Sustainability - Green Building
Auckland Council leading by example Auckland Council’s Graham Street Service Centre has been awarded 3.5 stars for energy use under NABERSNZ - the new office building energy measurement and rating scheme. A 3.5 star Certified Rating reflects above average energy performance for New Zealand office buildings. It’s only the second Certified Rating released under the scheme which launched in June, and the first for a whole building. Providing ratings from one to six stars, NABERSNZ is set to become an industry standard for benchmarking and improving office building energy performance in New Zealand. Auckland Council chief executive Doug McKay says the Council has made a strong commitment to NABERSNZ, including getting an in-house staff member trained as a NABERSNZ assessor. “We aim to set the standard for other building owners in the CBD. Rating the reallife energy performance of our buildings is a powerful tool to help us improve. “Getting the rating is just the start – we’ll be looking at what we can do to boost energy efficiency. “The region possesses around 3 million square metres of office floor space. “Our aim of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city has to include measures to improve the sustainability and performance of buildings we work and do business in.” A NABERSNZ Certified Rating involves a qualified Assessor examining 12 months of energy use data, taking into account
equipment used, staff numbers and occupancy hours. Ratings can be obtained for tenancies, base buildings or whole buildings. Doug McKay says Auckland Council intends to get NABERSNZ ratings for its other commercial properties, including the 135 Albert St property which is being retrofitted. New Zealand Green Building Council chief executive Alex Cutler said the Council’s early adoption showed leadership for other Auckland owners. “NABERSNZ creates a market value for good energy management – reducing costs for tenants and improving capital value for building owners. “Smart design principles create a blueprint for energy efficient buildings, but how they’re commissioned, maintained and used is crucial in day-to-day energy performance. “NABERSNZ has strong buy-in from business and the public sector. It’s off to a very promising start.” EECA chief executive Mike Underhill says NABERSNZ ratings help building owners and tenants easily understand energy use information, providing a benchmark to compare and improve energy performance. “Savings of up to 25% are achievable for most commercial office buildings and tenancies. “This scheme helps simplify the process – getting and improving a NABERSNZ rating is the best way to make these savings. The rating was carried out by NABERSNZ Assessors Michael Gray from Prendos and Adam Benli, who is Auckland Council’s inhouse Assessor.
The Auckland Council has made a strong commitment to NABERSNZ.
Capturing rain water Breaking ground with a totally different technology for the storage of rain water came about in part through the simple pleasure of gardening for Steve Walker and Ralph Crewe, owners of Hawkes Bay based company New Water (NZ) Ltd.
limited height areas with the positioning of the filling and emptying point at the side of the bladder tank. Walker admits the first few years were ‘hard slog’ introducing people to the concept of capturing and conserving water.
“It was through our wives who love gardening and their frustration with endless water restrictions that Ralph and I began looking at different types of water storage. We found what we wanted in an Australian manufactured ‘bladder’ system and took on the New Zealand franchise,” says Walker.
“It took us a couple of years to get the name out there and get acceptance of trying to conserve water. Councils are now coming on board requiring new builds to include a sustainable water storage system as standard.”
The two systems, Eco Sac and Reo Sac use flexible rainwater storage bladders, made from high-grade PVC to capture roof water in both residential and commercial buildings.
The company had the foresight to also get on the ground floor with architects about their product and now many house designs include, as standard a water storage system.
Eco Sac bladders, housed in a strong galvanised or stainless steel frame, can be stored under decks or floors. All the rain that falls on the roof is captured by diverting the downpipes to a common in-flow pipe.
He can easily provide prospective customers with a fairly accurate assessment of their water storage and usage context by starting the conversation off with a few simple questions, like where is the home located and the size of the roof.
“The great thing is that multiple bladder tanks can be set up, side by side or end to end, providing practically unlimited rainwater storage,” Walker says. The rain-water conservation storage system makes great sense in urban situations where land areas may be quite small and in situations where rainfall is patchy. “When you’ve got a situation of limited area who wants to see a big tank taking up space?” Both Eco Sac and Reo Sac’s unique mounting plate means the bladder expands and contracts as it fills and empties. It is designed to provide maximum storage in
Rainwater Conservation Storage Systems that make good economic and ecological sense.
eco sac® - Innovative Rainwater Storage System for Under Decks and Under Homes
“A standard three-bedroom home with a 30 x 40sqm roof area will potentially yield 1200 litres of water for every 1ml of rainfall. “You can see how the volume of water can grow very quickly when you look at these figures.” “The economics make sense also, with a pay-back period of three to four years in areas where water is metered, something that is creating more interest in the systems from both the domestic and commercial building sectors. It just makes sense on all levels to look seriously at these options.”
Toll Free 0800 4 NEW WATER Phone: 06 857 8772 www.newwater.co.nz
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