- First in WA to be granted two NABERS certifications, carbon neutral and 6-Star rating
- Achieved by Knight Frank in partnership with Elanor Investors Group, implementing several sustainability initiatives
- Companies have established a five-year plan to further develop and expand measures to multiple properties
Perth’s Workzone West building has become the first carbon neutral 6 Star NABERS rated commercial building in Western Australia.
The corporate workspace at 202 Pier Street achieved the accolade shortly after the Workzone East office building, located around the corner at 1 Nash Street, was named Western Australia’s first certified carbon neutral commercial building in October 2021.
Both office buildings are managed by Knight Frank, who achieved the most recent sustainability certification in partnership with the owners of Workzone West, ASX-listed Elanor Investors Group.
Achieved two key sustainability certifications
The seven-level Workzone West office building was constructed in 2013, initially designed to satisfy a 5 Star Green Star rating.
The building is currently fully occupied, with tenants making use of the expansive 15,602 sqm of A-grade office space, 192 sqm of ground floor retail, and basement car parking for 141 cars.
Forming the key tenancy for Workzone West is CPB Contractors, a company of the CIMIC Group, who play a key role in the construction of major infrastructure.
Workzone West was granted the Carbon Neutral certification by NABERS on February 9 2022, to be valid for 12 months against the Australian Government’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Buildings.
According to Knight Frank’s Facilities Manager Janitha Kaushal, Knight Frank was eager to implement further energy efficiency initiatives despite having received the carbon neutral certification.
“Not satisfied with achieving the first carbon neutral office building in Western Australia last year, the Knight Frank Workzone team, consisting of myself, Glen Bougourd, Grant Reid and Chris Whincop, set a goal to achieve the first 6 Star carbon neutral rating building in the state, and we have achieved that with Workzone West,” he said.
The Facilities Management team at Knight Frank then established a sustainability roadmap late last year, with a goal to make Workzone West the first 6 Star carbon neutral building in the state.
“Workzone has achieved a NABERS Energy 6-star rating for two consecutive years without green power and it has almost three times less electricity consumption than an average Perth office building.”
Janitha Kaushal, Knight Frank
“Having already achieved the 6 Star rating, we had our sights set on achieving the carbon neutral milestone to add to the building’s accomplishments,” he added.
Among the initiatives implemented to assist in minimising the building’s carbon offset were the altering of light schedules, introduction of sensor lighting systems, replacement of lighting with LED systems, and the improved control of air conditioning systems.
Plans for a greener future
Mr Kaushal said the office building sustainability accreditation has “set a new benchmark for sustainability” within the Perth commercial market.
“A focus on sustainability is good for the environment, with commercial buildings generating nearly 40 per cent of annual global CO2 emissions, and of those total emissions, building operations are responsible for 28 per cent each year,” he said.
Mr Kaushal added that the shift of attention towards sustainability will reap rewards for owners and tenants alike, offering energy and costs savings, increased revenue, mitigated risks and the potential for greater capital growth.
Knight Frank’s vision for a greener future doesn’t end here, with the company continuing to work closely with Elanor Investors Group to continually develop sustainability measures within Workzone West and other commercial properties.
“We are very pleased that this high-quality office building not only represents excellent value for our capital partners but is also the only commercial building in Western Australia with both Carbon Neutral Certification and 6 Star energy NABERS rating,” said Elanor’s Co-head of Real Estate David Burgess.
“Together with our property manager, Knight Frank, we have implemented a five-year sustainability plan to ensure that this status is maintained as we continue to focus on developing market leading ESG credentials to our commercial properties.”
David Burgess, Elanor
