SEB’s office in Arenastaden have recently achieved Fitwel’s healthy building certification. It is the first property in Europe to be awarded three stars, which only five percent of those that apply for the certification manage to achieve.
It’s hard for visitors in Arenastaden to miss the SEB-building, which has become a familiar landmark in Solna. SEB are based here since 2017, and the company worked closely with Fabege on designing and constructing the building to ensure that employees would have the best possible conditions for feeling at home there, developing professionally and working productively.
From the outset, Fabege had a clear ambition for the property to maintain very high sustainability standards, and SEB has been firmly committed to promoting health from the start, with significant initiatives to look after employee health and wellbeing throughout their working day. The property has plenty of opportunities for keeping fit, including a gym, sports facility and bicycle parking, and also houses restaurants serving healthy, organic subsidised meals and a ‘green’ roof for walks and to encourage time outdoors.
These sustainability and health initiatives led to Fabege suggesting that the building should apply for a health certification, and SEB was quick to come on board.
“We’re delighted to have such a great partnership with Fabege, and that we were able to work together to create a workplace that makes it easy for our employees to lead a healthy lifestyle,” says Mikael Eriksson, SEB’s Property Development Manager.
Fitwel is an American certification system focusing on health, in which certification is achieved via a points system. Healthy food, access to fitness areas, proximity to public transport, green spaces, good air quality and lighting are just a few of the criterias for which points are awarded. The SEB office ended up being awarded the highest possible level, which makes it the first property in Europe to be certified with three stars.
“We are incredibly proud to have achieved Fitwel’s certification together with SEB. As a property owner, it goes without saying that we support tenants who put the health of their employees this high up on the agenda,” says Fabege’s CEO Stefan Dahlbo.
The property has BREEAM-SE sustainability certification, level Excellent, which is an ambitious international standard involving third-party review. It imposes very stringent requirements in the areas of health, indoor environment, energy, transport, water, waste, pollution, soil, ecology and materials. Fabege now hopes that other tenants will follow suit and apply for Fitwel certification.
“Now we know we are Fitwel-ready. Through BREEAM certifications and high ambitions regarding the design and placement of buildings, in good public transport locations close to green areas, we create a good foundation for the tenants interested in certifying their new offices according to health criteria,” says Mia Häggström, Sustainability Manager at Fabege.
The certification was made with help from Astrid Berglund, environmental consultant at the analysis and consulting company WSP and Fitwel ambassador.
Fabege AB (publ)
