At Optimal Sustainability Advisors (OSA), we are excited to announce our collaboration with Passive Dynamics Sustainability Consultants, the Project Highmark design team, and the main contractor to deliver a Grade A commercial office space for Spear Street Capital in Dublin city by Q4 2024.
This project represents a significant step forward in sustainable development. Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification for Shell and Core, the building aligns with taxonomy requirements for Primary Energy Demand (PED), exceeding NZEB standards by 10%. The building is also future-proofed, with the flexibility to achieve Zero Energy Building (ZEB) status, ensuring compliance with the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) 1.5°C decarbonisation pathway until 2037.
Innovative Sustainability Features
Circular Economy: A comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Analysis has been undertaken, reducing embodied carbon emissions through sustainable material procurement and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
Smart Technology: Advanced IoT-enabled systems link heating, cooling, and ventilation for real-time energy performance monitoring, while demand-controlled ventilation and daylight-dimming controls minimise energy use.
Future-Oriented ESG Reporting: Tenant and landlord energy usage, water consumption, and sustainability KPIs will be tracked via a project-specific cloud platform, ensuring alignment with ESG reporting standards such as CSRD, GHG emissions reports, and GRESB.
Adding Value Through Sustainability
This project goes beyond compliance, leveraging sustainability as a value-add approach. By ensuring the asset is sustainability reporting-ready and aligned with future climate obligations, it is protected from potential "brown discounts" and positioned to attract buyers with ESG priorities.
A Case Study in Commercial Retrofit
The Highmark project will serve as a case study for the Irish Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Enact initiative, highlighting its potential as a model for sustainable commercial retrofits.
At OSA, we believe that sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. Projects like this demonstrate how forward-thinking strategies can deliver exceptional results for both the environment and stakeholders.