Following several environmental upgrades Brookfield Office Properties Australia has achieved an average 4.8 NABERS Energy Rating across its Australian portfolio and a 5.25 Green Star Office Design V2 rating for properties developed or refurbished since 2006.

Among key upgrades in the portfolio is 235 St Georges Terrace, Perth, is the first office building in Perth to be awarded 5 Star Green Star Office design rating and a 5 Star NABERS Energy Base Building rating.

A number of environmental elements were incorporated in the design process with the main focus to provide a visual full height floor-to-ceiling glazing solution with a high performance facade and daylighting zones.

(235 St Georges Terrace, Perth Image: Green Building Council of Australia case study)

Chief operating officer at Brookfield Office Properties Australia, Kurt Wilkinson, said: “As an owner and operator of premier commercial real estate, we have an unyielding commitment to programs that lower operating costs, reduce energy consumption and curtail greenhouse gas emissions”.

“Upgrading the environmental ratings of our properties is important to us as we are firmly committed to the continuous improvement of energy and environmental performance in new developments and existing buildings.

“Our goal is to provide office space of the highest quality while reducing operating costs.” said Wilkinson.

Brookfield upgraded the American Express House at 12 Shelley Street, Sydney resulting in an increase in its Green Star rating from 1 to 5 Stars.

Also upgraded was IAG House, Sydney taking it from a 3 Star rating to a 5 Star Green Star Office Design rating and a 4 Star Green Star Office as Built rating.

Built in 1976, the refurbishment required creative sustainability solutions to bring the building up to today’s standards.

The upgrade to IAG House included rainwater harvesting, building a recycling room, new Building Management Control System, smart metering for tenant and base building energy and water consumption, overhauling the heating ventilation and air conditioning, new fire systems, new base building lighting, replacing boilers, high efficiency motors and variable speed drives to fans and pumps.

The bathrooms were also renovated with a lot of materials recycled and reused for the renovation.