Office complex Verde creates 62 birdhouses to 13 bird species

  • 2023-05-15

With the aim of improving bird nesting conditions in the centre of the Latvian capital, Riga's greenest office complex Verde has committed to implementing an initiative in line with the standards of the internationally recognised BREEAM Excellent sustainability certificate. As part of the initiative, 62 bird boxes will be installed on a nearly 1.3 hectares large site of the office complex at 1 R. Hirša Street, providing home to 13 bird species

Iveta Lāce, Verde Commercial Director and Member of the Board: “A sustainable, eco-friendly business environment filled with lush greenery and elements of wildlife - these are the core values of Verde, Riga's greenest office complex. That is why we are proud to implement this truly large-scale new bird habitat project. Our tenants' employees will now be able to enjoy the peaceful, wellbeing-enhancing chirping of birds as they walk to and from work or relax in the courtyard and on the terraces.”

The initiative is being implemented by the developer of the office complex, Capitalica Asset Management, in cooperation with the Latvian Ornithological Society and sustainability consultancy and certification agency Vesta Consulting. As a result, from May this year, new wooden birdhouses of 6 types will gradually be installed on the existing old trees that have been preserved in the construction process, on the newly installed lampposts as well as between the concrete columns of the both Verde buildings (A and B).

Kristiāns Ivans Hrgetičs-Vītols, architect, BREEAM sustainability consultant at Vesta Consulting: “For a building to reach the Excellent level, which means meeting the highest BREEAM standards, the project needs to be carefully assessed and developed across all BREEAM categories. As cities grow and new houses are built, animals are left with fewer natural habitats to live in.  Ecological solutions that improve the environment as compared to the situation before the building was built are highly valued in the certification process. This is why Verde's decision to develop such a large landscaping project, which, among many green solutions, includes the installation of more than 60 birdjouses, is an excellent response to this challenging situation.”

Upon assessing the location of Verde, its position, and available structures, as well as the information available on the web portal Dabasdati.lv, it was concluded as part of the initiative that by providing artificial nesting sites it is possible to improve nesting opportunities for 13 bird species. 

Agnis Bušs, ornithologist at the Latvian Ornithological Society, adds: “Thanks to the construction and installation of the new birdhouses in the Verde environment, three bird species will gradually start to inhabit the site from spring 2023: the Black Redstart, which is already singing nearby, the White Wagtail and the House Sparrow. The Swift, the Starling, the Tree Sparrow, the Great Tit, the Blue Tit, the Pied Flycatcher, the Grey Flycatcher, the Stonechat, the Robin, and the Jackdaw could also become "winged tenants" of the complex in a year or a year and a half.”

As previously reported, Verde is the first project implemented by Capitalica Asset Management in Latvia, which invested more than EUR 65 million in the development of the project. The manager of the construction process is Notus Developers, a subsidiary of SBA Group, the general builder is construction company Velve, and the exclusive rent and management partner is the leading Latvian real estate agency Colliers. To date, such companies as Swisscom, Decta, KPMG in Latvia, Swetch, Merito Group, Workland, Enefit, VIA SMS Group, Tietoevry and Dia 36.line have become tenants of the office complex. 

About Verde

Verde (www.Verde.lv) will be the greenest A-class office complex at the Skanstes area in Riga (R.Hirša Street 1a), the place opposite the Latvian Fire Fighting Museum, and the only A-class office complex the first stage of which will be commissioned in June 2022. The Verde office complex comprises two office buildings with a total leasable area of 30 000 m2 (45 000 m2 together with underground parking area). Verde has been developed in line with BREEAM Excellent and the nZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) standards. The special feature of Verde will be incomparable greenery on 600 m2 large terraces with trees and plants on each of the buildings and green outdoor workspaces in the yard. In the competition "Sustainability in Architecture, Construction and Design 2020", Verde was ranked among the most sustainable projects, and at the BREL Forum 2022, Verde was voted Project of the Year both by the jury and people. Verde embodies its green thinking in a sustainable and contemporary architectural solution designed by Latvian architects Andris Kronbergs and Janis Zvejnieks (ARHIS Architects), applying Class A energy efficiency and smart building management solutions.

About Capitalica Asset Management  and SBA Group

Capitalica Asset Management (www.capitalica.lt) is an investment management company licensed and supervised by the Central bank of Lithuania and is managing investment funds investing in commercial real estate in the Baltic States. Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I, managed by Capitalica Asset Management, owns office complex Verde in Riga, the business center 135 in Vilnius, the business center Kauno Dokas in Kaunas, and the shopping center Luizė in Klaipėda. Capitalica Z114 Real Estate Fund currently manages an office a warehouse complex and plans to develop a new A class business center on Žalgiris Street in Vilnius. Capitalica Green Logistics Fund owns 4 logistics complexes – two in Tallinn, and two in Riga. The controlling stake (70%) of Capitalica Asset Management is held by SBA Group, one of the largest Lithuanian business groups, and another 30% is owned by A. Barštys' (CEO of Capitalica Asset Management) company Fox Holdings.   

SBA is one of the largest Lithuanian capital multi-business groups, operating in real estate, investment management, as well as furniture and textile manufacturing. The group employs around 5,000 people in the Baltics. Consolidated sales in 2021 amounted to EUR 404.6 million. SBA Group develops a high-tech village on Lielirbes Street in Riga, as well as a residential quarter on Čakstes Street.