AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST - 6 STAR FOR THE GBCA
06 Mar 2012
GBCA has awarded Darling Quarter’s Commonwealth Bank Place a 6 Star Green Star!
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has awarded Darling Quarter’s Commonwealth Bank Place a 6 Star Green Star – Office As Built v3 rating, making it the first ever building to achieve this significant industry milestone.
A 6 Star Green Star Office – As Built version 3 rating is considered to be the most challenging rating to achieve. Until now, no development has reached this level of achievement. The process to obtain this rating required Lend Lease to respond to comprehensive and rigorous Green Star credit assessment criteria.
Mark Menhinnitt, Chief Executive Officer for Lend Lease’s Australian business explained that the 6 Star Green Star – Office As Built v3 rating illustrated the continuing aim to push the boundaries of sustainable development.
“We are seeing a real commitment from the property industry and governments at all levels, as well as the community, to tackle a major contributor of carbon emissions - our cities. Achieving this rating brings us one step closer in the journey towards sustainable precincts and eventually sustainable cities. He added, “Leading edge innovation in green technologies and design has helped us to deliver projects that we never thought possible.”
Commonwealth Bank Place delivered a significant number of sustainable outcomes including potable water reduction of 90% through rainwater harvesting and onsite water recycling initiatives, carbon emission reduction through energy efficient design, which includes chilled beam and single pass fresh air systems, trigeneration technology and a high performance façade. Importantly, the building and its systems also provide a healthy and highly productive workspace for its tenants.
“We are delighted to award a 6 Star Green Star – Office As Built v3 rating to this iconic Australian building. It is great to see the Australian property industry leading the way in innovation and continuing to deliver developments that set new benchmarks,” said Romilly Madew, Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia.
A collaborative effort between Lend Lease and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA), the $500m Darling Quarter precinct is a showcase for social, environmental and economic sustainability and sets global benchmarks in environmental innovation.
It comprises ‘Commonwealth Bank Place’, and a family/leisure precinct with extensive public amenity, including a vibrant retail food precinct with a range of dining options; a world-class family playground, one of Sydney’s largest covering more than 4,000 square metres; a community green; youth theatre; and 600 bay public carpark.
Commonwealth Bank Place is the latest Lend Lease project to set new benchmarks for sustainability; others include 30 The Bond in Sydney, and The Gauge and the ANZ Centre in Melbourne. Lend Lease is continuing to push boundaries in innovation and sustainability through projects such as Victoria Harbour in Melbourne.
The Darling Quarter development was funded and has been acquired by the Lend Lease managed APPF Commercial in joint venture with one of its existing offshore institutional investment partners.
About Lend Lease
Lend Lease is a leading international property and infrastructure group, with a focus on core markets in Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and with circa 18,000 employees worldwide, Lend Lease’s capabilities span the property value chain. In Australia we offer development management; investment management; project management & construction and asset & property management. Our expertise covers multiple sectors including commercial, residential, retail, retirement and infrastructure.
We create innovative and sustainable property solutions, forging partnerships and delivering maximum benefits to clients, investors and communities. Sustainability has always been an integral part of our culture and through design and investment in new technologies, we are delivering the next generation of sustainable property solutions. Safety is our number one priority and Lend Lease is committed to operating Incident & Injury Free wherever we have a presence.