A banking consortium led by BayernLB, together with Helaba and Sparkasse KölnBonn, has pledged support to the Empira Group, a investment manager focusing on the DACH region, in the development of the Die Welle quarter in Cologne-Marienburg.
The lively city district with 750 energy-efficient rental apartments is being built on the former Deutsche Welle Cologne site and will integrate both commercial uses and daycare areas.
Bernd Mayer, head of real estate at BayernLB, said: 'We are very pleased that we can support the Empira Group as a financing partner in such an exciting urban district.
'What is particularly interesting for us is that the project is being developed according to high sustainability and ESG criteria. As a progress and real estate financier, we are thus making an important contribution to a more climate-neutral real estate industry.'
Lahcen Knapp, chairman of the board of directors of the Empira Group, praised the constructive cooperation achieved with the financing partners and suggested that future projects might follow.
The neighbourhood is being certified according to the DGNB Gold Standard for sustainable buildings, meeting demanding criteria in the areas of ecology, technology and location. Socio-cultural and functional aspects, such as indoor air quality and acoustic comfort, are also taken into account by the certification.
Car sharing and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and bikes are also planned. Photovoltaic systems on the roofs generate additional electricity for the basic supply of electromobility.
