Aorangi House, one of New Zealand’s most energy-smart buildings, has co-won the Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance Award in the Commercial category, as part of the World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) Asia Pacific Leadership in Green Building Awards.
The award ceremony was hosted by the Singapore Green Building Council, during its annual Gala Dinner in Singapore recently.
Competing against a multitude of exemplary projects from Australia, New Zealand, China, India, and the Asia Pacific — including co-winner Barangaroo South, Sydney, Australia — Aorangi House shone through.
The previously outdated 1970s office block in Wellington demonstrates how the up-cycling of an existing commercial office building can not only significantly reduce environmental impact, but also achieve positive user perceptions coupled with leading environmental performance outcomes.
Beca building services associate Ben Masters hopes the award will demonstrate that sustainable refurbishment is a viable option to the carbon-hungry alternative of demolition and replacement.
“We are proud to call Aorangi House our Wellington home [Beca office] and to have contributed to the positive building performance outcomes.”
WorldGBC Asia Pacific Network regional head Joelle Chen says Aorangi House is “punching above its weight, it raises the bar for existing building renovation projects to follow, and is a well-deserved winner of the Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance Award in the commercial category”.
