Three sustainable builds showcased

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release / Monday 26 September, 2016

Three sustainable builds showcased in ratings announced for World Green Building Week

A central Auckland office building and a Northland kura kaupapa have achieved ‘New Zealand excellence’ Green Star ratings, and eight Housing New Zealand homes have achieved high Homestar ratings, in time to celebrate World Green Building Week 2016.

World Green Building Week (September 26–October 2) is the flagship event of the world green building movement. Every year, events in dozens of countries highlight the many environmental, financial and social benefits of sustainable buildings. Celebrations in New Zealand are led by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC).

The three ratings illustrate how sustainability can be successfully incorporated into any building project, from commercial builds to residential developments. Benefits include lower running costs, a healthier indoor environment and a smaller environmental footprint. Green Star rates commercial buildings on a 4-6 scale: 4 Green Star indicates ‘best practice’ and 6 Green Star ‘world leadership’. Homestar rates standalone homes and apartments on a 1-10 scale: a rating of 6 Homestar or higher means a home will be warmer, healthier and cost less to run than a typical new home built only to Building Code.

Bayleys House (pictured above), part of the VXV precinct that forms the gateway to Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, has achieved a 5 Green Star Design rating, signifying ‘New Zealand excellence’.
• The building is located at 30 Gaunt St, and owned by Goodman NZ. The building is expected to be completed in early 2017.
• Designed by Jasmax, the new six-level office building includes sustainability measures such as a high-performance double-glazed façade to maximise natural light and balance thermal comfort, a detailed energy monitoring system, rainwater storage, LED office lighting, low-flow water fittings, and dedicated fuel-efficient and carpool car parking.
• The precinct is rejuvenating a brownfield site, and illustrates how addressing sustainability across an entire site (rather than taking a building-by-building approach) creates a more integrated, effective result.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Whangaroa, a Maori immersion school in Matauri Bay, Northland, has achieved a 5 Green Star Education Built rating for stage two of its build, signifying ‘New Zealand excellence’. (Stage one achieved a 5 Green Star Design rating.)
• The project is owned by the Ministry of Education; the architect was Adams De La Mare and the contractor was Signature Homes.
• Stage two consists of two single-storey buildings connected by a covered open space, and incorporates four classrooms, a teaching common, a food technology suite, art room and a multipurpose hall/gymnasium.
• Sustainability features include: energy and water metering, to encourage efficiency and teach students about energy and water conservation; a design maximising natural daylight; low-VOC carpets, paints, ceiling tiles and other materials to reduce airborne pollutants and create a healthier indoor environment; good insulation to reduce the need for heating.

Eight new homes in the Richardson-Howell development, owned by Housing New Zealand (HNZ) in Mount Roskill, Auckland, have achieved ratings of 6 Homestar – this means the homes are warmer, healthier and cost less to run than the two original 1950s homes that previously stood on the site. The contractor was Signature Homes.
• Sustainability features include good insulation and double-glazing for thermal performance, mechanical ventilation in kitchen and bathrooms to prevent damp and mould, energy-efficient lighting and low-flow water fittings.
• Recently completed HNZ homes in Daventry Street, Waterview have also achieved Homestar ratings, and HNZ has registered some of its additional new build projects across Auckland for Homestar assessment too.

NZGBC chief executive Alex Cutler says World Green Building Week is a great opportunity to demonstrate just how valuable green buildings can be.

“Putting sustainability at the centre of our built environment is all about making smart design choices, playing our part in tackling climate change, and creating better places for people to live, work and play,” says Ms Cutler.

“Buildings have a surprisingly large impact on the environment in many ways – for instance, they use 25% of the world’s water, according to the United Nations Environment Programme – and green building can make a huge difference. Independent, scientifically rigorous rating tools are the best way to ensure a building performs well and has a reduced impact on the environment; we rate everything from offices and homes to schools and even a food warehouse.”

Bayleys is the national sponsor of New Zealand’s World Green Building Week activities, and Bayleys Real Estate managing director Mike Bayley says their focus on sustainability reflects a growing desire in the market for better-quality tenancies and investments.

“Tenants are increasingly looking for offices with lower running costs and healthier indoor environments, which green buildings offer. These offices are also cheaper to maintain and offer a better return on investment when sold. We’re proud to support World Green Building Week in New Zealand, and looking forward to moving into our own Green Star office early next year.”

Visit www.nzgbc.org.nz/events/wgbwnz16 for World Green Building Week event details, and join the conversation on Twitter (#wgbw16 and #betterbuildgreen).

ENDS

© Scoop Media