The Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz has become the first in Germany to meet the EU’s stringent environmental criteria and become certified according to the official EU Ecolabel.

At the same time the newly opened property has received a prestigious silver medal from DGNB, the independent German organisation that certifies, promotes and rewards sustainable building. Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz is the first hotel in Germany to be built according to such sustainability principles.

Scandic has led the industry when it comes to environmental commitment for many years and launched its first ecoroom back in 1995. Today 115 of its 160 hotels are ecolabelled and 16,000 team members have received sustainability training over the years.

“Environmental and sustainability work is an ongoing process of improvement and when we set up new hotels, we ensure a clear focus on environmental and sustainability issues throughout the process,” comments Inger Mattsson, Manager Sustainable Business at Scandic. “Naturally, we are extremely proud that our new hotel in Berlin now carries the EU Ecolabel and at the same time has won a prize for sustainable building. The EU Ecolabel is a well-established environmental labelling system that makes it easy for guests to choose more eco-aware accommodation.”

Easy to make eco-choice in Berlin
More and more guests and consumers are now choosing ecolabelled alternatives, and commitment to environmental and climate issues is on the rise. At Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz it is easy to make an environmentally aware choice.

“We are proud that, just two months after opening, we are the first hotel in Germany to receive this double accolade,” states Thomas Borsbach, General Manager of Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz. “The hotel is packed with intelligent environmental solutions. For example, we use 100% renewable energy, district heating and district cooling, low-energy bulbs throughout and integrated window blinds that ensure an even indoor climate. In the kitchen, we only use low-energy induction hobs and the ventilation uses UV light technology to clean the exhaust air, which is then recycled.”

The large hotel building, with its elegant glass façade, has now also been awarded DGNB’s silver medal as the first hotel in Germany to be built according to sustainable principles. The aim of the independent, non-profit organisation, which brings together players from across the construction and property industry, is to promote sustainable building. DGNB, which assesses and certifies buildings and construction processes, places great emphasis on the lifecycle of the buildings. Technical quality in the planning and construction process is reviewed, together with the costs of energy, water and maintenance. Comfort, including factors such as noise, is also assessed, along with accessibility. Of the 16 properties to win awards this year, Scandic Berlin was the only hotel.