The company reiterates its commitment to the environment and the community, helping to improve the quality of urban life by implementing a robust strategy focused on nine key pillars - resident health, local communities, greenhouse gas emissions, resource and land use efficiency, occupational health and safety, climate change, biodiversity, anti-corruption, and accessibility - that ensure the successful delivery of projects and their impact on the community and the environment.
"Our vision is based on building vibrant, connected neighborhoods focused at the heart of every project's design and development, where wellbeing is at the center. We prioritize our improvement efforts on our clients', communities', and employees' well-being, achieving the highest European building standards (BREEAM and WELL) and securing access to green spaces and terraces of above-market standard sizes. Through these initiatives, Speedwell not only contributes to the sustainable development of cities but also inspires other companies to adopt similar practices, thus creating a long-term positive impact on the environment and society.", said Jan Demeyere, Architect and Co-Founder of SPEEDWELL
Through the integration and implementation of new actions in the sustainability plan, in 2023 the company has made major progress and achieved several remarkable results:
· 100% of buildings completed last year received a Class A energy performance certificate
· The waste resulting from the demolition work for THE IVY construction was fully reused
· 100% of projects delivered benefited from a stakeholder consultation plan (SCP)
· 66% of them were delivered based on an Economic and Demographic Needs Study (EDNS)
· 66% of deliverables in 2023 were assessed against the TOD standard and scored above 50 points out of 100
· 50% of projects have already been evaluated for climate change risks
With 33% of projects already evaluated in terms of residents' health and well-being, one of SPEEDWELL's primary goals is to develop communities that provide residents with all the amenities of modern living. As part of the sustainable approach, projects are designed according to the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) concept. Thus, density and transportation aspects are optimized in key areas of cities to keep the community compact.
By 2050, the company aims to achieve zero emissions as part of its commitment to sustainability and high standards of living. The strategy aims to reduce its environmental footprint and promote social responsibility, aiming to achieve BREEAM Outstanding certificates for future projects, a special mention going to CityZen which will be the first BREEAM Communities certified complex in Romania.
SPEEDWELL's long-term ambition is focused on sustainability and obtaining green certifications for its developments to ensure the best possible performance and resilience in the face of climate change. It will continue to deliver high-quality projects with a focus on sustainability, such as PALTIM, CityZen, TINO, and 1 IUNIE, four future developments that will be based on the urban regeneration concept, as well as THE MEADOWS and GLENWOOD ESTATE, which will be oriented towards integrating large green spaces into a livable space for the residents and the local community, and QUEENS being the flagship development towards the principles of the 15-minute city.
This year, Speedwell celebrates ten years on the Romanian market, as one of the most active real estate developers, with a prominent presence both in Bucharest and in other regional cities such as Cluj, Timișoara, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Brașov. The company's portfolio includes today approximately 150,000 sqm of office and retail space, over 6,000 apartments, and 23,000 sqm of industrial space, with a total project value estimated at approximately 1.5 billion euros. Since June 2024, Speedwell has expanded its operations in Poland, targeting a development portfolio to match its Romanian one.
For the next period, Speedwell is preparing the launch of QUEENS District to be delivered in Q1 2027, the development of the CityZen project, currently in the permitting phase, and is advancing construction work on Glenwood Estate, a new premium villa residential ensemble in Corbeanca, and The Meadows , an exclusive project located on the shore of Grivița Lake. In Bucharest, the company has completed the first two phases of the Triama Residence, the first three buildings, part of Phase 1 of The IVY residential complex and MIRO, the Class A office building. In the western part of the country, in Timisoara, Speedwell is developing Paltim, a mixed-use urban regeneration project next to the Bega River, and preparing to launch the construction works for a new real estate development located on the former 1 IUNIE S.A. textile factory site. In the industrial &Logistics segment, the company has completed the second phase of Spaceplus West and started groundworks on the SPACEPLUS East development. In recent years, Speedwell delivered Record Park in Cluj and currently expanding to Brasov, another important regional city in Romania.
