In its new guidelines, the European Commission has set an ambitious goal: to achieve full decarbonization of the construction industry by 2050. The transformation is enabled by cooperation of sector leaders and the use of technologies increasing the energy efficiency of buildings. Further sustainable construction solutions are being launched by Selena Group, whose founder and owner Krzysztof Domarecki has recently become the ambassador of the international #BuildingLife campaign supporting implementation of the European Green Deal.
Energy efficiency of buildings and sustainable construction are among the key focus areas for Selena Group. #BuildingLife will accelerate achievement of European Green Deal’s ambition for the construction sector and provide the entire region’s-first response to the zero-carbon vision. Krzysztof Domarecki, the founder, owner and long-standing CEO of the Selena Group, became an international ambassador of the #BuildingLife campaign.
– Decarbonisation should be considered in three aspects: economic, social and environmental ones. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, sustainable solutions must also generate savings and increase the comfort of living. For 30 years now, Selena has been committed to creating environmentally friendly, easy-to-use and quick-to-install products. I trust this is the right way to protect our planet against climate change – says Krzysztof Domarecki, the ambassador of the #BuildingLife campaign.
Individual green building councils from ten European countries are developing national decarbonisation roadmap packages. Selena joins the campaign as a member of the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC). Activity in industry organizations and participation in campaigns promoting sustainable construction support Selena’s daily commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector.
Roofs restore greenery to cities
In order to attain the ambitious goals set by the European Commission, Selena Group has become engaged in creating innovative technologies to help reduce CO2 emissions. In large agglomerations, this solution is represented by green roofs. They improve the quality of life of residents and contribute to the improvement of the micro and macroclimate by increasing oxygen production and air humidity, and by purifying air from CO2 and other impurities.
For the construction of roof gardens, Selena’s specialists offer the proprietary Tack-R system. Green roofs positively influence the surroundings in many ways, improving air quality and reducing urban heat islands by absorbing sunlight. This helps cool buildings and fight smog that engulfs many cities – 1 m2 of greenery can retain approx. 200 g of dust.
Green roofs are created on residential, office, public utility and commercial buildings. This green trend in architecture is clearly visible not only in the private sector, but above all in projects implemented by real estate developers. Green roofs facilitate introduction of additional space planning solutions, but as architects emphasize – they can also increase the property value by 10%.
Major energy savings
To reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, it is essential to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. To satisfy the most stringent requirements in this regard, Selena has developed the COOL-R waterproofing coating. By using innovative technologies, the coating has high reflectivity (effectively reflects the sun rays) and emissivity (gives off a large amount of heat). In this way, it reduces the amount of energy needed to air-condition the building.
– The coating reduces energy consumption, and consequently CO2 emissions, generating significant financial savings. By lowering the temperature of large roofs of industrial facilities, we reduce air-conditioning costs by up to 25%. At the same time, we reduce stress in the roof structure, extending its roof life and ensuring its long-term waterproofing performance. The coating allows optimal temperature to be achieved inside the building. This increases the security of industrial production and storage of goods, and increases the comfort of life and work of people staying in the buildings – says Jarosław Kulesza, COOL-R Global Coordinator.
The technology developed by Selena Group has gained international acclaim. It has been used on such projects as: the Salgado Filho international airport in Porto Alegre, Brazil (18,800 m2), a shoe factory in Toledo, Spain (13,000 m2), a production facility in Bolesławiec (12,000 m2), a Colgate production plant in Sao Paulo, a medical laboratory in Madrid, a hotel and sports hall in Malaga, and shopping centers in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Wrocław. The advantages of this coating are also evidenced by the certificates awarded to it, directing to its energy reduction properties. These certificates include: international Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) from the Building Research Institute, Green Card from the certification company DEKRA, type II declaration in accordance with ISO 14012, and the EKO ITB label.
Increased energy efficiency
One of the common manifestations of adverse human impact on the environment is the excessive consumption of electricity and natural gas caused by insufficient insulation of buildings. Any previous sealing solutions were often costly and hard to install. To address this problem, Selena has developed the WINS system, an innovative standard for window installation and sealing. This solution prevents energy losses in residential buildings by a significant 30% by eliminating “thermal bridges”, i.e. heat escape paths.
According to the report drawn up by the Polish Green Building Council “Certification of Green Buildings in Numbers”, in 2019 the number of certified facilities increased by as many as 197. Poland remains the certification leader in Central and Eastern Europe (51% of certified buildings from this region are located in Poland). These numbers clearly show that in Poland sustainable construction is a constant change trend in the industry. The solutions implemented by Selena Group demonstrate that green investments can bring long-term benefits for the environment and investors alike.