Awards 2016

CitySwitch National Signatory of the Year 2016

Frasers Property Australia  

They have got their big sustainability boot and stuck it in! They have well and truly hit the triple bottom line – and are headlining the social.

CitySwitch National Awards judging panel
Frasers Property Australia is one of Australia's major diversified property groups, with activities across Australia covering development of residential land, housing and apartments. It has over 85 years’ experience in residential development and is one of the largest developers in Australia both by revenue and through its controlled pipeline of projects located in four major capital cities and numerous regional areas. Frasers Property Australia also develops and manages commercial and industrial properties, with its Commercial & Industrial Business being one of the largest national industrial developers and builders in Australia.
Frasers Property Australia was awarded the top accolade for demonstrating their commitment to energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. In 2016, Frasers improved their NABERS energy rating from 4 to 5 stars, saving 8,415 kilowatt hours despite increasing their staff numbers. Frasers also achieved a 4.5 star NABERS indoor environment tenancy rating which included 100% for lighting and 92% for office layout. They installed worm farms to manage their food waste, and have set up mobile phone and battery collection points for staff.

CitySwitch National Partnership of the Year 2016

dsquared Consulting and WAX Design

This project is exciting. It shows that if the small agencies can work together to achieve such positive outcomes, bigger agencies can certainly work together and upscale the model.

CitySwitch National Awards judging panel
Formed in 2012 by Paul Davy and Deborah Davidson, dsquared Consulting delivers innovative and independent sustainable solutions in the built environment. With a combined industry experience of over 30 years dquared develop solutions which are smart, robust, and cost effective. WAX Design was formed in 2006 and delivers projects that are inventive, resolved and responsive to their surroundings. Their body of work spans the fields of landscape architecture and environment, urban design and place making, art and design, play and education.
Working collaboratively enabled dsquared Consulting and Wax Design to install a solar panel system on the warehouse office space they rent. Their landlord worked with both tenants and contributed 50 per cent of the cost of the project. The installations have made significant reductions in energy use achieving a 5.5 star NABERS Energy rating and a 5 star Green Star Interiors rating (the first in South Australia). The project demonstrated leadership and provides a how-to road map for other businesses to achieve the same sustainability outcomes.

CitySwitch National New Signatory of the Year 2016

KPMG  

KPMG is clearly walking the talk. It is great to see organisations having a positive and regenerative impact on people and space. Can’t wait to see where you can go next!

CitySwitch National Awards judging panel
KPMG is a professional services firm with global reach, and deep expertise in audit and assurance, tax and advisory. In Australia, KPMG has a long tradition of professionalism and integrity, combined with a dynamic approach to advising clients in a digital-driven world. They have approximately 6,700 people, including over 400 partners, with 13 offices around the country.
In the last year, KPMG have succeeded in transforming their Melbourne tenancy from a 1.5 star to a 3 star NABERS Energy rating using a range of initiatives targeting energy and waste. They have saved over 600,000 kilo watt hours with high tech lighting, heating ventilation and cooling, and by utilising natural lighting. They also achieved a 72% recovery rate by recycling electronic waste, food waste, toner cartridges and paper.

CitySwitch State winners under 2000sqm

New South Wales

Architectus

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
28 Tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
sustainable refurbishment, collaborative spaces, videoconferencing
Architectus is one of the largest architectural practices in Australia and New Zealand with offices located in Auckland, Brisbane, Christchurch, Melbourne, Sydney and Shanghai. With a strong track record in the core areas of architecture, interiors, urban design and planning, Architectus has specialist expertise in education, public buildings, commercial, industrial, residential, aviation and transport, sustainable design, retail and hotels.

Architectus completed a studio fit-out in the iconic 1970s MLC centre. The refurbishment aimed to improve staff experience with flexible work stations and simplified spaces, created through conscious dematerialisation. Emphasis was placed on collaborative spaces as well as technological improvements to cut paper and energy use. They engaged their staff throughout the process to ensure that the fit out would meet their needs and deliver tangible outcomes.

Their focus on screen based working to reduce paper usage and utilising technology such as video conferencing is an initiative that can be widely adopted across the sector.

NSW CitySwitch judging panel

South Australia

Savills

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
13.3 Tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
Energy efficient lighting, sub-metering, staff health and well-being, indoor environment quality, collaboration to drive base building upgrades
Entering into a new seven-year lease, Savills negotiated and received funding support from the landlord to assist in the refurbishment of their tenancy. They implemented sustainability initiatives including an extensive upgrade to LED lighting, the introduction of energy sub-metering, an open plan office with a focus on higher indoor environment quality. Savills also negotiated for the landlord to commit to the modernisation of the lift and energy efficient lighting in the common areas.

In addition to now boasting a showcase office, in receiving this award, Savills is also recognised for their leadership in sharing their office retrofit checklist with other CitySwitch signatories. This checklist empowers tenants during the important lease renegotiation ‘window of opportunity’ to assist in achieving improved energy efficiency and better office environmental outcomes for other South Australian office buildings.

SA CitySwitch judging panel

Victoria

HESTA

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
132.57 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
green leasing, sustainable procurement, energy efficient lighting incorporating sensors, efficient ICT upgrade, operationalising the waste hierarchy, staff engagement, improved indoor air quality
HESTA is the industry super fund for health and community services. Since 1987, HESTA has grown to become the largest super fund dedicated to this industry with more than 800,000 members and 155,000 employers.

HESTA completed a refurbishment of their National office on Lonsdale Street in mid-2015 and wove sustainability into each stage of the project. This included costing, material selection, communication, stakeholder management and the ergonomics of the working environment. A range of energy saving initiatives (energy efficient lighting upgrades incorporating sensors and timers and procurement of energy efficient IT, AV equipment and appliances) were implemented resulting in a savings of over 40,000 kilo watt hours per year.
When it came to waste, HESTA demonstrated best practice throughout their refurbishment. A strict waste management program during the project meant that contractors sorted waste into valuable parts with 8,000 tonnes of steel recovered and useable furniture donated to charitable organisations. This dedication to resource recovery has continued into their daily office operation with a tri-waste system that incorporates a food waste stream.
On-top of this, a conscious effort was made to create quality workspaces for staff including 45 sit to stand works stations, designated collaborative areas and plant installations to improve indoor air quality and visual environment.

Hesta’s consultative approach and use of the Green Star rating guidelines for its new fitout has delivered another impressive example of fit-for-purpose, sustainable office design. The process which considered economic, social and environmental factors is a study in holistic sustainability thinking.

Victoria CitySwitch judging panel

Western Australia

Colliers International

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
54.9 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
agile workspaces, lean ICT architecture, smart lighting systems, cloud based ICT solutions, real-time monitoring platform
Due to significant growth, Colliers International (WA) recently relocated to larger office space. They specifically chose a tenancy at St Georges Terrace, Perth, which offered attractive space and energy-efficient tenancy lighting. Looking to go further, they carried out an impressive fit out incorporating an agile workplace where staff store their belongings in lockers overnight, a lean ICT architecture based on outsourcing of server room, use of laptops and energy-efficient screens, and printer infrastructure that allows for minimum waste of energy and paper. Energy efficiency was delivered by adopting best practice, readily available and financially viable solutions including automated lighting timers and cloud-based ICT solutions. The decision was made to internally develop Indigo Live, an innovative real-time remote monitoring dashboard -simple, scalable and cost-effective. This tool allowed the business to trend its energy use live against the targeted NABERS rating as committed to under the CitySwitch signatory program. After only 15 months in the premises, Colliers International have obtained a certified 5 Star NABERS tenancy rating.

Clearly at Colliers, change is embedded and engrained from the top down. They are working hard to get everyone engaged in sustainability, not just in their own premises but across Perth. When competing against carbon neutral and six star NABERS offices, it takes a concerted and special effort to stand out.

WA CitySwitch judging panel

CitySwitch State winners over 2000sqm

New South Wales

State Library of NSW

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
633 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
lighting upgrade with intelligent controls and sensors and staff engagement through entirety of project
A world-leading library and centre of digital excellence, the State Library of NSW informs, educates, inspires online, onsite and on tour. The Library’s rich heritage collections, contemporary print and digital materials, as well as its partnership with the public library network and vibrant collaborations enable Australians to interrogate our past and imagine our future.

Over the past 2 years the State Library of NSW has incorporated energy efficiency into an inspiring refurbishment of their offices on Levels 1 – 3 of their Macquarie street building. They have now achieved an impressive 6 star NABERS office rating.
Around 600 old twin 36 watt Fluorescent luminaries were replaced with dimmable 30 watt LED fittings. Intelligent, fully automated control systems were installed which incorporate daylight harvesting and occupancy sensors to reduce consumption.
This has seen a 64% reduction in lighting energy consumption for the office tenancy from the fittings alone, with an anticipated 75% reduction in lighting when automated controls are factored in. This represents annual saving of 132,000 kilo watt hours
The project included staff engagement to ensure all employees were satisfied with resultant lighting levels for their various tasks – like reading aged books and manuscripts – and actively involved staff in waste reduction efforts too.

The State Library of NEW has achieved excellent ratings and emission reduction results within the library sector. This achievement is admirable, particularly working within a building and industry with some specialised needs.

NSW CitySwitch judging panel

Victoria

Fraser Property Australia


NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
8.3 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
sustainable refurbishment, collaborative spaces, videoconferencing, flexible work spaces and waste initiatives
Health and wellbeing was at the core of Frasers Property Australia’s initiatives this year. They completed a pre-occupancy Building Occupants Survey System Australia (BOSSA) survey, in additional to using the NABERS IEQ tool, to measure Indoor Environment Quality and staff satisfaction and scored higher than the mean in 9 out of 10 key indicator areas, including overall performance, health and productivity.

Frasers is leading the pack by measuring and performing well with the NABERS IEQ tool. The company’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of its staff is duly rewarded through CitySwitch and will no doubt continue to reward through a healthier and happier workforce.

VIC CitySwitch judging panel

Western Australia

Government of Western Australia Housing Authority

NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
166.8 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
continued work on infrastructure, behaviour change, culture and policy settings
Housing Authority supports Western Australians who cannot otherwise afford their own homes. The Housing Authority offers affordable land and housing, assists with housing finance, provides rental housing and supplies government employees in country areas with quality homes. The State Government is currently working on a new approach looking at issues of supply and demand, across government, private and community sectors. The primary goal going forward is to stimulate access to affordable housing, with the aspiration of providing 30,000 new dwellings by 2020, largely outside the public housing system. This will be done by simultaneously addressing demand and improving the supply options along an affordable housing continuum.

The Western Australian Housing Authority has implemented a comprehensive and holistic program that addresses infrastructure, behaviour change, culture and policy settings.
Energy savings initiatives have included: a full LED lighting upgrade with $62,000 of savings per annum, improved printer management, lighting checks carried out by security, a green corner volunteer network to grow awareness, “the biggest turn off” staff engagement lighting campaign, travel plan engagement and the purchase of offsets for fleet cars. These initiatives have together allowed them to move from a 2 star to a 4 star accredited rating.

The holistic nature of Housing Authority's sustainability program is impressive. To go from a two star NABERS rating or even less to achieving a four star CitySwitch commitment rating is incredible, especially given the age of the building.

WA CitySwitch judging panel

CitySwitch State partnership winners

New South Wales

Norman Disney & Young and Westpac

Key initiatives:
collaboration, activity based working, sub-metering
Norman Disney & Young
Norman Disney & Young are a leading firm of consulting engineers with a global presence. They deliver highly innovative and tailored solutions for clients in a wide range of markets including buildings, sustainability, health, transport, mission critical, defence, industrial and utilities. With offices in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin and Gold Coast), the United Kingdom (London), New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch), and Dubai, Norman Disney & Young work closely with our clients to ensure delivery of world-class solutions.

Westpac
Westpac Banking Corporation is one of the four major banking organisations in Australia and one of the largest banking organisations in New Zealand. They provide a broad range of banking and financial services in these markets, including consumer, business and institutional banking and wealth management services. They also maintain branches and offices in some of the key financial centres around the world. Westpac was founded in 1817 and was the first bank established in Australia.

Norman Disney & Young worked together with Westpac to undertake an impressive refurbishment of the iconic St. George Westpac headquarters. The refurbishment of the building included a major upgrade of the metering system to ensure clear demarcation of base building and tenant energy consumption. They have also introduced agile work spaces as well as energy efficient lighting with smart control systems. This project demonstrated great collaboration on all levels and led to an impressive upgrade of this legacy building from 0 stars to a targeted 4.5 stars.

We were impressed by the courage and vision demonstrated by this attempt to bring a C-class building from 0 stars to 4.5 stars.

NSW CitySwitch judging panel

Western Australia

Encycle Consulting and Brookfield Property Partners

Key initiatives:
collaborative partnerships, best practice waste management
Encycle Consulting
Encycle Consulting is an environmental consultancy that guides buildings, organisations and geographic regions to improve the efficiency, safety and effectiveness of their waste management systems. Encycle was founded by environmental professionals with a desire to provide a high standard of service, by listening to client’s needs and acting with integrity.

Encycle Consulting was a consultant for the re-imaging of Brookfield Place, a complex site incorporating heritage buildings and a 47 storey office tower. Encycle provided the thinking behind the design which enabled the site to achieve Green Star compliance for the commercial office tower and to achieve high performing waste management systems throughout the building. Once the building was operational Encycle developed the Operational Waste Management Plan and assisted with the configuration and implemention of the waste and recycling infrastructure. Being involved from very early in the design process allowed best practice outcomes to be achieved.

When you get the expertise of someone like Encycle and the commitment of someone like Brookfield Property Partners, boundaries are going to be pushed.

WA CitySwitch judging panel

South Australia

dsquared Consulting and WAX Design

Key initiatives:
Solar install, innovative collaboration within building, partnership with landlord and local government
This Partnership, led by dsquared Consulting and supported by WAX Design, is an excellent case study for tenants wanting to utilise renewable energy. The tenants reap the benefits of reduced electricity costs, but should the tenants leave, the panels will stay on the building providing the landlord with the opportunity to market the office space as being energy efficient due to the solar installation.

The innovative partnership and ownership model, was assisted by Adelaide City Council Sustainability Incentives Scheme Rebate for Installation of Solar PV.

This Partnership has resulted in a breakthrough demonstration of the purchase and installation of solar photovoltaics by tenants, and the project as a whole provides a proven template for others to follow.

VIC CitySwitch judging panel

CitySwitch State new signatories winners

New South Wales

Marlin Communications


NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
5.5 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
energy efficiency, solar photovoltaics, collaboration and partnerships for sustainability upgrades
Marlin works with causes and charities. They use their minds, their talent, their experience and their passionate hearts to create communications that speak to Australian audiences and inspire them to act. They work on acquisition, appeals, bequests, branding, donor care, events, marketing communications and regular giving. They work towards destinations that matter, and they work with their clients to create authentic communications that genuinely portray the cause, the beneficiaries and the brand.

Marlin Communications is recognised for its amazing and continuing efforts to improve the environmental performance of their tenancy. They have hit the ground running, are committed to leadership and targeting a 6 star NABERS rating. Having already completed LED lighting upgrades and installing solar panels they worked with Energy Australia this year to ensure that their energy use was 100 % renewable.They have also proactively started working with building management and other tenants through their building executive committee to bring others along on the journey

What set this project apart was the rigorous business process and the conscious alignment with their client profile.

NSW CitySwitch judging panel

Victoria

KPMG


NABERS Energy rating:

Emission savings:
1,065 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
digital workplace program, best practice printing technology, outsourcing data centres, videoconferencing, e-waste recycling, passive heating/cooling/lighting systems
KPMG aim to achieve environmental sustainability through improving environmental outcomes, engaging their people and clients, and driving cultural change. They are implementing multi-function printers with uniFlow technology, implementing Skype and Halo technologies (videoconferencing), recycling various waste streams including electronic waste, food waste, toner cartridges, paper, and rolling out a digital workplace program.

KPMG’s well-resourced environment strategy is showing runs of the board, indicating the company’s commitment to walk the talk. KPMG’s improvements in energy and waste performance are highlight achievements.

VIC CitySwitch judging panel

South Australia

WAX Design



Emission savings:
3.6 tonnes CO2-e
Key initiatives:
solar photovoltaics, car sharing, active transport, desk sharing
WAX Design bridges the interesting junction between imagination that draws on our own creativity and experience and an appreciation for the realities of a project. The result: great places for people.

WAX Design retrofitted and reviewed the energy efficiency of their lighting and undertook indicative NABERs tenancy ratings to assist with goal setting. They introduced desk sharing to reduce computer hardware needs and a computer turnoff policy. For business travel to meetings they use the GoGet Car share system and encourage their staff members to utilise active transport when commuting. The majority of their office furniture is made from reclaimed materials or is up-cycled. To minimise waste, they actively minimised printing and prioritised recycling. Projected savings for the past year are 5,120 kWh of energy, 3.6 tonnes of carbon equating to $1,350 in savings.

WAX Design embraced the opportunity to green their office, implementing a wide range of environmental actions within a short period of time of joining the program. WAX Design also actively promotes and achieves sustainability outcomes through their landscape design service.

VIC CitySwitch judging panel

Western Australia

Fiona Stanley Hospital


Key initiatives:
development of a sustainability action plan, recycling initiatives, improved indoor air quality
Fiona Stanley Hospital is part of the South Metropolitan Health Service hospital network. Their 783-bed, $2 billion public hospital ranks among the best in Australia and includes the 140-bed State Rehabilitation service, a 30-bed purpose-built mental health unit and the State Burns Service. They are the major tertiary hospital in the south metropolitan area and meet the growing needs of communities south of Perth and across the State. Fiona Stanley Hospital has been designed to have a healing and therapeutic effect on patients and 83 per cent of patient rooms are single occupancy, offering increased comfort and privacy.

Fiona Stanley Hospital has clear goals regarding sustainability and its contribution to both the community and the future of our environment. These goals cover energy efficiency, renewables, waste minimisation, recycling and indoor environment quality. The Hospital has made a strong start on its sustainability journey in the past year. They have actively participated in a collaborative project with the CitySwitch Curtin University Student Partnership to develop a Sustainability Action Plan. In the absence of the NABERS Healthcare tool, the Administration Building was used as an index for the precinct using an indicative NABERS Commercial Office Whole Building rating. A Sustainability Action Plan was received from the students to be utilised in an effort to prepare for when the applicable NABERS Healthcare rating is tested late 2016 and released in 2017. The hospital has already implemented waste management initiatives including the removal of under office desk bins and coffee pod recycling. Planned improvements to be implemented include HVAC management, introducing photovoltaics, lighting fixture upgrades, centralised bin system, diversified waste streams and further embedding of sustainability policies.

Fiona Stanley Hospital are clearly aware of the resource intensity of hospitals and have set goals to deliver world-class, sustainable health care.

WA CitySwitch judging panel