Drive for energy efficiency awarded at WorkSafe Geelong head office

1 Malop Street, Geelong, has won a 5.5 star NABERS base building energy rating. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Geelong’s tallest commercial building has been declared the city’s healthiest after collecting another high energy efficiency rating.

Quintessential Equity, the developer behind WorkSafe Victoria’s headquarters, has been awarded a 5.5-star NABERS base building energy rating for its building at 1 Malop Street in Geelong.

The 14-storey building, which was completed in 2017, now has “excellent” NABERS ratings in three categories, including a 5.5-star base tenancy energy rating and a 5-star base building water rating.

WorkSafe Geelong’s headquarters opened in 2018. Picture: Alan Barber

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NABERS is a nationally recognised sustainability measure for the built environment.

Ratings are qualified by the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality of a building or tenancy and its impact on the environment.

1 Malop Street, Geelong, has won a 5.5 star NABERS base building energy rating.

The $150m commercial office was the first in Victoria to achieve a platinum core and shell WELL Building Standard rating at the time of its development.

The property also achieved a six-star Green Star rating for office design, the highest rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

Quintessential Equity chief executive officer said the project continues to raise the bar for occupant wellbeing and environmental standards.

1 Malop Street, Geelong, has won a 5.5 star NABERS base building energy rating.

The developers have continued to work closely with WorkSafe Victoria to ensure the building’s environmental impacts is improving.

But the financial benefits of a more efficient building go to WorkSafe as the tenant which pays all the outgoings as part of the net lease

Mr Bullen said the design for the building went back to the drawing board when the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation provided a $68m loan, paid back last year, to push the efficiency envelope with the project.

1 Malop Street, Geelong, has won a 5.5 star NABERS base building energy rating.

Mr Bullen said the difference between 5-star and 5.5-star is a 25 per cent improvement in energy efficiency.

“It’s really significant, especially when you’ve got a big western facade,” he said.

He said the facade changes to use much higher quality glazing, while improving air containment reduced the leakage of conditioned air.

“There was a lot of loss of efficiency through leakage and inefficiency and contained air but you also want the ability to bring in significant levels of fresh air.”

1 Malop Street, Geelong, has won a 5.5 star NABERS base building energy rating.

Other features include a rooftop solar array and higher quality mechanical equipment.

Mr Bullen said the developer was targeting a 5-star rating for its present Geelong projects for GMHBA and the City of Greater Geelong, which was still above the 4.5-star required by government departments.

Government departments require 4.5 star, so going higher is future-proofing the buildings.

CEFC director and joint head of property Michael Di Russo said the corporation worked to stretch the energy efficient design of 1 Malop Street and to demonstrate how improved sustainability can benefit commercial assets.