All is WELL for Cbus Property and Quintessential
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
NICK LENAGHAN
16 OCTOBER 2017
Cbus Property improved 720 Bourke Street, the home of Medibank, by increasing natural air and installing community gardens allowing workers to grow their own food. Oliver Sperlich
The shift towards healthier workplaces is gaining traction with two prominent Victorian projects – in Melbourne and Geelong – gaining endorsements from the US-based WELL Building Standard.
Cbus Property’s Docklands development at 720 Bourke Street is the first existing building in the country to receive a WELL gold certification for its shell and core.
In the state’s second-largest city, Geelong, the new home for WorkSafe being developed by fund manager Quintessential Equity has gained a precertification WELL rating for its core and shell and its interior.
The new standard rates buildings on the extent to which they support the health and wellbeing of their occupants by assessing the impact of air and water quality, nourishment, light, fitness and comfort.
A render of the new WorkSafe headquarters on Malop Street in Geelong. The building has a range of features to improve the environment for its occupants, such as low toxicity finishes, high grade air filters and lighting that minimises disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm and avoids eyestrain. Supplied
The rating tool is making inroads in this country after the Green Building Council of Australia agreed to partner with the New York-based WELL Building Institutes certification here.
“We are very proud of 720 Bourke Street being recognised as one of the healthiest buildings in Australia for its workers,” said Cbus Property chief executive Adrian Pozzo.
Under WELL’s “core and shell” classification, building structure, window locations and glazing, building proportions, heating, cooling and ventilation systems and water quality are all taken into account.
Meanwhile in Geelong, Quintessential’s $120 million development at 1 Malop Street is pushing for strong sustainability ratings and has already won the backing of Clean Energy Finance Corporation with a construction loan.
“Instinctively, we know factors like stale air quality, excessive noise and lack of access to natural light are a recipe for dissatisfaction and poor health,” said chief executive Shane Quinn.
“Your typical office worker spends 90 per cent of the day indoors, so investing in employee health and wellbeing through the work environment can show a real return on investment and productivity.”
The WorkSafe building has a range of features to improve the environment for its occupants, such as low toxicity finishes, high grade air filters and lighting that minimises disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm and avoids eyestrain.
