• BT achieved a BREEAM score of 88.7%
• The building uses 20% less energy than the national benchmark
• The bank’s Head Office has a floor area of 38,000 sq m and nearly 1,400 workstations

Banca Transilvania’s Head Office, located in Cluj-Napoca, at Calea Dorobantilor 30-36, has received BREEAM New Construction certification, the industry’s highest standard for sustainability and efficiency, with a score of 88.7 out of 100. Fewer than 3% of BREEAM-certified buildings worldwide have achieved the Outstanding rating.

The BT building has been operational since January 2021 and has 38,000 sq m, capacity for nearly 1,400 workstations, 30 meeting rooms, 8 kitchens, an amphitheatre, a café, a restaurant, underground parking for cars and bicycles, as well as a charging station for electric vehicles. The building was constructed from certified, recycled and recyclable materials.

The certification assessment considered a range of categories, each receiving a score: Building management, Health and wellbeing for employees, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land use and ecology, Pollution and Innovation. The maximum score was obtained for Management and Transport.

Leontin Toderici, Director General Adjunct Operatiuni, Banca Transilvania, declara: “The investment in the bank’s new Head Office was aimed at creating a workplace that is as pleasant and healthy as possible for employees, as well as being mindful of the environment. To optimise resource consumption, we use state-of-the-art technologies, equipment and facilities.”

Adrian Pop, Manager General ADP green building, adauga: “It was a complex project, with sustainability and innovation at the core of the design brief and the building concept. BT’s Head Office was conceived as a green building from the design stage, using the BREEAM standard. Impact on the environment and care for health and safety conditions were carefully monitored throughout its delivery. We are proud to have been part of the team that contributed to this building, one of the most sustainable in Romania.”

Details about the BT Head Office:

• The air in the building is filtered continuously, and its quality is monitored at all times.
• Heating and cooling are provided via a concrete core activation system.
• Illuminance at workstations is kept constant using luminaires that detect natural light and compensate in real time with artificial lighting. Lighting is sensor-based and controlled through the BMS (building management system), which reduces the energy required for lighting by approximately 30%.
• The building uses 20% less energy than the national benchmark and about 8% less than the BREEAM reference.
• Timber materials are FSC-certified or similar, confirming sourcing from sustainably managed forests.
• In selecting construction materials, those with environmental certifications such as EPD, BES 6.001 and ISO 14.001 were chosen.
• The building’s embodied carbon footprint is 1,407 kgCO2eq/sq m.
• Waste is collected separately.
• The building is contemporary in style, with eco and tech influences — in its concept, materials, colours, functionality, features and design. The design combines a range of textures and materials — from wood-effect concrete to Vistea stone. The palette is neutral — predominantly grey, beige and brown.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the first and most widely used method for assessing building sustainability, launched and administered by the UK’s Building Research Establishment.