Double green certification for Palas Campus Iași

Palas Campus, the largest office building in Romania, developed by IULIUS Company in Iași, achieved two green certifications: the EDGE certification by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and LEED Platinum, the highest LEED certification level granted by the U.S. Green Building Council. The office complex was envisioned as early as the design phase as a modern business infrastructure, adapted to the latest sustainability standards, and in 2021 it obtained the first green loan ever granted in Romania by the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. Energy performance, low carbon emissions, water consumption savings, materials utilized and connectivity are the parameters with a substantial impact in confirming the high performance level of the building.

Palas Campus, the office building spanning 60,000 sqm opened by IULIUS Company last year, which transformed an area in downtown Iași into a regional business hub, achieved a double green certification. During the construction phase, the new office and retail complex benefited from the first green loan granted to a Romanian company by the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. The financial institution granted 72 million Euro to this project, to help it achieve the EDGE Advanced certification (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), with a minimum 40% projected reduction in the consumption of energy and water compared to a similar standard building.

Furthermore, Palas Campus also achieved LEED Platinum, the highest LEED certification level according to the LEED v4 Core and Shell Development rating system. The building met all the preliminary requirements for sustainable buildings mandated by the U.S. Green Building Council and checked by the Green Business Certification Inc.

“One of the ESG goals of IULIUS is to reduce its carbon footprint, and in our industry this is achievable by optimizing the use of resources, applying specific energy efficiency measures, and designing sustainable buildings. Palas Campus is precisely this type of building, a project that has opened new perspectives in terms of sustainable development and operation. The fact that Palas Campus obtained the first green financing in Romania, and now achieved a double green EDGE and LEED certification, can only make us happy and reconfirms that we are making notable progress towards a greener and more sustainable future,” said Dan Adrian Chelaru, Group Sustainability Officer IULIUS.

“Palas Campus is a result of the entire team’s commitment to sustainability and excellence in design. The LEED Platinum certification, achieved with a score of 84 points, reflects the IULIUS strategy to integrating «green» principles at every stage of a project. This achievement proves that sustainability and innovation are fundamental to creating a highly performing built environment and consolidates the position of Palas Campus at the top of sustainable projects in Romania and, particularly, in Iași,” said Răzvan Nica, Managing Partner BuildGreen.