Sweden. Fastighets AB ML 4

Date of agreement:08 Jul 2019
Country:Sweden
Customer:Fastighets AB ML 4
Amount in SEK:SEK 300 million
Amount in EUR:EUR 28.29 million
Maturity:22 years
NACE sector / loan type:Real estate activities

Project

The loan facility has been provided to finance the construction of the Comparative Medicine Unit (CMU), a specialised laboratory to be used by the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, and other researchers in life science fields.

The primary function of the CMU is the breeding of mice for the medical research carried out by the over 450 researchers at Lund’s University in an environment that protects animal welfare and health.

Sweden has strict legislation in place regarding animal testing, and research practices involving animals at the lab will be required to adhere to the ethical principles of Replace, Reduce, and Refine.

The establishment of the CMU will open up new opportunities for Lund University’s medical researchers and researchers from other disciplines. The construction is scheduled for completion in 2021.

Lund University has entered a 25-year rental agreement with the property developer Fastighets AB ML 4 in 2015.

Fulfilment of NIB's mandate

Productivity:

The new CMU will replace outdated facilities that no longer provide an optimal environment for research and animal welfare. The aim of the CMU is not to increase the number of animal experiments, but to improve their conditions. Upon completion, the facility will be the most modern of its kind in Sweden. Its design will support the decrease of cross-contamination infection among mouse strains significantly. The facility will be accommodating up to 450 members of staff. The investment in expanding the research infrastructure in Lund is likely to drive innovation and to strengthen an internationally competitive science cluster.

Environment:

The building will be certified according to the Gold level under the Miljöbyggnad standard for green buildings in Sweden. The energy performance of the building is expected to be at 65% of the building code.

Indicators for the project’s productivity impact:

-Number of researchers using the facility

-Quality indicators for the research environment

Indicators for the project’s environmental impact:

-Certification level Gold in accordance with Miljöbyggnad

-Energy performance: kWh per square meter and year