Workzone East becomes WA’s first carbon-neutral commercial building

• The Workzone East building in Perth has been designated as Western Australia’s first carbon-neutral commercial building
• The NABERS energy rating was improved from 4.5 Stars to 5.5 stars, with greenhouse gas emissions reduced from 535,355 kg CO2 in 2017 to 349,960kg CO2 in 2021
• The building is completely occupied, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) of the WA Government serving as the primary tenant
• Carbon credits from a renewable energy project approved by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change were purchased

The Workzone East building in Perth has earned the distinction of being Western Australia’s first carbon-neutral commercial building.

The success of the seven-level office building at 1 Nash Street in the CBD is the product of a collaboration between Knight Frank’s Asset Management Services team, which maintains the property, and building owners RF CorVal and Cundall.

Workzone East, completed in 2013, was planned as a 5 Star Green Star building. It features a roof level plant area and basement parking for 83 cars, in addition to seven floors of office space with a total net lettable area of 12,361sq m.

The building is completely occupied, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) of the WA Government serving as the primary tenant.

NABERS granted the Carbon Neutral certification for the building under the Australian Government’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Buildings for the period October 13, 2021, to October 12, 2022.

The group improved the NABERS Energy rating from 4.5 Stars to 5.5 Stars, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from 535,355 kg CO2 in 2017 to 349,960kg CO2 in 2021.

These measures, which included changing lighting schedules, installing sensor lighting systems, upgrading to LED lighting, and implementing a control strategy for air conditioning usage through the lifts and tenancies, aided in reducing carbon offset and achieving carbon neutral certification in a matter of months.

Knight Frank and RF CorVal also placed electrical vehicle charging outlets in the basement parking as part of the sustainability approach.

Workzone East, with the assistance of DPIRD, recycles about 48 per cent of total trash output in the building and has recently added compost waste, which is intended to be utilised in the open garden area outside.

They are also now working with a plumbing contractor to replace the gas heavy-duty boilers in the end-of-trip facilities with an energy-efficient heat pump system. It will assist to minimise the building’s gas use as well as its carbon imprint.

Carbon credits from a renewable energy project authorised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change were acquired while selecting carbon offsets for the asset.

Con Tsioulos, Asset Manager of Workzone East and Director of Commercial at RF CorVal, said the achievement will not only set the bat for the Perth market but for the balance of the portfolio.

The Carbon Neutral accreditation for Workzone East comes on the heels of Knight Frank’s achievement earlier this year of the first 6-Star NABERS Energy Rating office building in WA without green electricity or onsite renewable energy for Workzone West at 202 Pier Street.