Lessons and tools from existing office building leaders (2011)
The Total Environment Centre is currently undertaking a project funded by the Office of the Environment and Heritage (Environmental Trust). Aimed at engaging with the lower performance office sector this project will profile leaders, in Sydney, that have successfully upgraded or are in the process of upgrading their lower performance property to achieve a NABERS rating of 4 stars.
The outcome the project is the development of an education package for C & D Grade office owners and managers, designed to increase informed decision making and stimulate improvements in the environmental performance of their existing buildings.
To date this project has received considerable interest and has now secured partnerships with the City of Sydney Council, Parramatta City Council, as well as the Warren Centre who was responsible for the Low Energy High Rise (LEHR)study. We have also welcomed the strong interest and involvement offered by Colonial Mutual First State, AMP, and Jones Knight Frank, Lang LaSalle, Colliers International & Savills property groups.
This is an important building sector to motivate. The Low Energy High Rise (LEHR)study found that C&D Grade buildings represents over 50% of building stock by number, with many buildings being at the end at end of a 20-25 year life cycle and due for refurbishment.
The TEC recognises that the environmental benefit of upgrading suitable low performance buildings far outweighs the option of demolishing and building a new high performance 'green' building. Craig Roussac of Investa has quantified that a new high performance 'green' building will take in the order of 100+ years to recoup its embodied energy debt, before its high efficiency is finally realised.
This project will take case studies of buildings that have upgraded with environmental concerns in mind, looking at what was done, what were the motivations to consider environmental concerns, and what were the outcomes (with measured data, cost savings where possible). Information on drivers and of barriers, as well as current State and Commonwealth financial incentives will also presented in the education package.
The building case studies and information from industry experts will be used at educational forums for owners of C&D grade buildings in early 2012. There will also be downloadable files available on the TEC's Green Capital website.
We hope that this project will in some part make the path of existing office building leaders able to be followed by others.
For more information please contact the Project Manager: Matt Fisher – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
