BuildGreen and Zorile Announce Moldova’s First LEED Platinum Office Certification

BuildGreen, together with developer Zorile S.A., has announced that the Zity Office project in Chișinău has achieved LEED v4.1 Existing Buildings – Platinum certification. The distinction is being presented as the first of its kind on the Moldovan office market, positioning the building alongside projects that follow the most rigorous international standards of sustainability.

Zity Office is part of a mixed-use complex that integrates office and retail functions, with the office component comprising a seven-story building and the upper levels of Zity Mall. The project has been promoted as offering a gross leasable area of around 12,200 square meters, hosting companies such as Orange Moldova, Ericsson, Victoriabank and others. Local listings confirm that Zity’s offices are marketed with modern amenities and direct connection to the retail center, situated in Chișinău’s Buiucani district and easily accessible by public transport. Romanian business media reported that the certification process resulted in a score of 80 points across the LEED system, with strong performance in energy efficiency, waste management, and indoor environmental quality.

For BuildGreen, which has offices in Bucharest and Prague and works across Central and Eastern Europe, the certification underlines its role as a regional consultant for sustainable building practices. The firm has been active since 2010 and has advised on numerous projects seeking BREEAM, WELL and LEED ratings. Zorile S.A., a company with roots as a footwear manufacturer, has reinvented itself over the past two decades as a real estate developer, with Zity Office and Zity Mall forming its flagship complex.

The announcement is significant because it places Chișinău into the broader network of cities where internationally recognized green building standards are being applied. For tenants, the certification signals operational efficiency, environmental safeguards and occupant comfort. For the wider market, it provides an early precedent in a country where certified office stock has been virtually absent.

Some details surrounding the certification remain subject to verification. BuildGreen has said that Zity Office achieved a high score in categories such as energy and waste performance, but the official LEED project directory does not yet show a public entry for the project. The total size of the complex has also been reported differently in various outlets, with figures ranging from 12,200 to more than 15,000 square meters depending on whether the retail areas are included. Nevertheless, the project is now being promoted as Moldova’s first office development to secure LEED Platinum, and its developers argue that it sets a new standard for sustainable real estate in the country.

If the certification is upheld in practice, Zity Office could help raise the profile of Chișinău’s business environment, attract further international investment, and stimulate the adoption of sustainable practices across the Moldovan property sector.