HelloParks MG3 Achieves Breeam ‘Outstanding’ Accreditation
The interior of the MG3 warehouse at HelloParks Maglód. It is the first industrial property in Hungary to achieve Breeam’s “Outstanding” sustainability rating for New Construction, the highest standard in the third-party accreditation system.
The 45,000 sqm MG3 warehouse at HelloParks Maglód is the first industrial property in Hungary to achieve Breeam’s “Outstanding” sustainability rating for New Construction, the highest standard in the third-party accreditation system.
All of the company’s warehouses abide by these sustainability specifications and are EU Taxonomy aligned. The development also fits with HelloParks’ climate neutrality roadmap, according to the prolific industrial developer, which is part of the Futureal Group.
“The advantages of state-of-the-art, energy-efficient mega parks are also becoming increasingly important for tenants, as measurable sustainability targets have become an integral part of corporate strategy,” says Rudolf Nemes, CEO of HelloParks.
“The value of sustainable building techniques are, therefore, becoming more apparent since carbon-neutral industrial properties significantly contribute to the achievement of these goals. The eco-friendly operation not only benefits the building’s occupants but also the surrounding communities,” he insists.
The developer was previously the first in Hungary to attain a Breeam “Excellent” rating in the industrial real estate category, with the MG1 hall in the same industrial park, located some 40 km southeast of central Budapest by road. HelloParks attained its latest rating with the assistance of Abud Mérnökiroda.
The targets outlined in the HelloZero ESG strategy, introduced last year, meet the United Nations’ sustainable development goals to comply with the Paris Agreement’s objective to limit the increase in global temperature to 1.5°C.
The organization has established an exclusive carbon reduction roadmap up to 2035. Sustainable water and waste management are key priorities, in addition to mitigating climate change, with a constant focus on biodiversity. The firm plans to reduce embodied carbon emissions for new buildings by 25% from 2025 and 50% from 2030 when compared to the developer’s previous buildings, which already meet levels similar to Western European developments.
István Pozderka, business development director and co-founding partner of HelloParks.
100% Renewable Energy
In addition, each facility will have an average solar capacity of 2.5 MW installed. The goal is to achieve net-zero emissions for the operational carbon footprint of new buildings by 2028 and ensure a 100% renewable energy supply, says the developer.
A relative newcomer, HelloParks leased more than 150,000 sqm of warehouse space in 2023 and has delivered 267,000 sqm of industrial development over the past two years. Last year, the developer handed over four new buildings totaling 174,000 sqm in parks at Maglód, Fót (25 km northeast of the capital) and Páty (20 km west).
“We started three years ago, and by today, we have successfully leased [more than] 250,000 sqm of warehouse space, and we can reach half a million sqm of completed building in a year and a half. An important factor in our growth, in addition to the increase in complex manufacturing and assembly activities, has been the growing demand for sustainable buildings that enable efficient operations,” says István Pozderka, business development director and co-founding partner of HelloParks.
The developer has now started constructing a 60,000 sqm warehouse on a 14-hectare site in Alsónémedi (about 30 km south of the capital by road), close to the junction of the M0 and M5 motorways. The big box building is slated for completion in Q4 2024. This building, together with the development of the PT2 and PT3 halls in Páty, is expected to result in the delivery of 144,000 sqm of new industrial space by HelloParks next year.
“The real estate sector is the biggest energy consumer in the EU; hence, it carries a significant responsibility to fulfill climate neutrality criteria. Such an achievement calls for a substantial reform of current practices, which we have perceived as a promising opportunity from the beginning,” says Anna Bencze, head of sustainability at HelloParks.
“The industry must anticipate forthcoming scenarios that would satisfy the interests of the environment, local communities and businesses alike. Our explicit goal is to motivate the entire industry through our ambitious targets,” she adds.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of January 12, 2024.
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