About the Building

The Vacse property of Flundran 2, the Scania and Blekinge Court of Appeal, is beautifully located in the central part of the city of Malmö. Malmö is the third largest city in Sweden, with some 300,000 inhabitants. The 10837 sqm building is situated on the Universitetsholmen (Island of the University) with a water view in three different directions. Its central location accommodates facile communication and transport. It is near the Malmö railway station, near the Malmö Covered Market, the Congress Malmö Live, the castle Malmöhus slott, and many other relevant sites in the city of Malmö.

Flundran 2, commissioned in 2006 and built in 2008, was the first building for the Court of Appeal to be constructed in fifty years in Sweden. The building has an internal Gross Floor Area of 10837 m2 and lettable Gross Floor Area of 8997 m2. The building has four floors above ground and one floor beneath ground level. Flundran 2 has multiple functions and serves as the location for the Court of Appeal for the counties of Scania and Blekinge, the Swedish Special Court (Rent and Tenancy) and the Swedish Government Offices. The tenant is the Swedish National Courts Administration. Flundran 2 is a modern building at a highly visible location, with a clearly stated architectural design and a set of conscious choices of colours and materials. The stone cut exterior is made of more than 2000 cassettes of dark fiberglass reinforced concrete set in an irregular pattern giving the building a rustic finish.

The property’s outdoor design is open and accessible, with publicly available outdoor wooden benches and tiered stone seatings along with a number of planted trees. The outdoor area has a generous amount of seats near the water-side makes it a popular meeting spot not only for building users but also the public. Since its construction, the property has become a prominent land-mark of the city of Malmö.

Why did the building undergo BREEAM certification?

The Vacse Board of Directors has set a high sustainability target. The main reason for Vacse to let the building undergo BREEAM certification is to achieve high sustainability standards for the property portfolio. The company, from top management to facility management teams, is fully committed to be a leader and a long-term player in the business of public sector properties. The underlying motive is clearly this; sustainable business is good business. Using BREEAM as a catalyst and structured management /governance tool, helps Vacse leading its business in a sustainable way.

High scoring BREEAM categories help develop Vacse’s sustainability work
The BREEAM categories are similar to those of the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). Below the key features of the building are presented along with the BREEAM certification scores and some notes about the UN SDGs.

In “Asset Performance” (62.9%, Very Good), the following four indicators stand out in terms of score rate; Waste (100 %), Transport (83.33 %), Pollution (72.73%) and Health & Wellbeing (69.7%). In “Building Management” (66.2%, Very Good), four indicators stand out in terms of score rate; Energy (85%), Pollution (83.33 %), Materials (70 %) and Health and Wellbeing (64.86%).

In conjunction to the BREEAM certification, the building’s energy system was mapped, analyzed and optimized. As a result, the Energy indicator score is high. Also, the regular facility management meetings with updates on energy, water, waste usage, etc. helps improve the numbers in a continuous basis.

The Vacse Sustainability Program is linked to the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), connecting its business in property development to sustainable societal development. Below are some examples of how Vacse combines their strategic sustainability work together with BREEAM and the SDGs;

The SDG no 3 ”Good Health and Well-Being”

• In Sweden, a country with limited daily winter daylight exposure quota, daylight admission measures are important features of modern buildings for healthy work environment. Among its special features, the building has a high level of daylight exposure provided by a glass-covered atrium with a ceiling height of 16 metres located in the centre of the building and a staff lounge /dining area located with waterfront view. The Health and Wellbeing category scored  65%.
• Sound materials-policies and conscious choice of materials exist resulting in high scores in the indicator field of Materials (70%). Little use of refrigerants, no NOx emissions and proper management of chemicals are some features that lead to high score in Pollution (more than 70%).
• Central location with easy access- The central location of the building is key to easy access and sustainable alternative transport choices. The tenants have excellent access to public transport, indoor car parking and bicycle parking. The proximity to public transport and bicycle lanes, helps the promotion of alternative low-carbon ways of transportation. High scores for Transport (83.33 %).

The SDG no 6 ”Clean Water and Sanitation”

• Water consumption is measured and monitored via building monitoring system. During the past 12- month period (December 2018 – November 2019), the water usage was reduced by 11.1%. The water usage is reviewed regularly, e.g. in facility management team meetings, and displayed to building staff on digital screens.

The SDG no 12 “Sustainable Consumption and Production”

• In the building, there is plenty of room for waste separation in waste separation rooms and in office and court areas. Waste is collected and separated in several fractions to be either recycled, composted or converted to energy. The waste management is to be monitored regularly and visualized on digital staff screens.

The SDG no 7 ”Affordable and Clean Energy”

• The property is heated and cooled using a mechanical ventilation system. A building monitoring system is a tool for the facility management team to monitor the status and optimize the property’s systems and to provide data for further distribution to top management and building staff. The building monitoring system alerts to the facility management team if system data deviates from its targeted values.
• Energy and CO2 are measured and monitored via building monitoring system. There is a low energy usage and low CO2 emissions thanks to district heating and cooling provided by E.On. District heating, district cooling and renewable electricity (100% renewable energy distributed by Skellefteå Kraft), are important features of a sustainable building operation.
• The daily operation of the Scania and Blekinge Court of Appeal, Flundran 2, requires large amounts of energy all year round. This means that there are major profits to be made in reviewing the heating and cooling systems, both for the environment and us as property owners. During the past 12- month period (December 2018 – November 2019), the energy usage was reduced by 16.5% (power:+4.1%, heating: -22.1% and cooling: -22.3%). The Energy indicator score at the certification is quite high (85%). The energy usage is reviewed regularly, e.g. in facility management team meetings, and displayed to building staff on digital screens. Also, the tenants have excellent access to public transport, indoor car parking and bicycle parking.

The SDG no 11 ”Sustainable Cities and Communities”

• The Scania and Blekinge Court of Appeal in Malmö is strategically located in the sense that visitors and staff have readily access to the site via public transport and/or bicycle. The building is also situated close to service providers, to eateries and restaurants and to recreational activities such as walks nearby the water.

The SDG no 13 ”Climate Action”

• Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and the conscious choice of materials is a relevant part in the property management. This was noted in the certification process resulting in high scores in the indicator field of Materials, e.g. MAT10.

Green Strategy

One of the key environmental challenges faced was to optimise the overall energy usage of the building and to identify relevant parts of the ventilation system in relation to the different office zones. Therefore, in conjunction with the BREEAM certification, the building’s energy system was mapped, analyzed and optimized. The energy usage is continuously monitored and reviewed, e.g. in facility management team meetings, and displayed to building staff on digital screens.

BREEAM fits well in the sustainability management scheme of Vacse as it has a clear link to the UN Sustainability Development Goals. Furthermore, the BREEAM concept is more holistic than many other certification standards. A holistic approach generates a long-term basis for collaboration and trust for partners in all parts of the value chain; from tenants to facility managers to owners.

The benefits of assessing to BREEAM

“The process of BREEAM certification fit well in the Vacse Sustainability Program as well as the Maintenance plans for the building Flundran 2. As a long-term owner, BREEAM is a vital part in developing maintenance plans; identifying new targets and raising the certification level. Vacse uses the assessment and certification as validation tool in to provide strategic keys to keep the low resource consumption down and to focus on CO2, water and waste in terms of measurements and close monitoring. A BREEAM certification creates attractive spaces to work and meet, and a structured management for continuous improvements for the environment, our tenants and Vacse. The value of a certified property portfolio for Vacse is multiple; environmental benefits, reduced operating costs, and supports a long-term sustainable property portfolio. Also, it is noted that a BREEAM certification helps promoting the trade mark of the company Vacse in being recognised as a long-term sustainable player in the business. Furthermore, the financial value of the property, investor relations and access to green bond financing as well as the tenant relations improve. In combination of a quality-checked indoor climate, the BREEAM certification of Flundran 2 leads to a much higher tenant satisfaction level. Also, the BREEAM certification leads to more satisfied and proud staff. The recognition of a certified building, both as a workplace and property management object, is an important feature, leading to a higher work environment quality.– Fredrik Linderborg, CEO, Vacse