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12 RETROFIT AUSTRALIA VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 | 2015

| Case Study

Sustainable building design sees Australia Post reduce impact, resources and costs

RETROFIT AUSTRALIA VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 | 2015 13

Case Study |

The landmark building at Strawberry Hills in Sydney, which was sold and leased back by

Australia Post, underwent substantial redevelopment to provide an attractive, modern and sustainable workplace for Australia Post and StarTrack employees and tenants.

The project is part of the company’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and become a leader in environmental sustainability. The success of this redevelopment brought Australia Post a step closer to reaching its goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2020.

The rejuvenation of StarTrack House was brought to life by Melbourne-based architects Carr Design Group, who, working with Australia Post’s head contractor and builder Buildcorp Interiors, ensured the creation of a modern, sustainable workplace for the future. Together with engineers Norman Disney & Young, Carr and Buildcorp ensured that environmental sustainability was front of mind throughout the project.

StarTrack House takes advantage of solar passive design featuring the largest commercial rooftop solar photovoltaic installation in metro Sydney, and a high-performance façade to reduce its energy usage by around 50 per cent of pre-upgrade consumption.

Changes to the building included upgrading of the building management systems to ensure the effective use of water, electricity and gas within the building, which has been upgraded to 5 Star Green Star standards. A completely refurbished fit-out throughout saw upgrades to lighting, amenities and lift lobbies for current and future tenant areas. Upgrades to landscaping and building access completed the environmental sustainability picture, with a 15,000-litre rainwater tank installed to service the on-site irrigation system.

As a result of these innovations, the building has been recognised as the first refurbished building in the country to receive triple 5 Star Green Star ratings in the three categories of Design, As Built and Office Interiors, under version 3 of the Green Star rating methodology.

As a business that plays an integral part in the Australian community, Australia Post recognises that it has a responsibility to understand the impacts of its business operations on the environment, and to find new ways to improve.

‘Part of our commitment to building better communities includes minimising our impact on the environment,’ explains Adam Treffry, Australia Post’s General Manager of Property and Procurement.

Treffry has committed to ensuring that Australia Post buildings contribute to creating more sustainable workplaces wherever possible, as he says they simply make sense. ‘Sustainable upgrades have huge benefits, both from an environmental point of view and from an investment point of view,’ Treffry says.

‘StarTrack House is an excellent example of this. It shows how a building’s energy, waste and water efficiency can be transformed through careful planning and consideration to the environment, while also lowering costs in the long term.

‘The sale, leaseback and refurbishment not only allowed us to optimise our prime location here in Sydney; it has also provided us the opportunity to invest in capabilities and infrastructure for our future.’

Improved energy efficiencyAustralia Post recognised that energy use within its buildings and facilities accounts for approximately two-thirds of its carbon emissions, and made sure that energy efficiency was a priority in all aspects of the design of this building. Substantial improvements were made, including:

Australia Post’s StarTrack House, which serves as its New South Wales headquarters, has been turning heads in sustainable building design circles around the country since its redevelopment in May last year. It has now caught the attention of the broader property industry after being shortlisted as one of five finalists nominated for the Property Council of Australia 2015 Innovation and Excellence Awards, the winners of which are to be announced in May.

14 RETROFIT AUSTRALIA VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 | 2015

| Case Study

more than 1050 solar panels installed on the empty roof space of the building, supporting the building power requirements on mains energy. The 370 megawatt hours of electricity that the panels generate per year is enough to reduce base building load by 25 per cent

all lighting throughout the building using T5 light fittings without reducing lighting levels

design features that maximise daylight harvesting, and the installation of a sophisticated digital addressable lighting interface system

an upgrade of the building’s 1000-panel glazing with new, high-performance, double-glazed windows that significantly improve the thermal performance of the building envelope.

Smarter facilitiesThe ground floor was transformed with new state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities, supported by bike racks for 176 bikes housed securely within the basement.

Clever use of space allowed the building to increase its locker area from 34 to 194 lockers, and now there are additional facilities such as a drying room, integrated ironing facilities and improved showers and change areas, making it easier for staff members to ride to work.

Better use of resourcesA 15,000-litre rainwater storage tank was installed to provide rainwater for the building’s on-site drip irrigation.

Bathroom fixtures and fittings were upgraded to high-efficiency toilets, taps and showers, reducing our use of potable water and diminishing the pressure that our building places on the municipal waste systems.

A fire water re-use tank has been installed to allow recycled water to be used for testing of the building’s fire systems.

Recycling and ecologyDedicated space throughout the building allows the storage and sorting of recycling waste.

Mass plantings on the forecourt of the building are improving the ecological value of the site, as well as attracting wildlife and providing an enhanced environment for employee recreation.

Only sustainable timber was used as part of the redevelopment, being either re-used or sourced from suppliers that are Forest Stewardship Council certified.

Enhanced workspacesThe Australia Post workplace on levels 2 and 3 sees a completely open-plan approach to working, allowing the workplace to become an effective business tool.

Enhanced training resources, quiet rooms, flexible storage options, sit-to-stand desks and agile work zones cater for a diversity of people and work styles.

StarTrack House has already won an array of prestigious awards, including at the 2014 Master Builders Association of New South Wales Excellence in Construction Awards where it won the ‘refurbishment, renovation, extension’ category, and a High Commendation in the 2014 Sydney Engineering Excellence Awards – Buildings and Structures category.

StarTrack House now awaits the outcome of its nomination for the 2015 Property Council of Australia Innovation and Excellence Awards to be announced in May.