The daily journey of the employees affects the sustainability of a building

When we think of sustainable office buildings, we often think of new buildings, with new materials, latest technology and located in natural environments. But this idea is hardly to be found in the city center, where everything is already built up and where it is not easy to find green areas. New buildings will opt for the suburbs, where they will have space and parking.

But in terms of sustainability, not only materials and a natural environment are important: the daily commute of the employees to their offices should also be part of a sustainable building project.

Can the city centre be sustainable?

If we think about employee’s commuting, we should consider that being in the city center ensures that public transport will be always available, and the commuting will be easier.

Most of the people who commute to the city center do not use the car, due to the proximity and to avoid parking problems. Therefore, commuting options directly affect the sustainability of a building.

It’s difficult to create new buildings in the city center, as it is already 100% built up. But in the city center, it is possible to find empty buildings or old constructions that can be rehabilitated if our goal is to achieve sustainability.

Cooperate to make more sustainable cities

Rehabilitating these spaces while maintaining their original structure, incorporating the latest technologies, is a way for the real estate companies to cooperate with the city, providing more sustainable spaces that generate a minor impact on the environment.

Colonial firmly believes in the transformation of cities and buildings, so we are betting on the rehabilitation rather than on new constructions, as can be seen in the recent examples of Miguel Angel, 23, the TGA  office complex or Castellana, 163 in its portfolio of buildings.