Build March Issue

Build Magazine 36 t the REWE Group, sustainability is more than just a short term trend or a marketing gag, it’s a deep-seated philosophy. The firm are Green Building specialists who focus on green consultancy, integrated planning and energy design of new sustainable & green buildings, but also refurbishment of existing buildings such as offices, retail, public and governmental facilities, hotels & resorts, residential, cultural buildings, daycare and pre-schools, educational and urban developments. Chairman of the Board of Management Lionel Souque explains the firm’s dedication to this cause. “We at the REWE Group feel an obligation to the environment and society, and we are guided in this by our values as a cooperative enterprise. In other words, we do not stop at respecting the environment – we also believe in treating our employees and suppliers fairly. And we are able to do this without short- changing our business interests in any way. “Following the decision to place even greater emphasis on our responsibility to the environment and society, we pooled our company’s sustainability efforts at the beginning of 2008. In order to translate our strategy into concrete projects, we established four pillars of sustainability: ‘Green Products’, ‘Employees’, ‘Social Commitment’ and ‘Energy, Climate and the Environment’. These measures have firmly anchored environmental protection in our corporate strategy and company structure. “As a full-range company, acting sustainably is of key importance to us. We also believe in constructing and operating all of our REWE stores throughout the country in a way that conserves resources and protects the environment. “Our pioneer project, the Green Building in Berlin, is a veritable beacon for this philosophy. From start to finish, this ground breaking store was planned and built according to environmentally friendly building principles. “Pursuing credible and long-term ecological and social concerns is the guiding principle of all our actions. And it will always continue to be so.” The firm has worked on a number of high profile projects in this area which they are particularly proud of, including the REWE Green Building, which is one of the best sustainability concepts of the world. The sustainable use of resources is of increasing importance in architecture and use of buildings. The first REWE Green Building store, opened in November 2009, in Berlin-Rudow is CO2-neutral. This means, the heating, ventilation, lighting, air-conditioning and cooling systems are not burdening the environment with any CO2 emissions. A further highlight is the use of daylight architecture, which is combined with energy-saving building techniques, the best insulation, sustainable materials and the use of renewable energy. As a result, the Green Building concept store uses virtually 50% less energy than a standard store. GreenBuilding Specialists of theYear - Europe Koch Architekten 4greenArchitecture is a design company providing innovative sustainable building solutions across a variety of sectors. A