Ahtme Maxima becomes the first LEED Gold certified building outside Harju County
The Ahtme Maxima store, part of Millerhawk’s portfolio, has received the international LEED Gold certificate, making it Estonia’s first commercial real estate building outside Harju County to earn a high international sustainability recognition.
“For the first time, such a high international sustainability recognition has reached the regional commercial real estate market in Estonia. LEED Gold is separated from the absolute top only by the Platinum level. With the buildings in our portfolio, we do not limit ourselves to construction ambition alone — we make it a priority to ensure long-term high value for each building. That means we pay attention to older properties and direct investments into them to remain attractive operating locations for tenants,” said Marko Kull, member of the Millerhawk board.
The energy audit delivered surprisingly quick results
As part of the certification process, a thorough energy audit was conducted on the building, identifying several concrete opportunities to improve energy efficiency. The payback period for some of the identified investments turned out to be less than 12 months.
Maxima: sustainability matters for both customers and employees
The store’s tenant, Maxima, views the certificate as an important confirmation of its responsible business principles. “It is important to us that our store operates in an environment that is energy-efficient, well-managed, and comfortable for both customers and employees. The LEED Gold certificate confirms that the building is managed thoughtfully and that sustainability principles are applied in day-to-day operations. We are naturally pleased to be operating in such an environment and to have it recognised internationally,” said Diana Gegelyte, CEO of Maxima.
Sustainability is not limited to new developments and the capital
For Millerhawk, the recognition is an important signal to the entire sector. “Sustainability must be part of an entire real estate portfolio, not a privilege reserved for new developments. Well-managed commercial real estate helps reduce operating and maintenance costs, improves the indoor environment, and increases the long-term value of the asset. The high recognition awarded to Ahtme Maxima is a step that gives hope that the culture of sustainable property management will reach the regional market more broadly across Estonia,” noted Marko Kull.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is one of the world’s most recognised green building certification systems. Unlike assessments of new developments, LEED O+M focuses on the actual performance of an existing building during operation. It evaluates energy and water use, waste management, indoor environmental quality, and day-to-day management practices.
The Ahtme Maxima building received the LEED v4 Operations and Maintenance: Retail certification at the Gold level. The certification process was coordinated by Greenmetrix OÜ, a Millerhawk subsidiary that advises the real estate sector on green certification and energy efficiency to enhance the sustainability and market value of properties.
