• With the Grasblau building, CA Immo is continuing its strategy of developing innovative smart commercial buildings
• Reference values significantly better than those set out in the Building Energy Act (GEG)
• Certification as a Green Building in accordance with DGNB and as a healthy and safe building in accordance with the WELL standard

Berlin, 15.04.2021 - CA Immo today poured the final layer of concrete for the six-storey Grasblau office building in Berlin's Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district. The Grasblau building is being developed by CA Immo as yet another fully digitised office building for efficient, healthy, safe and sustainable building operations. The building is being constructed in a central location not far from Potsdamer Platz, directly on Hallesches Ufer. Final completion of the building, which has a rental area of some 13,350 m², is scheduled for the 3rd quarter of 2022. The overall investment made by CA Immo amounts to around 71 million euros.

With the Grasblau building, CA Immo is consistently pursuing its digitisation strategy, including such high-end project developments as the cube berlin, the Upbeat in Europacity, which was recently fully leased exclusively to DKB, and the ONE office and hotel tower in Frankfurt. Smart commercial building technology provides numerous services for employees via the building app, such as keyless and contactless access to the building or the intelligent booking of workplaces, offices and conference rooms with a smartphone.

Through the use of digital sensor technology and networked systems, the building can also be operated much more efficiently and thus more sustainably than conventional buildings. Tenants also receive an individual energy dashboard that they can use to optimise their own energy consumption in conjunction with a space utilisation analysis.

Sonja Bischoff, Head of CA Immo Berlin, explains: "Smart commercial buildings are the future. Only by consistently exploiting the opportunities offer by digital building blocks in the operation of properties will we be able to achieve the necessary energy savings to reach climate protection goals. But also in terms of health and safety – especially in light of our experience with the coronavirus pandemic – there is no way around the use of smart sensors in rental spaces."
 

Highest standards for sustainability and well-being

In light of the growing significance of holistic and sustainable development, as well as the well-being and health of office building occupants, CA Immo intends to subject the Grasblau building to sustainability certification by the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen e. V. (DGNB) as well as certification in accordance with the WELL Core & Shell Standard.

As such, sustainability has already been given the highest priority right from the planning and realisation phase. For instance, the building is only made of materials that make the Grasblau building a very low-pollutant building according to the relevant classifications, and no composite materials are used in terms of the resource cycle (cradle-to-cradle). But the planners also paid a great deal of attention to ensuring the resource-saving, efficient operation of the building: To keep the building well below the future reference values for primary energy consumption in accordance with the Building Energy Act (GEG), it is connected to the existing district heating network and uses state-of-the-art heating and cooling technology, recovering energy and optimising operation through digitisation. The building's holistic sustainability strategy is rounded off by e-charging stations, which will be available to its users.

Michael Kötter, Head of Project Development CA Immo Berlin: "The innovative, digital technology in the Grasblau building blends with a modern, transparent and healthy architecture. Floor-to-ceiling, opening windows not only provide plenty of light in the office spaces, but also enable natural, healthy ventilation. With the terraces and balconies, the roof terrace, pollutant-free building materials and the building's uniquely green yet central location in Berlin, we are creating a new benchmark for well-being in office properties here."
 

Appealing architecture with efficient floor plans, set in a park-like environment

The Grasblau building designed by HPP Architekten is being built in a prime location just a few minutes' walk from the urban centre of Potsdamer Platz, directly on the Landwehrkanal. And yet, despite this convenient city centre location, the building itself is tucked away in a quiet, park-like plot at the rear of the existing CA Immo building at Hallesches-Ufer 74-76. Surrounded by large trees, the Grasblau building offers around 13,350 m² of flexible rental space over six storeys. The floor plan enables efficient office solutions for a wide variety of user needs, from single-room occupancy to combination solutions and open space. The architecture is distinguished by the high proportion of glass in its façade and a variety of projections and recesses provided by a multitude of balconies and terraces. Other special features and highlights, which are available to all the building’s tenants for their shared use, include an approximately 230 m² roof terrace with a view over Berlin and the interior atrium, which connects the floors via stairs.

The Grasblau building is CA Immo's fifth office building in the immediate vicinity of the office hotspot which is Potsdamer Platz. Other office project developments in the vicinity underline the growing attractiveness of the location.
 

Facts & Figures Grasblau office building

Address: Schöneberger Straße 21A, 10963 Berlin (directly on the Landwehrkanal)
Building type:Office building
Type of use: Office
Highlights: Digitised properties, spacious balconies and a roof terrace for shared use
Gross floor area: approx. 13,600 m² above ground, approx. 15,700 m² above and below ground
Rental space: approx. 13,350 m²
Rental area per floor: approx. 2000 m², can be divided into smaller units
Car parking spaces: 49
Certifications:
Sustainability: the aim is to achieve DGNB Gold certification
Well-being: according to WELL Core & Shell Standard
Planned completion: 3rd quarter 2022

Images

Images of the Grasblau building can be downloaded from the image archive in the Press section at www.caimmo.com using the keyword "Grasblau" or by clicking on this link.