Sustainability Report

Gambit Office sustainability information provided by Robert Konieczny, founder of KWK Promes Konieczny.

Embodied carbon strategies

• The project was developed as a headquarters for a local company rather than as a speculative commercial investment, and it was not supported by public funding or external grants. As a result, formal environmental certifications were not used as reference points. Environmental decisions instead grew out of a pragmatic approach to architecture, grounded in durability, simplicity, and long-term use. 
• The primary material choice was raw aluminium sheeting, bent and formed into elements referencing pipes. This is not an architectural product in a catalogue sense, but an industrial material used without finishing treatments. Its selection was not the result of a single design move, but of a consistent effort to simplify the building and use less material. Compared with alternatives that were considered, including steel or Gambit’s own pipes, the aluminium sheets are significantly thinner, resulting in lower weight and a lighter facade overall. This, in turn, reduced the need for extensive substructure and mounting anchors.
• KWK Promes Konieczny worked with samples and carried out tests to understand the material’s appearance and behaviour at facade scale, alongside consultations with specialists in metal structures. These discussions informed decisions around aluminium grade and a final sheet thickness of one millimetre. Although no detailed carbon footprint calculations were undertaken, the reduction of material use and structural demand was a conscious part of how the building was conceived.

Operational emissions strategies

• Operational performance was addressed through clear functional organisation and restrained use of technical systems. Heating and cooling are provided by geothermal collectors using heat pump technology, while photovoltaic panels contribute to partial energy self-sufficiency and help reduce CO2 emissions related to electricity consumption.
• Only spaces that genuinely require heating are conditioned; the warehouse remains unheated. Daylight is introduced where it is needed through conventional windows and skylights, and glazing is used selectively rather than extensively. All glazing incorporates enhanced UV protection. As a result, air conditioning is used very rarely, particularly when compared to typical office buildings with large glazed envelopes.
• The building maintains a stable internal temperature and a fresh indoor environment through insulation, daylight, and natural ventilation. This creates a comfortable microclimate throughout the year with minimal reliance on mechanical systems and low heating demand.

Service and maintenance strategies

• From the outset, KWK Promes Konieczny focused on ensuring that the building would last and remain uncomplicated to use. Rather than treating sustainability as a separate agenda, the emphasis was placed on avoiding solutions that generate problems over time.
• The aluminium facade does not require painting, does not corrode in a conventional way, and is intended to age naturally through patination rather than deterioration. The studio’s prior experience with similar materials in earlier projects informed confidence in how the facade would behave over decades. The building also avoids elements that require cyclical replacement or frequent repair.
• Resistance to mechanical damage was another consideration, including detailing such as a curb protecting the facade from trucks. Together, these choices reduce the need for maintenance and replacement, addressing what the studio identifies as one of the most significant sources of environmental impact: the operational life of the building.