SOFIA, BULGARIA - Tishman International, a global real estate investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, is the recipient of B2B Media’s 2012 “Greenest Company in Bulgaria Award” in the “Construction and Real Estate” category. This award, which was presented to Tishman International Chairman Alan D. Levy in June, recognizes construction of Tishman’s Sofia Airport Center (SAC), the first LEED-certified commercial development in Bulgaria, as well as the company’s role in promoting sustainable business practices in Eastern Europe.
In accepting the award, Levy said, “Tishman International’s investments are built and managed with a sustainable vision for future generations who will inherit all that we create today. All of our employees have a key role in our overall policy, especially regarding the environment. The green idea is a very important element of our corporate culture, as well as a natural and necessary behavior for a good corporate citizen and responsible member of the community,” he emphasized.
The 210,000-square-meter (2.1-million square feet) SAC complex introduced green building and Western business practices to Eastern Europe. SAC is attracting Western business interests to establish operations there, offering 180,000 square meters (1.8-million square feet) of Class A office space and a 30,000-square-meter (301,489 square foot) logistics/warehouse center. Additionally, the development is inspiring other green commercial development in Bulgaria.
A jury of experts in resource optimization, ecology and business evaluated nominated companies and their projects for this award based on three primary components: the project’s carbon footprint, the company’s overall sustainability policies and strategies used, and ways the project was communicated to the public. SAC incorporates environmentally friendly materials with state-of-the-art technologies to reduce operating costs and provide a comfortable, healthy environment for employees. Sustainable features include an energy-efficient VAV HVAC system, controlled by an automated building management system (BMS); abundant natural light through open atriums and double-gazed windows; high, 2.85-meter (9.5-foot) ceilings; and solar shading on building exteriors to reduce heat and solar gain.
Participation of employees in fulfillment, introduction and execution of the company’s sustainability policy also was a key factor in selecting a winner.
Tishman’s commitment to the green idea is also expressed by its partnership with CleanTech, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable corporate development through communication and networking with business executives and creation of a business environment favorable to attracting desirable companies to Bulgaria. Tishman has been a force in the recently established CleanTech Bulgaria Green Business Network, a forum that brings together leading companies, key politicians, consulates and other dignitaries, and non-governmental organization representatives who share a vision of positioning Bulgaria as Eastern Europe’s leader in sustainable business practices.
SAC also received the International Real Estate Federation’s prestigious “Prix d’Excellence Award – Bulgaria 2013” in April and CleanTech Bulgaria’s Building of the Year 2012 Award for Green Buildings.
About Tishman International
Tishman International Companies is currently active in the United States, United Kingdom and Central & Eastern Europe including Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. The firm specializes, in the acquisition, development, management and financing of commercial real estate. Tishman has been a consultant and joint venture partner to some of the world’s leading institutions and private investors and has recently been appointed by a UK Fund to provide asset and development management services for a portfolio of 12 properties located in Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia.
About Tishman International in Europe- In 1986, Tishman International established its European headquarters in London, England. Since then, the company has developed and managed in excess of six million square feet of premier office and commercial space in the United Kingdom. Additionally, Tishman has provided acquisition and management expertise for millions of square feet of prime real estate assets in Europe, including several Supermarket Centres in the Czech Republic for an International Supermarket Company. Its prestigious roster of clients and partners has included Metropolitan Life, New York Life, Teachers Insurance, Bank of America, Grosvenor International, Citibank, American Express, Fidelity Investments, Lend Lease, HVB Real Estate, and many others.