Office Becomes First Existing Australian Building to Achieve WELL Certification

• Content
• International
• Office Becomes First Existing Australian Building to Achieve WELL Certification

13 July 2021 | Updated 14 July 2021

500 Collins Street, a 48-year-old office tower in Melbourne, has been certified as a WELL Core Platinum Certified space, the first existing building in Australia to achieve this standard.

The accolade indicates that the building's structure, window locations and glazing, building proportions, heating, cooling and ventilation system, and water quality are designed for health and will have a positive impact on the tenants, visitors and staff.

The WELL Building Standard provides a roadmap and a comprehensive set of strategies for advancing human health through the buildings where we spend about 90 per cent of our time, while also setting forth a common foundation for measuring wellness as a whole.

Led by the International WELL Building Institute, WELL integrates scientific research with environmental health, behavioural factors, health outcomes and demographic risk factors with leading practices in building design and management.

The History of 500 Collins Street

The site known as 500 Collins was originally developed as a brewery in 1851. McCracken’s Brewery and, later, Carlton United Breweries managed the property for 118 years. The brewery was demolished in the late 1960s and the current building was constructed.

When first opened around 1972, the current 500 Collins building was one of the tallest structures in Melbourne. 

Shortly after acquiring 500 Collins Street in 2002, investor Kamirice embarked on a large scale staged repositioning of the property over a ten-year period. The property was the first multi-tenanted high rise office building to achieve a 5-star GreenStar Office Design V1 rating and received a number of industry awards for its environmental achievements.

What Are the Building's Key Features?

The lettable area of the building is approximately 26,000m² over 26 levels, with approximately 1,500 square metres of retail space and two basement car parking levels. 

• Commissioned artworks by Warren Langley, Astrid Dahl and Stewart Merrett
• 2.7 metre high ceilings, perforated metal pan ceiling tiles, energy-efficient T5 light fittings and 100 per cent wool commercial grade carpet.
• Chilled Beam air conditioning technology using 30 per cent less energy than conventional air conditioning systems, and providing 50 per cent more fresh air 
• Energy-efficient chillers and cooling towers
• Sub-meters to fine-tune power requirements which in turn minimises power consumption
• Solar panels for the supply of domestic hot water
• Gas-fired boilers (replaces oil-fired)
• Strong focus on the commissioning of plant and equipment (12 months commissioning period with quarterly reviews)
• Low VOC materials and finishes
• Waterless urinals and NS 3/6 litre flush toilets
• Rainwater and condensate capture for landscape irrigation & cleaning
• Access in and around the building designed for people with disabilities – Lift car controls and landing call buttons have tactile, illuminated controls installed at an appropriate height, together with audible lanterns

Picture: a photograph of the interior of 500 Collins Street, showing a meeting area with lots of plants. Image Credit: Kamirice

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 13 July 2021

Share

Related Articles