Construction start for another sustainable CA Immo office development in Berlin´s Europacity district

• CA Immo is developing the building as an innovative, sustainable and future-proof property. Certifications according to DGNB and WELL in both cases at least in gold as well as WiredScore in platinum for best connectivity are aspired.

• About 100% of the building has already been leased as construction begins. The exclusive tenant is Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB), which has been based in Berlin for over 30 years.

• 15-year lease agreement set to make a significant contribution to stabilizing CA Immo's sustainable recurring income (FFO 1) from 2025 onwards

The Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller, representatives of the investor and project developer CA Immo as well as the future exclusive tenant Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB) today performed the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the office tower "Upbeat" in Berlin's Europacity. The building complex will have around 35,000 sqm of rental space. DKB is set to open its new DKB Campus here at the end of 2025. In close cooperation with DKB, CA Immo is developing the high-quality office tower as a completely sustainable and fully digitized property. CA Immo’s total investment amounts to around €300 million. Completion is expected in 2025.

The Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller: "A Berlin office has created a forward-looking design with "Upbeat"; Kleihues + Kleihues' concept is architecturally imaginative and technologically sophisticated. Today’s modern corporate headquarters require networking and digitization as integral components. With its charming location on the Nordhafen waterfront, the complex is set to become a landmark of urban development. "Upbeat" is setting the standard for the development of the Europacity. Many Berliners have now found a new home here. Europacity is a place where housing construction excellently harmonises with international companies taking root in the city. Putting both of these things together as a contemporary form of Berlin's mix makes the city even more attractive for people to settle here – and this goes for families as well as for companies."

Andreas Quint, CEO of CA Immo, added: "The office tower "Upbeat" is already our tenth building development in Berlin's Europacity. Berlin is one of the most attractive real estate markets in Germany and the conclusion of a 15-year lease for this building has once again proven that our early strategic focus on this market was right. Upon completion in 2025, "Upbeat" will make a significant contribution to our rental income and also further improve our key figures – for example, FFO 1. However, the signing of the rental agreement this spring also confirms that, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the trend towards mobile working, the office will remain the central location for collaboration, communication and knowledge transfer for companies in the future. We are therefore very pleased to have won DKB, a modern and strong forward-looking company, as a tenant. Together with DKB, we will now implement both the building's innovative technical concept and modern space allocation plan for the DKB campus that will be built here."

Stefan Unterlandstättner, CEO of DKB: "For us, the DKB Campus is a milestone in our more than 30-year success story. As one of the largest employers in the city and a financing partner for the Berlin economy, we are making a long-term investment in Berlin as we strive to become a sustainable technology company. We want to grow continuously and, with the energy-efficient design of this state-of-the-art building, live up to our claim of being the most sustainable bank of the German top 20. With the DKB Campus, we are setting a course for DKB’s success in the future, both strategically and operationally – with a working environment that meets the most modern digital as well as structural requirements."

Upbeat – Highlights of the development
Set in a prime location, "Upbeat" marks the (highly visible) start of the Europacity’s urban development. The building will impress with its high visibility and very good accessibility. In Europacity, considerable investments have recently been made in infrastructure as well as in high-quality residential and commercial space, which has turned the location into an attractive, dynamic and sought-after environment for work, leisure, culture and living.

Designed by the renowned Berlin architects Kleihues + Kleihues, "upbeat" features modern and organic architecture with three different building heights, spacious roof terraces and a large, open and transparent lobby. The basement level takes advantage of the site's topography and allows for a delivery zone that is separated from the public as well as a spacious underground car park. The building has both a main public entrance directly from Heidestrasse and another entrance on the western side of the building with a taxi stand.

The building’s flexible floor plans allow for efficient office concepts ranging from cell offices and combined solutions to open space concepts. The high degree of flexibility offered by the space will make future adaptation to tenant requirements easy as the use of traditional office space evolves.

The health and well-being of tenants was given high priority in "Upbeat’s" development. Among other things, the concept specifies the highest standards in ventilation systems and air hygiene. Accordingly, CA Immo will seek a gold WELL Core certification for the building.

In terms of energy, "Upbeat’s" construction also takes high sustainability criteria into account. As with all CA Immo project developments, the primary energy requirements fall well below GEG reference values. To achieve this, CA Immo is developing, among other things, a future-oriented energy concept that makes use of both renewable energy sources and innovative energy systems. CA Immo is striving to achieve at least a gold certification for the building from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).

Drawing on the knowledge gained from the "cube berlin" on Washingtonplatz, which was developed and built by CA Immo and is considered one of the most technologically advanced buildings in Europe, "Upbeat" will also have extensive digital, interconnected functions. The building will also boast excellent, fail-safe connectivity. To this end, a platinum WiredScore certificate is sought.

CA Immo is investing a total of around €300 million, which includes the land plot, in developing and marketing "Upbeat".

CA Immo's commitment in Berlin
With an existing portfolio of 16 buildings comprising a total rental area of approx. 219,000 sqm and a development pipeline consisting of three buildings with a total area of approx. 51.000 sqm currently under construction (excluding Upbeat), CA Immo has a long and successful track record when it comes to developing modern, sustainable office space in Berlin – and particularly in the Europacity submarket. By embarking on this development, CA Immo is taking a further step in its market expansion strategy and investment program, which will pave the way for both steady growth with recurring income as well as a continuous improvement in the quality of the existing portfolio.

Facts & Figures