Barangaroo South, Sydney’s largest mixed-use urban regeneration project, has won the Leadership in Sustainable Design & Performance Award—Commercial category at the 2018 World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) Asia Pacific’s Leadership in Green Building Awards. 

The prize, shared with Aorangi House in New Zealand, was one of five top gongs awarded at the biennial WorldGBC ceremony. The program celebrates iconic green buildings, up-and-coming innovators and inspiring companies driving change and creating a better future throughout the region.

Developed by Lendlease, Barangaroo South was lauded by the jury for considering every aspect from a sustainability angle—from the raising of its ground plane to accommodate predicted sea level rises, to the installation of over 50,000 LED lamps, to the creation of a shared basement infrastructure that houses a recycled water treatment plant and efficient district cooling plant. 

Sustainability energy chart

The vibrant waterfront district furthermore boasts a mix of world-class office, retail, residential, hospitality and public spaces that feature sustainable material selection. Together, they make up a water-positive, carbon neutral precinct that aims to divert 97 percent of construction and 80 percent of operational waste from landfill.  

Carbon emissions infographic

“This large scale urban regeneration project has set an ambitious target to be Australia’s first carbon neutral development. It adopted a holistic life cycle approach that genuinely addresses the essence of sustainability and resilience, including the important aspect of the health and well-being of building occupants,” awards juror, Professor Lam Khee Poh, Provost’s Chair Professor and School of Design and Environment at the National University of Singapore, said.

“In the implementation process, the deployment of the Barangaroo Skills Exchange (BSX) training program has further contributed significantly to the socio-economic status of the construction industry.” 

The complete list of 2018 winners were:

  • Naandi, India: Leadership in Sustainable Design & Performance Award – Residential category; with Special Recognition, Advancing Net Zero; 
  • Barangaroo South, Australia: Leadership in Sustainable Design & Performance Award – Commercial category
  • Aorangi House, New Zealand: Leadership in Sustainable Design & Performance Award – Commercial category
  • Green One United Nation House, Vietnam: Leadership in Sustainable Design & Performance Award – Institutional category
  • Swire Properties Limited, Hong Kong: Business Leadership in Sustainability Award; with Special Recognition, Better Places for People
  • Mary Chan, DLN Architects Limited, Hong Kong: Women in Green Building Leadership Award
     

Images: barangaroosouth.com.au