ACCIONA begins to hand over "Lesne V" eco-efficient homes in Poland

The Lesne development was recently awarded the European Medal for the way it has been integrated in the natural surroundings and for applying eco-efficient construction criteria.

Lesne highlights how ACCIONA Real Estate's commitment to the environment is present in all its projects.

ACCIONA Real Estate has begun to hand over the keys of the homes that make up the fifth phase of the Lesne residential development, in Warsaw's Bernowo district (Poland).  The final phase of ACCIONA Real estate's 109-home development has received the European Medal, awarded by Poland's Business Centre Club, for the way Lesne has been integrated in the natural surroundings and for applying eco-efficient construction criteria, allowing considerable energy- and water savings.

The Lesne development comprises 412 apartments (1-5 bedrooms), with balcony-terrace and a small garden (in the case of the ground floor apartments), and is located adjacent to the Fort Bernowo park. The development is set among extensive green spaces and within easy reach of amenities such as schools, leisure areas and a shopping centre. The gardens give the development a spacious feel. The fifth and final phase comprises 1-to 5-bedroom apartments, from 35 square metres to 168 square metres. All the apartments come with a parking space.

The homes stand out for the eco-efficient criteria that have been applied in building them: water and energy are saved, which is beneficial for the environment and also helps owners to keep down running costs. Thanks to these criteria the development has received the European Medal, awarded by Poland's Business Centre Club, and sponsored jointly by The European Economic and Social Committee and the Office of the Polish Committee for European Integration.  The award recognizes the products or companies that best comply with EU regulations.

Accordingly, the Lesne development, which is perfectly integrated into its natural surroundings includes low-consumption lighting in common areas; shut-off valves for hot and cold water, and cross-ventilation, among other energy-saving systems.

All construction materials used by ACCIONA Real Estate are environmentally certified and the Company avoids the use of highly-polluting materials such as lead and PVC.

ACCIONA Nieruchomosci

ACCIONA Real Estate first made inroads into the Polish market in 2004 and has its own branch in Warsaw. In 2005, the Company acquired Mostostal, a Polish developer with a solid position in the country's real estate market. Today, with more than three thousand homes at varying stages of development, ACCIONA Real Estate stands as the premier developer in the Polish residential market. The Company has been operating since 2006 under the name ACCIONA Nieruchomosci.

It boasts an important and diversified portfolio of real estate projects. As well as carrying considerable weight within the residential sector, the Company has placed a firm bet on Office and Industrial Space.

With regard to office space, the Company is currently developing the "ACCIONA Business Center" in Wola, one of Warsaw's major business districts. The almost 43,000 square metre complex has parking facilities for nearly 600 vehicles. This year, ACCIONA Nieruchomosci also plans to commence construction work on a second office complex in the Polish capital's Konstruktorska Street, covering 43,277 square metres (10,000 metres of which have already been pre-let), and with a car park with 1,084 spaces.

As regards industrial space, in 2007 ACCIONA Nieruchomosci acquired land with 18,209 square metres of industrial space (ranging from 300 to 500 square metres), 11,535 square metres of office space and parking facilities for 319 cars. The land is located in Krakowiakow Street, in the vicinity of Warsaw Airport's cargo terminal.

Pioneers in eco-efficient homes

ACCIONA Real Estate applies sustainability criteria in all of its developments, and one of the Company's main objectives is to develop projects that help not only to care for the environment but also to keep down running costs for home-owners. ACCIONA Real Estate applies three basic principles to each of its projects: saving energy, efficient use of water and "clean" construction and sustainable design.

ACCIONA Real Estate homes are designed to save energy, and come equipped with materials and devices that allow overall energy efficiency, limiting heating demand through passive insulation techniques and materials. Bioclimatic architecture technologies are used, as too are efficient heating and air conditioning systems, renewable energies -solar thermal, among others- regulating and automation systems, efficient lighting -low-consumption lights and timers-, energy efficient electrical appliances (A, A++) and low-consumption elevators.

ACCIONA also contributes to the efficient use of water inside the homes by installing faucets with shut-off valves and double-flushing cisterns. Outside, in grounds and gardens, this is achieved with automated watering systems, native plants and recycling and reuse systems for grey water and rainwater which are subsequently used for watering common areas.

As concerns construction, the Company brings to its projects all the latest advances in habitability and accessibility, improvements in acoustics and ventilation, easy maintenance and efficient construction systems. In addition, ACCIONA Real Estate uses materials that have a low impact on the environment, through life-cycle analysis and by using environmentally certified recycled materials and FSC-approved wood. It also studies alternative systems for chlorine-free pool-water quality, and waste management.