Mark Vender
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating has released the next episode of its podcast, AIRAH on Air.
In it, listeners take a trip to a new build – Investa’s Barrack Place, now home to Arup’s Sydney headquarters.
The 18-storey, 22,000m2 CBD office building is the cover story in the March 2019 issue of Ecolibrium. It’s also Australia’s first WELL Core & Shell precertification at the Gold level by the International WELL Building Institute and holds a 6 star Green Star Design rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
Arup served as multi-disciplinary engineering consultant on the project, developed by Investa and constructed by Built. Importantly for the design of the project, the firm is also the anchor tenant. This alignment afforded the chance to push building standards and fully embrace environmentally friendly design.
“When we looked at it, we saw the opportunity to do something different,” says Andrew Pettifer, Arup’s principal NSW region leader. “The reason we were able to get it over the line is because the developer said, ‘You’re the tenant. You’ve got to live with it. If you think it’s the way to go, then we’re willing to support that.’”
This gave Arup the ability to implement outside-of-the-box thinking, including the use of an underfloor air distribution system.
“To get WELL pre-certification at the Gold level, particularly under version one and particularly for a building like that, was a huge achievement,” says Jack Noonan, the International WELL Building Institute’s vice president, Australia and New Zealand.
AIRAH plans to release another podcast episode with more from Noonan, offering additional details on the WELL building standard, what it means for the industry and how it affects its members.
“There’s quite a lot involved,” says Pettifer of the developing building standards and their certification requirements. “But they are worthwhile, and they are creating better buildings for people and for the environment.
“We’re supportive of that.”
Click here to listen to episode six of AIRAH on Air, or stream it below.
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