From Foundation to Finish: NUMA's Greener Building Practices

At NUMA, we're on a mission to redefine what it means to develop properties with a focus on sustainability. As the world faces the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, we recognize that developing new buildings to sustainable standards is just one brick in the foundation, and we're excited to share more of our low-impact buildings in the future. 

Philipp Rohweder, our Director of Real Estate, explains the range of benefits of embracing more sustainable construction: "The hospitality industry is uniquely positioned to drive change towards a more sustainable real estate future. Not only do we take long-term leases with full control of the assets, but we also directly benefit from the efficiencies that come from innovation, optimization and investment. Additionally, as 'green' decision making becomes more important and relevant, transparency becomes more essential for both B2C and B2B customers.” 

Today, we're excited to share how our approach to sustainable building practices is shaping the future, with a spotlight on our NUMA Wood location and our brand new headquarters in Berlin.

When it comes to sustainably constructing a hotel, there are a lot (like a loooot) of things to consider. In addition to alternative transport and greening concepts, innovative approaches are also needed in the construction industry, which is currently responsible for around 40% of global CO₂ emissions. For NUMA Wood, this solution is also at the heart of the hotel concept: prefabricated building elements made of solid wood. 

The building was developed by Stora Enso, one of the world's leading providers of innovative timber construction solutions. A total of 1,500 spruce trees from sustainably managed forests were used for the 50-room hotel project–an amount that grows back every eight minutes in Austria. And the construction time was also incredibly fast thanks to the prefabricated timber modules, which were delivered fully furnished and only needed to be assembled on site. Amazingly, the hotel was ready to welcome its first guests after just 68 days, also helping to minimize the building’s carbon impact. So when you stay at Wood, you can rest even easier knowing that your stay is truly low-impact. 😴🌱

Our commitment to sustainability doesn't stop at NUMA Wood. Our new headquarters in Berlin sets the bar even higher! With a DGNB Gold certification for high efficiency building standards, our headquarters incorporates a number of sustainable features designed to minimize energy consumption and carbon emissions. From automatic exterior blinds for passive cooling to geothermal energy for heating and cooling, every aspect of our new headquarters is optimized for sustainability. Concrete core activation in the ceilings ensures efficient temperature regulation, further reducing our environmental footprint in daily operations.

NUMA's decision in choosing its new HQ was driven not only by the imperative to operate sustainably but also by the understanding that sustainability has become a big deciding factor for potential  future employees. By choosing an office that embodies our commitment to sustainability, we’re creating an environment that reflects the values we uphold throughout our operations, attracting and retaining top talent who share our vision for a greener future.

As a company and employer, NUMA is developing its efforts to foster an internal culture that has environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles embedded into everything it does. We are dedicated to driving our commitment to sustainability not only in our properties but also within our own operations and corporate practices.

Developing new-builds with sustainable standards is just one piece of NUMA's sustainability puzzle, but we're dedicated to seamlessly incorporating it into the fabric of our brand and ethos. We're excited to continue showcasing more of our low-impact buildings as we strive to lead the way in environmentally conscious property development.