The former site of Emu Brewery in Perth is cause for celebration after being awarded a 6 Star Green Star rating for office design from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
In what is to be the new home for Woodside Petroleum, Tower 1 Capital Square has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Office Design v3 rating – an outcome that represents world leadership in building design.
The 54,000 sq m tower on Mounts Bay Road is to be the global headquarters for Woodside with NDY involved across all project built elements.
“Capital Square is one of the most significant commercial projects underway in Perth and to achieve a 6 Star rating is an outstanding result,” says NDY associate and senior sustainability consultant Peta Earley.
“This is the only project in Perth to have achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating for Office v3 Design and demonstrates the commitment, drive and appetite from a client that understands the long term benefits of Green Star-rated projects,” adds Earley.
The GBCA’s Chief Executive Officer Romilly Madew says the result is a result of the project team’s commitment to innovation in sustainability.
“The project was awarded 10 Innovation points for pioneering approaches to acoustics, lifecycle assessment and end-of-trip facilities, and has challenged the industry to meet higher benchmarks for sustainable design,” Ms Madew says.
The sustainability team achieved a perfect 10 out of 10 score for ‘innovation’, and 12 out of a possible 12 for ‘management’.
“We managed to score a very highly regarded total of 77 points out of 100 for the overall 6 Star result with strong results across the ratings categories of transport, materials, energy and water,” adds Earley.
The ‘unseen’ achievement of re-orientating from a focus on 5 Star to a 6 Star rating was a remarkable feat says NDY sustainability consultant Leigh Gibb.
“It was only late in the design phase – having been originally designed to achieve a 5 star Green Star rating – that we realised a 6 star rating was obtainable so NDY worked with the base building and tenant team to make this a reality.”
According to project leader and NDY senior associate Paul Bradbury, this collaboration has been integral to the project’s rating success. “We have collaborated closely with the owners, architects and builders to create tailored solutions for this unique project,” says Bradbury.
“Being engaged for the mechanical, electrical, fire, hydraulics and vertical transportation services, together with specialised Green Star, sustainability, acoustics and fire engineering consultancy, has allowed NDY to take a holistic view of the tower – and the broader precinct – and accommodate innovative, cost-effective and sustainable long term designs,” adds Bradbury.
Tower 1 is part of the broader Capital Square precinct which also comprises of a 30 storey residential tower with a 120 room hotel at the lower levels, a 40 storey prestige residential tower, and a vibrant public square that will accommodate retail, a crèche, gymnasiums, spa, swimming pools and restaurants.
Tower 1 is also targeting a 5 Star Green Star – Office As Built v3 rating and a 5 star NABERS Energy rating to make it one of the most energy-efficient and highly rated buildings in Western Australia.
At a glance: key sustainability initiatives
Indoor Environment Quality
- Increased fresh air, excellent air-change effectiveness, outstanding thermal comfort design
- Abundant natural daylight accompanied with glare control devices
- Access to views of the city and river
- Minimisation of all indoor pollutants
Energy Saving Initiatives
- Stringent targets set for energy efficiency: dictated requirement for high performance glazing
- Façade provides good daylight penetration
- Highly efficient air conditioning
- Occupancy & daylight monitoring with reduced reliance on artificial lighting
- Highly efficient lighting solution
- Superior access to public transport links and amenities.
Water Saving Initiatives
- Rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation
- Water efficient landscaping
- Highly efficient fixtures and fittings throughout
- Re-use of fire protection system test water and sprinkler system isolation valves
Key collaborative team:
Owners: AAIG Trust
Main Contractor: Multiplex
Architect: Cox Architecture Pty Ltd
Services Engineering and Sustainability Consultant: Norman Disney & Young
Structural/Civil Engineer: Arup Australasia
Quantity Surveyor: RLB