For another year in a row, Galeria SFERA has been awarded the BREEAM certificate confirming the highest standards of ecological construction.

What does BREEAM stand for? BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a system for assessing buildings in terms of their impact on the environment. It confirms that a given building is energy-efficient, manages waste well, takes good care of air quality and avails of modern technologies.

Galeria SFERA, being a modern shopping center, combines the convenience of shopping with its care for the environment, introducing numerous ecological solutions such as:

• Energy-saving lighting and heating.
• Effective waste segregation and recycling.
• Care for air quality and user comfort.
• Use of modern, ecological technologies (including an intelligent BMS building management system, fittings that reduce water consumption and optimize the use of grey water, and a monitoring system and monthly reporting of water consumption, energy, maintenance and repairs).

In its certification process, Galeria SFERA was awarded Excellent grade in the Asset Performance and Management Performance categories. The certificate is valid until 08.10.2027.

Care for the natural environment and attention to implementing ecological solutions are among our top priorities. We are happy to be part of the sustainable development of Bielsko-Biała - a place friendly to both residents and the environment.

Our activities include a number of consistently conducted ecological activities in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. We believe that the steps we take will contribute to a real improvement of the environment. We use the latest solutions in the field of energy saving: Free cooling uses the cooling layers coming from the air outside the building to reduce the temperature inside.

The storage of "gray water" allows the reuse of filtered recycled water. In turn, thanks to the recuperation system, we can recover heat by means of mechanical ventilation. Waste segregation takes place according to standards. Green provisions in contracts obliging us to save energy and all this resulted in obtaining the BREEAM certificate at the excellent level. This means a high assessment of the building in terms of both comfort of use and its environmental friendliness.

The idea of an ecological approach also guides us when it comes to gift cards. Our PAPER BOARD cards are 100% biodegradable. They can be 100% recycled in as paper waste.

The mill is certified to ISO14001 environmental management standards and ISO9001 quality management standards and powered by bio energy so that no fossil fuel is used in the making of our boards. The board cards are comparable to PVC cards with a premium look and feel.

"A book supports a hero" is an initiative that was created in cooperation of the Galeria SFERA and the ARKA Ecological Foundation. Its first edition took place on February 25, 2018, and the event enjoyed enormous popularity. The second-hand book fair made it possible to collect funds for social purposes and to promote the idea of second circulation of items. Within five years, PLN 208,835 was collected and 102,250 books were given their second life. As many as 11,540 children from regional educational establishments benefited from this, which is a great example of combining the love of reading with the desire to help.

from 2023, the event takes place in a new formula and under the new name: "Living Books". The main goals remain unchanged - the event brings together environmental protection, cultural education and social assistance. Now the event covers the whole of Poland and it is organised under the auspices of the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała - Jarosław Klimaszewski.