Ghelamco’s Office Buildings Among the Safest in the World

Ghelamco, the leading office developer, is the first company in Poland to have enrolled to pursue the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its projects. The rating is designed to address the post-COVID-19 environment and the related safety concerns in the workplace.

Ghelamco is the first and so far the only company in Poland to have been recognised by the IWBI (International WELL Building Institute) certifying body as “early adopter” as a part of WELL Health-Safety Rating. Thus Ghelamco and its flagship projects — The Warsaw HUB and Warsaw UNIT — are now among the architectural icons from across the world, such as New York’s Empire State Building or London’s Royal Albert Hall, which have enrolled in the program.

“Safety is our top priority, which is why we are making all the efforts and taking actions to ensure the highest possible level of it. After we had announced the deployment of new technology and solutions in The Warsaw HUB and Warsaw UNIT to allow for minimising the coronavirus threat, we decided to take a step further and enrol in the WELL Health-Safety Rating international program. This will make us sure that our buildings are among the safest places to work,” says Jarosław Zagórski, Commercial and Business Development Director, Ghelamco Poland.

SWECO is responsible for supporting Ghelamco’s team and coordinating the WELL Health-Safety Rating certification process.

International standards

The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building types to help guide companies in preparing their offices, shopping centres, hotels and even warehouses for re-entry and resuming operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapted based on WELL Building Standard, it focuses on safety procedures and operational policies. WELL Health-Safety Rating is designed to empower and guide businesses in taking the necessary steps in order to prioritize the health and safety of their staff and visitors.

WELL Health-Safety Rating has been established by IWBI based on the guidelines developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centers, emergency management agencies, as well as recognized standards-making associations such as ASTM International and ASHRAE and leading academic and research institutions. It leverages insights drawn from the IWBI Task Force on COVID-19 to help the business and real estate leaders integrate useful recommendations and proven strategies in the fight against COVID-19.

New technology to ensure safety

In Ghelamco’s flagship projects — The Warsaw HUB and Warsaw UNIT — state-of-the-art solutions will be used to protect tenants and their employees against the spread of viruses. They will be able to use, among others, a dedicated mobile application developed by Ghelamco’s internal innovation department. In the state of epidemic threat, the application will inform users whether the building operates in the so-called pandemic mode. The air conditioning system will operate using only fresh air in order to avoid mixing the air extracted from office spaces with the one blown into them. In addition, UV lamps will switch on in the lifts to effectively disinfect the space.

The first WELL-certified skyscraper

In addition to the enrolment in WELL Health-Safety Rating, Ghelamco is also pursuing certification of Warsaw UNIT, its latest project being implemented in the business centre of Warsaw. It will be the first skyscraper in Poland to receive the prestigious certificate in its newest WELL v2 version.

WELL Building Standard is a multi-criteria building certification system, which focuses on the comfort of building users. Unlike other popular certificates on the property market, WELL takes into account mainly those aspects that affect the health and well-being of building users.