Commercial Property Green Dream
GREEN DREAM OFF AND RUNNING
Capturing and recycling water at Double Bay gets the nod, but the developers can’t talk council into providing parking relief.
When the old Westpac bank building is demolished on the corner of New South Head Road and Knox Street, it will be replaced by a four storey commercial and retail development with special environmental features.
“Double Bay is experiencing a period of reinvention, and we believe our sustainable development on this most prominent corner will be a catalyst to reinvigorate the centre,” Joshua Berger, managing director of Fivex Commercial Property, said.
“We hope that our project will act as a precedent for future sustainable developments in Woollahra and Australia-wide.”
The commercial building design intends to maximize natural ventilation and light, complete with tanks for rainwater to be stored on-site.
Waste water from the commercial building will also be treated on-site, and reused for flushing toilets.
Plans are in place for a roof garden, with screening to capture rainwater and cover the recycling tanks.
Michael Mobbs, of Sustainable Projects, worked on the project, describing it as the “first multi-tenanted sustainability commercial property in Australia.”
“It has been designed to achieve-or better- best practice energy and water use,” Mr Mobbs said.
“As a result, operating costs are expected to be up to 50 per cent lower than those of comparable offices.”
“The project is expected to save over 400 000 litres of stormwater polluting Sydney Harbour each year, and will result in over 400,000 litres of water being left in Warragamba Dam each year.”
“Over 700,000 litres of sewage will no longer be discharged into the Pacific Ocean each year, and sewer discharges into the harbour will be reduced during heavy rainfall.”
Mr Mobbs said the developer had shown “real courage” in tackling the project, but expressed his disappointment that Woollahra Council had not accepted a car-sharing component within the development application.
“We were going to operate a car-share scheme for the tenants, and the building owners would pre-pay it to get it up and running,” Mr Mobbs said. “This would have saved 150,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas a year but the council did not accept it.”
“Under the scheme, four car spaces in the councils Cross Street car park would have been dedicated to the use of the cars for a three year trial funded by the building owner.”
Mr Mobbs said the council’s decision to refuse the proposal had been a “tragic lost opportunity”, which offered a solution for the managing of our CBDs, at absolutely no risk to the council”.
Instead, because no car parking is being provided on the site, the developer has been asked to contribute $1.3 million to the council’s Section 94 fund, which provide for local car-parking and civic improvements.
Lesli Berger, development manager at the Fivex Commercial Property and son of Joshua Berger, said: “We will be challenging this in the Land and Environment Court; it represents 26% of the cost of the building which is $5 million.”
The design of the new office and retail building allows for three street frontages, including the long neglected Goldman Lane which the developers believe has the potential to become a “stylish connection.”
Lesli Berger, who is also a former Woollahra councillor, said he had become aware of sustainable development during his time at council.
The experience had led to discussions with his father on the advantage of pursuing green developments.
“He agreed, and thought it was a good way to put something back into the community”, Lesli Berger said.
“Yes, we are developers, but we are also long-term land holders who have been in this business for over 30 years.”
‘Wentworth Courier: 23/11/2005’
Report Kim O’Connor