Mercury by Skanska will be the first Czech office complex built according to the principles of the circular economy. The project will offer approximately 20,000 sqm of premium office and retail space and, by using materials from other buildings, will also significantly reduce the building’s environmental impact.
Pushing the boundaries of sustainable development
Skanska is building the first office project based on the principles of circular economy in the Czech Republic. The Mercury in Prague will use materials from demolished buildings to create 20,000 sqm of premium office and retail space. The reused materials will partly be from the brutalist Mercury Building, built in 1971. Skanska chose this circular approach both for its positive environmental impact and out of respect for the original building – Property Forum reports.
“We are constantly pushing the boundaries of sustainable development and circularity is one of the best ways to reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry. It makes perfect sense to use valuable materials from old buildings. But no one in the Czech Republic has done this to a comparable extent. And we decided to change that,” – Martin Zemánek, Project Manager of Skanska’s commercial development unit in Central and Eastern Europe pointed out.
Maximizing circularity
An example of the circular approach to construction is the use of concrete from Mercuria, which the developer grinds and reprocesses to form the load-bearing structure of a new project. Skanska is not only trying to limit the use of new building materials as much as possible but also preserves valuable materials and furnishings from the interior of the old building donating them to refugees and the Bulovka University Hospital.
“To maximise the circularity of the Mercury project, we will salvage furniture from the old building and offer it to the furniture bank. We will even keep the name of the building, but give it a slightly more modern touch,” – adds Martin Zemánek.
Supporting community development
The building will provide tenants with office and retail space of the highest quality with an emphasis on the environment and the well-being of its occupants and the surrounding area. To prove it, the project aims at the highest levels of LEED, WELL and WELL Health-Safety Rating certifications.
The Mercury building will also be exceptional in that it will feature the largest green roofs and terraces ever built in the Czech Republic. At the same time, tenants at Mercury will be able to use the large public park with a promenade on the embankment of the River Vltava that is part of Skanska’s Port7 project.
Photos: skanska.cz
