OREANDA-NEWS. December 04, 2007. The sustainable construction criteria developed by the workgroup were presented at the Reval Hotel Latvija, reported the press-centre of Colliers International.

Participants of the press conference were Ainars Paunins (Ainars Paunins), “Re&Re” Chairman of the Board; Uldis Zanders, Depo Projekts; Harijs Jordans (Harijs Jordans), Association Zalas Majas; Valters Mazins (Valters Mazins), SIA Jaunrigas Attistibas Uznemums, Chairman of the Board; Mihails Morozovs, Colliers International, Managing Partner in the Baltic States and Belarus.

The workgroup for developing the principles includes representatives from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Architect’s Juris Poga Bureau, the Architects Bureau Depo Projekts, Construction Company Re&Re, Kolonna Nekustamie Ipasumi, Latvian Association of Local Governments, RL Ministry of Environment, Hansabanka, Aizkraukles Banka, Sorainen, SIA Jaunrigas Attistibas Uznemums, Colliers International and Association Zalas Majas.
 
The work result: 8 basic principles elaborated in the 1st wording.
 
Reasonable usage of the environmentally friendly energy resources;
Usage of materials and resources, which are friendly to the environment and people; 
Efficient usage of water resources;
Well thought out territory planning for settlements, residential districts, offices and similar groups of buildings;
Land improvement and landscape creation;
Optimal architectonic and constructive solutions for buildings;
Positive influence of buildings on the health and comfort of residents;
Reduction of the surrounding environment pollution, efficient waste management
 
Mihails Morozovs, Colliers International, Leading Partner in the Baltic States and Belarus:
“Being aware of the fact how we consume natural resources, we can no longer allow ourselves to experiment and wait for what will happen with the planet and whether the most pessimistic forecasts come true. It is the last moment to start practical steps.”
He continues: “This is a world wide problem the solving of  which requires a much wider involvement of society.”
 
RE&RE Chairman of the Board Ainars Paunins acknowledges: “The urgency of sustainable development increases with every coming day and hour. Economic development worldwide has caused an unprecedented boom in construction, it happens not only in Latvia. During the recent time several evaluation criteria have appeared in the industry – from different aspects, each of these is most welcome. However, the basic principles of green building are all-inclusive – this is the “home work” to be performed both by society - as the end consumer, the client, and by the developer, by the architect, and also by us - builders, so that, as a result, all the involved parties have the long-term benefit, which can be measured both globally and locally – in different aspects, incl. economic benefits. For us, as a company and a part of society, these issues are very topical and we are ready to implement this attitude also in our activities.

At present, we have already introduced at our company and actively work on further sustainable construction development opportunities, by introducing different innovations and technologies, for instance, wasteless production, optimization of logistics, etc. However, the main trumps are in the hands of clients, developers and designers – as it depends exactly on them whether their choice corresponds to the sustainable construction criteria.

We have to cooperate, but prior to this we have to know and to realize all the opportunities and trends. It is to be understood that sustainable construction is the mutual interaction of three aspects – responsibility to society, to the environment and economic benefit; therefore, we see the wide work field and opportunities for cooperation between the private sector and legislators. For instance, there are states, where the houses, which have received the required amount of points for the green building criteria, are awarded tax discounts and this, certainly, promotes the interest of developers in investing into such projects. When we all together recognize and realize all the opportunities and advantages of sustainable construction - thinking globally and acting locally, - we all shall be the winners.”
 
“Considering the world tendencies – interest in a healthier lifestyle and optimal usage of natural resources – such a system of evaluation will help the project developers and potential buyers of dwellings to create the unified understanding of the quality of the green building offers on the market of dwellings,” emphasizes one of the workgroup representatives Inga Piterniece, Chairman of the Council of the Association Zalas Majas, Member of the Board of AS Kolonna and Director of the Real Estate Department.
 
Depo Projekts, Uldis Zanders reckons: “Designers are to be a step ahead of the customers. We are the interim stage, which in a clear way is to explain what the client obtains from sustainable construction. Using the analogies, when not observing these basic principles, we cannot avoid being the fast food sellers. It can last for some time but in 20 years it will kill us.
These principles are to be known to developers, architects and builders. However, also State support is required.”
 
Valters Mazins, Chairman of the Board of SIA Jaunrigas Attistibas Uznemums, summarizes: “In Europe several organizations have elaborated criteria for determining and measuring the building sustainability, trying to introduce this system into the daily practice. In Latvia foreign evaluation systems can be used, however, they must be adapted in conformity with our situation - climate, availability of resources, expenditures, etc. Definitely, this evaluation system must have real application and efficiency for society. Simultaneously, sustainability or varied manifestations of its counter development are to be talked about with society, State and local government institutions.

In Latvia, the initiative of developing the evaluation system of sustainable construction and management comes from private and non-governmental organizations. Actually it is done, in order to educate clients – buyers and users of buildings, and to allow evaluating correspondence of each building to the sustainability principles. Active involvement of the State in the process and legislation of sustainable construction, by implementing it as the targeted policy, would be the required support. If the State does not find a common language with the private initiative, there will be different evaluation systems. The unified criteria are especially important in such cities, where fast development takes place, for instance, in Riga.
 
At present, observation of the basic principles of sustainable construction is the voluntary highest lath, where the winners are the members of society living in a qualitative and healthy environment, paying less for this, and also the local governments – the sustainable building even in 5 – 10 years will not degrade the environment and the building’s value will not decrease.”