GBCA and International Towers pioneer Australian First Program for Green Star Tenancy Ratings
15 October 2018
GBCA:
The
Green Star certification process for
building
interiors will be more accessible with a fast-track system
being introduced for the tenants of commercial
buildings that have achieved Green Star status.
The new system is being pioneered by
International Towers, Tower Two and
Tower Three, at
Barangaroo, who are the first to streamline certified,
individual Green Star tenancy ratings for each of their tenants.
Operated by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Green Star
is Australia’s only national, voluntary, holistic rating system for
sustainable buildings and communities. The new offering is an innovation
stemming from collaboration between International Towers and the GBCA
who are tenant partners of the building and aims to pave the way for
broad uptake of the program around Australia.
Sustainability has been embedded within the design, construction and
operation of International Towers, with a commitment to achieve the
GBCA’s highest rating, the 6 Star Green Star - Design, As-Built and
Performance ratings representing world leadership. In turn, tenant
partners are required to achieve 6 Star Green Star - Interiors ratings
and contribute to the precinct’s Green Star Performance rating targets
on an ongoing basis.
A streamlined approach to Green Star certification has been developed to
help tenants meet these requirements, with specific attention to
material and equipment selection, documentation guidance and the
certification process. The program also utilises the buildings’ existing
Green Star features.
International Towers General Manager, Tony Byrne, said the step-by-step
guide for tenant partners enabled them to fast track their rating
submission and forge a direct relationship with the GBCA.
“Sustainability is a core shared value of our tenant partners and this
kind of innovation is an ideal outcome of the GBCA tenancy within
International Towers. Both Tower Two and Tower Three hold the highest
honour on the internationally-recognised sustainability rating system,
the 6 Star Green Star – Office Design Rating v3.
“This is the lynchpin of our continuing drive for sustainability and
innovation and we are uniquely placed to guide tenant partners through
what can be a complicated process. We are also proud that through our
efforts we can have a broad social impact on Australia’s progress
towards a sustainable corporate landscape.”
The GBCA’s streamlined approach is a customised service allowing the
certification of a group of projects sharing similar features, in this
case commercial offices.
It enables common elements to be certified once and then replicated on
future projects to achieve a Green Star rating. This reduces costs,
future proofs assets, and helps more people enjoy the many benefits
working in a Green Star environment provides.
GBCA is looking to expand this service to other building owners,
particularly those in commercial towers and shopping centres who wish to
ensure and help their tenants deliver high quality outcomes.
International Towers’ tenant partners are required to include
sustainability features relating to site management, the indoor
environment, energy consumption, transport accessibility,
water use and construction materials. The Green Star team is helping
ensure tenants achieve top results, with the considerable flow on
effects to their businesses such as reduced costs and increased staff
retention rates.
“Barangaroo is one of the most sustainable precincts in the world and
the hard work International Towers and its tenant partners are putting
in to achieve 6 Star Green Star ratings shows a commitment to this
vision,” said Romilly Madew, chief executive officer of the GBCA.
“This development encapsulates a new wave of innovation in commercial
offices and really shows how building owners and tenants can work
together to create high-level sustainable buildings and spaces.”
In addition to achieving Green Star certification, International Towers
was the first Australian development to achieve a Platinum
WELL Building
Standard Core and Shell rating, and the largest in the world to achieve
the accolade. WELL is an international standard built on research into
the intersection of human health and wellness in the built
environment.
It focuses on the design and operations of buildings encompassing
features such as air, water, light, comfort, nourishment, fitness and
state of mind. WELL also incorporates the impact of office building
design and construction, interior design, materials and fixtures,
alongwith biophilic elements as well as location and access to
amenities, such as public transport.
--ENDS--
Source: Green Building Council of Australia - www.gbca.org.au
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