“SIRIN Development”: a competitive advantage worthy of a BREEAM “Excellent” rating
Logistics real estate provides the infrastructure where businesses manufacture products, implement technologies and expand their operations. SIRIN Development, which develops such properties across the Baltic States, notes that modern industrial premises designed with future needs in mind are becoming an increasingly important competitive advantage for businesses, according to a press release.
The international BREEAM certification helps demonstrate the quality of these properties by assessing their energy efficiency, working conditions and sustainability.
“When developing logistics parks, we create spaces that enable other companies to pursue their ambitions. In some cases, this means advanced manufacturing; in others, logistics, trade or operations combining several functions. As a developer, our responsibility is to understand what a business needs today and what capabilities the building must provide as that business grows,” says Giedrius Valkaitis, Head of Property Management at SIRIN Development.
According to him, the globally recognised BREEAM methodology makes it possible to translate the building development process into clearly measurable and quantifiable value. SIRIN Development has already certified 15 of its completed buildings under BREEAM. Since 2025, all of the company’s newly developed buildings have been certified with the aim of achieving an “Excellent” rating.
Quality of Premises Reflected in Everyday Operations
At the end of last year, Phase 5 of SIRIN Park KLEZ was awarded the “BREEAM International V6 New Construction: Commercial” certification with an “Excellent” rating. The certification confirms the building’s high quality and its focus on the well-being of the people working there.
According to Valkaitis, a manufacturing company, a logistics operator and a trading business require different layouts and technical solutions. This is why, already at the design stage, it is important to consider where equipment will be located, how raw materials and finished products will move through the facility, how different work areas will be separated, and what conditions employees will require.
SIRIN Park KLEZ features smart LED lighting providing illumination levels above 250 lux and an indoor temperature range of 16–18°C. A 12 × 24 metre column grid provides greater flexibility when arranging equipment, racking and circulation areas, while hydraulic loading docks facilitate the receipt and dispatch of goods and materials. These solutions shape the everyday operating environment of a business. However, when choosing premises, it is equally important to consider the actual cost of operating within them.
“A company knows the rent before signing the lease, while other costs often become apparent only once operations begin. The level of these costs directly affects a company’s competitiveness. When assessing premises, businesses therefore need to ask how much it will actually cost to operate there: how much energy will be required, what additional adaptations may be necessary, and whether the building’s solutions are compatible with the company’s operating model,” Valkaitis explains.
Best Practices Deliver Financial Benefits
“BREEAM is essentially a framework of best practices for building design and operation. The assessment covers management, health and well-being, energy use, transport, water, materials, waste, ecology and pollution. Each category includes specific requirements, with points awarded for meeting them,” says Kęstutis Kvietkauskas, Sustainability Consultant, BREEAM AP and BREEAM Assessor.
According to the expert, KLEZ5 performed strongly across all assessment categories, with particularly strong results in energy use, water efficiency, and waste prevention and management.
One of the most important aspects, although not directly visible to a future tenant, is dynamic energy modelling. This makes it possible to assess a building’s anticipated energy consumption during the design stage and select more efficient solutions. This is relevant both to operating costs and to CO₂ emissions associated with energy consumption.
“Dynamic energy modelling allows us to evaluate design solutions and identify opportunities to optimise energy consumption already at the design stage,” Kvietkauskas says.
A simple example illustrates the potential economic impact: if annual energy costs amounted to EUR 100,000, a 10–15% reduction in consumption, assuming the same energy tariff, would translate into savings of approximately EUR 10,000–15,000. Naturally, actual consumption also depends on a company’s equipment, operating intensity and building management.
Sustainability Requirements from Design to Operation
According to Kvietkauskas, the sustainability targets established during the design of KLEZ5 influenced subsequent decisions, while the construction process was organised in line with practices meeting high sustainability standards. Waste prevention and management requirements applied both to the construction phase and to the building’s future operation.
The expert emphasises that the value of these measures becomes particularly evident once the building is in use: tenants can expect more efficient, comfortable, healthier and safer conditions for their operations. For companies preparing environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports, the data collected during the building assessment process may provide additional value by supporting relevant reporting requirements.
When assessing SIRIN Development’s approach, Kvietkauskas highlights not simply the achievement of a single building, but the company’s consistent certification policy. In his view, such an approach demonstrates organisational maturity and responsibility while encouraging other market participants to pursue higher standards. SIRIN Development’s ambition to achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” rating also applies to its other projects under development in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
“A growing business looks for efficiency, while we invest in buildings that must remain fit for purpose well into the future. It is important for both sides that savings made today do not turn into additional costs several years down the line. That is why we continuously seek sustainable, long-term solutions that can deliver value for decades,” Valkaitis says.