To protect people and environment, we have long been operating according to the idea of sustainable development.

At NEPI Rockcastle, we know how important it is to take care of the environment and have been undertaking initiatives related to its protection to ensure most sustainable operations of the centers.

Every day we act towards our commitment to the development and support of local communities that is based on 3 pillars: sustainable buildings, education and local community engagement.

To protect people and environment, we have long been operating according to the idea of sustainable operations. Sustainable and healthy buildings, commitment to the public, a fair approach to people and businesses are the three pillars of our business.

In accordance with NEPI Rockcastle’s Sustainability Strategy, we aim to reduce emissions by 80% by 2030 (from 2019 base year) and energy intensity by 30% by 2030 (from 2022 base year), we also aim to reduce potable water consumption and reduce avoidable waste going to landfill to zero. The full strategy and the Group sustainability performance: Focus and performance – NEPI Rockcastle

• Environment

At Paradise Center we choose modern, energy-efficient solutions and invest in renewable energy sources. “Energy efficiency first” is our main principle while operating the center. That is why we continuously analyse solutions that can be implemented to increase energy efficiency and reduce usage of resources in our shopping center. Thanks to building management system (BMS) that monitors the consumption of energy, water, heating, air-conditioning and lighting, we can adapt to the current needs and optimise operation of the building.

To meet the rigorous standards of the sustainable operations, the shopping center has implemented a number of environmentally friendly initiatives, including Rainwater collection and use in irrigation, occupation motion sensor for the lighting system in the parking area, with 95% LED lighting, permanent multi-technical maintenance and digital monitoring of utilities.

We aim to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and hope to increase a waste recycling ratio while trying to avoid sending waste to landfill. Our center is equipped with the waste disposal bins, so every customer visiting us can contribute to the waste segregation.

All shopping centers of NEPI Rockcastle in Europe, including Paradise Center, have the green BREEAM In-Use certificate.  We use BREEAM methodology to evaluate and certify the sustainability of our buildings, covering various aspects such as energy and water use, health, and well-being, pollution, transportation, materials, waste management, ecology and biodiversity, management processes. Paradise Center achieved a BREEAM certificate on the level Excellent.

We think that encouraging our customers to make more responsible choices during everyday shopping is not enough – we all have the responsibility to give a good example. It was our main purpose to implement our sustainable procurement policy which supports us in purchase of goods and services that do no significant harm to people and planet.

The recycling potential for customers in a shopping center is an important step for enhancing the recycling, therefore we strive to provide relevant infrastructure. The presence of recycling bins throughout the mall and facilities within the shopping center greatly influences customers' recycling potential. By having clearly labelled bins for different types of materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metal we encourage people to recycle effectively.

Shopping can be tiring, therefore throughout the mall we provide resting spaces and some of them are equipped with charging points, so customers can charge their devices while resting.

We care about biodiversity. Working together with ecologists, we create and manage the green space around us so that it becomes friendly to the organisms living in that area. We take pride in our green terrace, and we have planted trees and bushes all around the shopping center. We owe more to our green spaces than just precious oxygen. Trees remove harmful substances from the air and function as natural air-conditioning units. They also regulate the water cycle in nature, reduce flood risk and alleviate the consequences of droughts. They also help to cool down atmospheric air. When trees are correctly planted in the urban space, the air temperature can be reduced by as much as 8 degrees.

We have birds houses mounted on our roof, and we are a pet-friendly shopping center.

• Saving the bees. Together

“Adopt a beehive” is an initiative designed to provide education on the important role of these valuable insects in the life of humans and on their significance to the environment.

These hardworking insects are responsible for the production of 1/3 of the food produced worldwide. It is estimated that they pollinate 71 out of 100 species of crops, enabling us to enjoy 4 thousand species of vegetables and many types of fruit. By moving pollen from flowers, these insects help to preserve biodiversity and control soil erosion. In the case of orchard crops, bee pollination of plants increases yield by up to 80 percent.

Urban apiaries maintained by experienced beekeepers encourage people to look for information about bees, attract interest and promote discussion, which makes them significant from an educational perspective.

Provide safe, healthy and secure environments for those who work, visit, live and relax in our shopping center is at highest priority. Thriving communities is part of our commitment to contribute and give back to the local economy. Education is an important part of our everyday marketing campaigns. We think on ourselves as educators, who share knowledge and ideas with our customers, encouraging them to make more deliberate and responsible choices. We not only provide our spaces for valuable events and initiatives, but we have also been running our own programmes and campaigns for many years.

For years now Paradise Center has been a meeting venue and a location of cultural events, social and community initiatives and a place for taking care of everyday matters. We organise many campaigns and projects to support and integrate the residents and local organisations, respond to everyday needs and create a space filled with positive emotions and experiences.

At Paradise Center we enjoy easily accessible public transport - bus stops around the center and a metro station with direct access to the shopping center. We also have bicycle parking lots for our customers, which can accommodate a total of around 20 bicycles. There is also EV car charging station for a total of 17 cars.

• Public

Three bus stops around the center - at Cherni vrah Blvd and at Henrik Ibsen Street.

• Bicycle parking lots

In Paradise we offer bicycle parking lots for our customers, which can accommodate a total of around 20 bicycles.

• EV car charging

Our customers can charge their cars using one of 7 Тesla and 10 Spark stations available on the underground car parking.

We inspire our customers to behave responsibly. We present the idea of circularity (Circular Economy) by organizing educational campaigns and providing and sharing valuable content. In this way, we share our solutions, but also we demonstrate that we operate in a responsible environment and with responsible partners. We provide specific examples and share good practices of our tenants whose solutions are available in our shopping centers. thus equipped for proper consumption.

At NEPI Rockcastle we value transparent communication with our stakeholders, therefore inquiries, issues, complaints or innovative ideas concerning Environmental, Social or Governance (ESG) matters can now be addressed via a dedicated communication channel. The insights and feedback are invaluable as we continually strive to enhance our sustainability efforts and uphold the highest ethical standards.

Kindly reach out to us via sustainability@nepirockcastle.com Together, let us cultivate a culture of sustainability, transparency, and positive impact at NEPI Rockcastle and throughout our broader community.