Woods Bagot, in a joint venture with the City of Adelaide, has completed designs for what could be Adelaide’s greenest office building.
Located within the commercial portion of the city’s $400 million Central Market Arcade redevelopment, the tower will be a 15,000 square-metre, all-electric office building targeting a six-star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council Australia (GBCA).
To achieve this level of accreditation, a building must be “fossil fuel-free, powered by renewables, highly efficient, built with low carbon materials and offset with nature,” according to the GBCA.
Woods Bagot said it wanted to focus on long-term sustainability solutions to help address looming global challenges. Plans for the Market Square tower reveal the building would use locally sourced recovered and recycled materials wherever possible.
Developer ICD Property said the building will feature other “unique earth-friendly initiatives” including rooftop solar, rainwater capture for irrigation, and a targeted minimum of 90 percent diversion of waste from landfill.
Aerial view of the Market Square precinct.
Image: Woods Bagot
ICD said it would also maximise the use of biophilic design elements like natural light, raw materials and vegetation.
City of Adelaide lord mayor Sandy Verschoor has expressed her support for the proposed project, calling it a “significant green milestone” in the journey towards a renewable economy.
“We all know the journey towards a green economy is not quick, but in Adelaide we are making real progress thanks to commitments like this,” said Verschoor. “We are thrilled that Market Square is enabling us to deliver one of the first all-electric buildings in South Australia.”
Market Square is also on track to achieve a five-and-a-half star rating for the National Australian Built Environment Rating System, as well as Gold WELL accreditation rating from the International WELL Building Institute.
ICD managing director Matt Khoo said the sustainability initiatives were “non-negotiable.” He added that ICD, as a developer, has a responsibility “to influence tangible change in Australia’s landscape by future proofing all our projects with best-in-class sustainable practises.”
“Aside from the obvious benefits to the community and environment, there are also flow-on effects to tenants who will receive significant savings through lower ongoing operational costs,” said Khoo.
Construction of the precinct is earmarked for July and will be built by Multiplex.
