Mason Bros conversion scoops Green Building Award

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Precinct’s Property’s commitment to environmental sustainability has been recognised, with its Mason Bros redevelopment winning the Resene Green Building Property Award at the 2019 Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards.

Situated in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, the Mason Bros redevelopment involved the adaptive reuse of a character warehouse into a three-story commercial development.

Mason Bros is the first building in New Zealand to receive a 6 Green Star rating, the highest possible rating for environmental impact from the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), as well as a 5.5 Star NABERSNZ rating which demonstrates market-leading energy efficiency.

NZGBC chief executive Andrew Eagles has high praise for Mason Bros. “This building isn’t just one of the very greenest buildings in Aotearoa — it’s one of the greenest in the entire world.”

The building was designed by architects Warren & Mahoney, with Mott MacDonald providing design and sustainability consultancy services, in line with the Wynyard Quarter Sustainability Framework.

Its features include floor-to-ceiling glazing, energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), water-efficient fittings, energy-efficient light fittings, and maximum use of natural light to reduce energy use.

The incorporation of most of the original facade and structure was a significant factor in substantially reducing its carbon footprint.

Consequently, the building’s initial occupiers (Warren & Mahoney and Mott MacDonald) have experienced a 20 to 25% drop in absenteeism after moving in, an 8.5% increase in worker productivity, and a massive 130% increase in cycling to work.

Precinct Properties chief executive Scott Pritchard says winning the award is recognition of the team’s “determination from the outset” to ensure the Mason Bros building had a much lower environmental impact.

“What makes Mason Bros particularly special is the adaptive re-use of an historical building that was previously used for industrial purposes, and now is an ultra-modern professional workplace in one of the country’s most desirable inner-city locations.”

“As New Zealand’s largest owner of inner-city real estate we feel we have a responsibility to show leadership in the industry.

“Mason Bros is a great example of our focus on embracing a sustainable approach to building operations and developments.

“We currently have a $1.2 billion development pipeline, in which all of the commercial developments will be Green Star-rated.”

Mr Pritchard says green features being incorporated into Precinct’s current developments include solar electricity panels on the roofs of 10 and 12 Madden Street at Wynyard Quarter, and high-efficiency LED lighting, heat recovery chillers, optimised cooling towers, and water-efficient sanitary fittings at the new PwC Tower at Commercial Bay, in downtown Auckland.

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