LNTPA members among the first to assess the “Hero” business center seeking WELL certification

The new “Hero” business center was presented to members of the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association (LNTPA). During the event, several dozen participants of the Lithuanian real estate market toured the business center, reviewed its implemented solutions, and discussed how the WELL building standard – focused on human health, wellbeing, and productivity – may reshape the Lithuanian office market. “Hero” aims to become the first business center not only in Lithuania but also in the Baltic States to obtain this certification.

Introduced in 2014, the WELL certification has already been awarded to more than 2,600 buildings worldwide, around 450 of them in the European Union. “Hero” is expected to become the first in Lithuania.

Accredited WELL assessor and expert Mindaugas Mikolainis said during the discussion that the certification of business centers in Lithuania is still in its early stage.

“When compared, for example, with neighbouring Poland – where I work frequently – the difference is striking. There, the two-certificate standard for office buildings has already become the norm. I have no doubt that Lithuania will move in the same direction. Employee health and wellbeing in the workplace are becoming increasingly important, and these are precisely the aspects addressed by the WELL building standard,” said Mikolainis.

A value-based evolutionary shift

Realco CEO Julius Dovidonis said that the pursuit of WELL certification can be seen as a logical evolutionary decision.

“From the very beginning, we wanted to create ‘Hero’ as an exceptional business center – not only through beautiful interiors and impressive architecture, but through far more employee-focused solutions. Realco has developed several business centers, and we have worked with many major tenants. We clearly see that employee comfort and wellbeing are becoming increasingly important to businesses. This became especially evident with international companies like Western Union and Barclays, with whom we also had the opportunity to work,” said Dovidonis.

He added that the need to focus on health and wellbeing in the work environment became even more evident after the Covid pandemic.

“We had the idea of pursuing WELL even before the lockdowns, but that period only confirmed that we were on the right path. Employee wellbeing became a major topic after Covid restrictions were lifted, so the wellness concept of ‘Hero’ gained even greater meaning. WELL certification became the foundation for the key aspects of this concept,” said the Realco CEO.

Functional aesthetics

Recalling the beginning of the project, Antanas Dagelis, head and partner at the architectural studio Cloud Architektai, which designed “Hero”, said that the wellness concept immediately captured the team’s interest.

“We knew right away that we were in for an exciting challenge – to combine the aesthetics of a business center with the client’s very specific requirements. Every idea had to be thoroughly evaluated not only from an architectural perspective but also from functional and engineering viewpoints,” said Dagelis.

Presenting the business center to the real estate community, the Cloud Architektai partner noted that all solutions implemented at “Hero” also meet A++ energy class standards. He added that “Hero” is not only aesthetically appealing but, in many ways, also a smart building.

WELL assessor and expert Mindaugas Mikolainis emphasized that parameters such as air quality and other aspects of the certification are not a one-time achievement that can be ignored once the certificate is issued.

“Every year, an internal assessment of all parameters must be carried out, and every three years an independent third-party audit is mandatory. During the audit, specialists come on site, conduct measurements, take air and water samples, and perform laboratory tests. If any parameters fail to meet WELL standards, the certification is revoked. In other words – business center administrators must continuously monitor and ensure workplace quality,” said Mikolainis.

High added value – a necessity in a competitive market

The discussion moderator, LNTPA director Mindaugas Statulevičius, said that it is still too early to assess the full impact that WELL certification may have on the office rental market in Vilnius or Lithuania.

“Since this is only the first example, I believe it will take at least a year to see real effects. But I have no doubt that this decision will encourage other developers to seek more original solutions when introducing new projects to the market,” said Statulevičius.

He noted that competition for tenants in Vilnius is currently quite strong, which means developers of new projects must constantly think about new propositions and solutions that offer high added value.

“In the case of ‘Hero’, the decision to pursue WELL certification is, in my view, a very innovative and commendable step – one that has real potential to become a market benchmark. Of course, it will not become the primary criterion for choosing an office, at least not yet, but it will certainly contribute to creating added value,” said Statulevičius.

The LNTPA head also noted that the trend toward healthy work environments is growing globally.

“People want to feel good in the workplace, and employers will inevitably have to respond – especially as many are trying to bring employees back to the office. The only way to achieve this is to listen to their needs and offer something tangible and truly valuable. WELL certification offers exactly that,” summarized Statulevičius.