BREEAM is a collection of certification schemes and is managed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in the United Kingdom. BREEAM-NOR is a Norwegian adaptation, and it is today Norway's oldest and most widely used environmental certification for new buildings and major rehabilitations.

A certification maps all the conditions in a building that affect the environment - locally and globally. The overview is a very useful tool of support in our further work with sustainability. Environmental certifications such as BREEAM set requirements for a good indoor climate, lighting conditions, non-toxic materials and other health-promoting measures that make the buildings better to be in. It provides a basis for good health, better well-being and more satisfied tenants and users.

BREEAM-NOR ensures that the most important aspects of sustainability are taken into account, where nine categories are covered:

"It has taken a long time to develop Kilen, and it is the first building that we BREEAM-certify as a new building. Kilen has been approved BREEAM-NOR-certified to the grade Very Good", Says Håvard Fjæreide, CEO of Frydenbø Real Estate. We do this to ensure that our tenants have access to the current "best practices" in real estate technology as well as to build buildings that have the potential to "live" for many years to come and with low emissions, he adds.

BREEAM In-Use

- We are also in the process of certifying the existing buildings at Damsgård, says Håvard Fjæreide, CEO of Frydenbø Eiendom. We now have three buildings we are working on with BREEAM In-Use certification. Damsgårdsveien 125, 135 and 139, he adds.

BREEAM In-Use International is a management tool and an international certification system for use by owners and managers with ambitions to reduce the operating costs, energy consumption and environmental impact in the existing commercial buildings and homes. A separate certificate is issued for the environmental performance of the building and the management of the building, after verification by the auditor.

Why do we certify existing buildings?

• To get an overview of the portfolio's total environmental performance
• Establish a reference level to improve the environmental standard
• Reduce the environmental impact through measures in the building or property management
• Reduce the operating costs
• Provide input to annual reports and CSR reports
• Increase the well-being and productivity of the employees in the building
• Increase property value and market demand
• Attract investors and tenants
• View the achieved results in a reliable and third-party verified manner

"The BREEAM In-Use certification is an important step towards taking the best possible care of the buildings we already have. We also see that several potential tenants who are looking for office space and who want to be in constructions with BREEAM certification. This is a clear sign that such environmental certifications are becoming more and more important, not only for investors and banks, but for tenants as well. This is a sign of the positive change that is under way in the real estate industry towards a greener future.

Now, we are working towards carrying out an analysis of the buildings to see what measures we must take to improve and meet the standard. These are mainly systems that can measure environmental performance. Here, in Damsgårdsveien 135, we have to take a number of measures to be able to reach our goals.

We have come a long way with BREEAM In-Use certification of the three buildings, and we are very pleased with that. Furthermore, we will gain experience based on the processes we are now going through - before we choose to move forward with more buildings", says Håvard Fjæreide.