approach for the reimagination of public buildings as boosting projects for the transformation of their neighbourhoods LIFEBauhausingEurope aims to start a transformation process in 5 different European neighbourhoods, following the principles of the New European Bauhaus, and demonstrating that this approach is suitable for the transformation of any territory no matter its size, rural or urban character, urban challenges or degradation processes undergone. This urban transformation will pursue the generation of more sustainable, beautiful, and circular territories co-governed by their inhabitants. LIFE Bauhausing Europe will target public buildings and spaces and local communities from four different Member States: Croatia, Hungary, Latvia and Spain. LIFE Programme EuroVértice Consultants, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena Pro Progressione, Green Building Council Croatia, Ekodoma Ltd, Ayuntamiento De Cartagena, Ayuntamiento de Blanca, Municipality of Adaži, Municipality of Varaždin, District of Erzsébetváros #LIFEBauhausingEurope, #NewEuropeanBauhaus, #sustainability, #inclusion, #aesthetics, #architecture, #biodiversity, #arts, #creativeindustries, #people, #communities, #greendeal #LIFEprogramme

Another #fire in a #historic #listedbuilding which was undergoing renovation works in Copenhagen We continue to see fires in these types of premises - the introduction of #contractors into premises represents a significant increase in risk. Operations typically concern #hotwork including welding and grinding and often combustible loading is increased through the presence of new construction materials which is often coupled with poor housekeeping and waste management Where #combustible construction is present, works often "expose" these materials (i.e. stripping back internal plasterboard / masonry elements to the core which may include timber beams or stud framing) and thus any fire starting through weld spatter / grinding sparks can quickly ignite this construction. Works undertaken by (sub)contractors are often poorly controlled with initial #riskassessments and #methodstatements not fit for purpose - in dynamic environments #RAMS need to be revised and are often not. Temporary electrical supplies are often incorrectly installed or subject to damage and illicit smoking still remains an issue. Speak to one of you Gen Re Underwriters and see how we can help you on these risks. #reinsurance #insurance #contractworks #renovation #firesafety #constructionsafety #riskmanagement

🏗️ Insights from the Real Estate Expo: Explored industry trends and connected with leading developers. 🌱 Key Observation: Sustainability and green space integration were noticeably absent from most developers' priorities. 🌍 The Need for Change: In an era of rising environmental concerns, real estate must embrace sustainable living solutions. 🏙️ Green Spaces Matter: Eco-friendly urban designs and green buildings are essential for a healthier planet and better quality of life. 🤝 Call to Action: Let’s bridge the knowledge gap and make sustainability a priority in real estate. Share your thoughts! What are your thoughts on the role of sustainability in real estate?  #Sustainability #RealEstate #GreenLiving #UrbanDevelopment#KaushalPanchal

🔜 We are looking forward to Urbanism Next's 2024 Europe Conference in Amsterdam, where our own Geiske Bouma (TNO), Sondre Vasseng (Oslo kommune), Andreas Jasiulek (HafenCity Hamburg GmbH), Julian Sahr (District of Hamburg-Altona), and Suzanne Green (Stadsmiljöförvaltningen Göteborgs Stad) will join the session '𝑀𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐻𝑢𝑏𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠— 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐, 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠'. 🔊 The session will provide insights from experiences of 𝐎𝐬𝐥𝐨, 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠, and 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠, who have set up a variety of types of mobility hubs within the MOVE21 project. The inputs showcase how the cities have been implementing micro-depots in neighbourhoods, combining different modes of transport within a mobility hub, or reaching out to more suburban areas. 📈It will describe how multiple transitions interact when developing 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐛𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬, and explain what benefits and challenges are occurring when developing mobility hubs – with the goal of commenting on new ways over cooperation between public, private, and community partners." 📆 Thursday 10 October, from 10:50 to 12:20 CET 👇For more info: https://lnkd.in/gEzH-wSa Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon #h2020transport, #multimodalhubs, #21centurymobility, #zeroemissioncities

Exploring the Future of Sustainable Construction at Living Places Copenhagen The VELUXLat and VELUX Export team had the privilege of visiting Living Places Copenhagen, the first prototype embodying the Living Places vision. This innovative concept was developed by the VELUX Group in collaboration with architects EFFEKT, engineers Artelia, and contractors Enemærke & Petersen. Our goal is to lead the way in the construction industry, demonstrating how rethinking buildings can help address global climate and health challenges. Living Places is based on five key principles: homes should be healthy, accessible, simple, shared over time, and scalable. These principles can be applied to both new constructions and existing communities. In an industry that accounts for a significant proportion of global CO2 emissions, VELUX is committed to finding more sustainable ways to build. Living Places Copenhagen is a tangible demonstration of how we can build more sustainably and healthily today. We are incredibly proud of the results achieved with our partners, showcasing how we can tackle climate challenges and improve people's health through better-designed homes. We spend 90% of our time indoors, making a healthy home environment crucial. With Living Places Copenhagen, we not only address these challenges but also set a new standard for the industry. #Sustainability #SustainableConstruction #HealthyHome #LivingPlaces #VELUX

On December 1, Shengjun Cai, Senior Manager of Market Transformation & Development, North Asia, of our organization, and Becky Zhou, Specialist of Sustainable Cities Program, were invited to participate in the 11th Shanghai Landscape Forum. Founded in 2017 by the esteemed design firms Sasaki, AECOM, and SWA, the forum has flourished over the years, evolving into a prestigious platform that now draws participation from globally renowned firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), ASPECT Studios, and Hassell etc. It has become one of China's leading landscape industry events. As one of the main events of the 6th Shanghai International Design Festival, this year's forum drew 140 in-person participants and 3,200 viewers via live stream.   Becky delivered a keynote speech themed on "Landscape Design: Building the Natural Link of Human Health", discussing the benefits of landscape design for human well-being, emphasizing the importance of incorporating guidelines like SITES and LEED in landscape planning. She highlighted how these certifications promote sustainable, health-conscious designs. Shengjun participated in the subsequent roundtable discussion, offering insights from a green building perspective. She shared how urban planning and construction can ensure that project designs not only meet environmental standards but also enhance human well-being. She used the Azabudai Hills project in Tokyo, which achieved LEED for Neighborhood Development Plan Platinum certification, as a prime example of how landscape design can create a harmonious relationship between people and nature.   #LEEDinChina #greenbuilding #sustainabledevelopment #SITES #landscape