The expansion of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM)—now known as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)—located in Alicante, Spain, became the first newly constructed building in Spain, Portugal, and Italy to obtain the highest rating on the BREEAM certificate, reaching the rank of «Exceptional». This award recognizes the resort's excellence in sustainability, efficiency, and environmental stewardship.
Features of the Expansion
The expansion has a an area of 39,000 square meters, in compliance with the the highest standards of sustainable development. Within this space, there will be three floors for vehicle parking, a ground floor, and three floors for offices.
Its design allows it to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, resulting in the energy it needs to operate, generated by solar panels located at the top of the building, wind turbines or of geothermal springs.
The building features cafeteria, dining hall, ATM, gym, and other services, with which one achieves minimize employee travel as much as possible, thus yielding a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, there is promotes cycling with designated parking spaces, showers, and lockers.
The building has achieved minimize water consumption as much as possible, through various measures. One example of this is planting native vegetation that does not require constant watering, thereby avoiding the large amounts of water that would be used with other types of plants.
BREEAM® Certification and Assessment
The BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) certification contributes to more sustainable construction, thereby yielding undeniable economic, social, environmental, and cultural benefits.
BREEAM certification evaluates various aspects of the environmental performance of buildings (both new and existing) in categories such as energy, water, transportation, health and well-being, materials, and waste management, among others. Buildings are assigned a rating ranging from “pass” to “outstanding,” and the certification must be renewed periodically in accordance with the relevant scheme.
As of 2025, it continues to be widely implemented in more than 90 countries, with hundreds of miles of buildings certified under its various programs and standards.
