Saxons operates out of a 5 Star Green Star building

Saxons Melbourne is located at 500 Collins Street, a 5 Star Green Star energy-efficient building. In October 2006, 500 Collins Street, Melbourne became the first refurbished tall city office building in Australia to receive a 5 Star Green Star rating.

This Green Star rating demonstrates to the marketplace that existing stock can be upgraded to high ESD standards, in this case to a standard of ‘Australian excellence’ as symbolised by the 5 Star Green Star – Office Design v1 Certified Rating.

Indoor environment quality

• 50% improvement in fresh air rates relative to Australian standards
• Carbon dioxide monitoring and control
• High frequency ballasts
• Thermal modelling to optimise comfort levels
• Acoustic modelling to ensure building services contribute minimal noise
• Low VOC paint, carpet, sealants and adhesives throughout the building

Energy

• Energy efficient modelled to achieve an estimated 5 Star ABGR rating
• Tenancy sub-metering to enable effective energy monitoring
• Chilled-beam air conditioning system designed to reduce energy consumption
• Variable speed drives on major plant and equipment

Transport

• Reduction in car parking spaces with a greater proportion of small car spaces
•  Secure bicycle storage facilities and change rooms

Water

• Waterless urinals
•  3/6L dual flush toilets
•  Rainwater and condensate collection for landscaping
•  Water efficient cooling towers

Materials

• Dedicated recycling waste storage area including worm farm
• Re-use of structure and facade

 
Emissions

• Low Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) refrigerants
• Refrigerant leak detection
• Reduced flow to sewer through use of efficient fittings

Innovation

• Active and passive chilled-beam air conditioning in an occupied multi-tenanted building
• Comprehensive pre and post occupancy study to assess the productive impact of tenants moving from old space to refurbished space

There are real benefits for tenants of green buildings that extend well beyond the carbon footprint. These benefits affect not only tenants, but all people working in the building including all trainers, presenters and participants of training events.
Following the refurbishment of 500 Collins Street Melbourne, a workplace productivity study of a number of floors found that there are workplace productivity improvements including:

• Speed and accuracy of typing increased
• Average sick days per employee per month had declined by 39%
• Sick leave costs dropped by 44%

Happier and more productive employees were not the only benefit. The refurbishment also saved approximately $15,000 a year in energy bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1,700 tonnes a year.