Overview
Although, by its own standards, it didn’t quite achieve the highest environmental building excellence rating, the New Zealand Green Building Council’s new office in Auckland is an important showcase for Green Star interiors.
The 5 Green Star rated fit-out missed out on the maximum sixth star, largely because of budget and a paucity of chain-of-custody certified joiners.
FSC timber was specified, but Green Star requires all tradespeople who come into contact with the wood (from suppliers to joiners) to hold a chain-of-custody certificate confirming the FSC wood was segregated from non-certified wood.
“NZGBC intended to get a Green Star credit for its joinery and cabinetry, says project technical coordinator and design team member Clare Gallagher. “But the budget meant they had to choose a joiner who used FSC wood but didn’t hold the necessary chain-of-custody certificate.
“Very few joinery companies in New Zealand hold chain-of-custody certificates, which are required to achieve the timber points in Green Star. It’d be great to see more companies offering this option.”
Gallagher says the choices a company makes around fit-out materials can have the largest influence on the achievement of a Green Star rating, no matter what the project’s size.
Structure
A key aim of the fit-out for the new NZGBC office was to provide a public showcase for Green Star interiors. “Because of the choices we’ve made, our office uses less energy and water, and promotes health and productivity with great internal air quality,” says the council’s chief executive Alex Cutler. “We’ve long advocated the benefits of sustainable offices, in terms of cost savings and positive impact on staff. Now we’ve taken our own medicine, and we’re loving it.”
The project takes special account of people, resources and the environment – designed as a welcoming drop-in space for the organisation’s members, and as a venue for events and training.
Apart from its aesthetic and environmental advantages, the choice of timber also enabled the design team to more easily overcome unexpected variances in floor levels of the existing building.
Exterior
This project achieved its 5 Green Star rating for a range of environmental aspects of the interior fit-out within an existing building.
“Because of the choices we’ve made, our office uses less energy and water, and promotes health and productivity with great internal air quality,” says the NZGBC’s chief executive Alex Cutler. “We’ve long advocated the benefits of sustainable offices, in terms of cost savings and positive impact on staff.”
Senior technical coordinator and design team member Clare Gallagher says the popularity oftimber finishes became evident when researching what they liked in other offices. “Exposed timber is a very honest material – you can see the natural beauty and flaws in the grain, and it reminds you where the materials come from.
“Timber gives the office a feeling of connection with the outdoors in the same way that our many indoor plants do.”
Interior
The design uses timber to accent the office joinery in two key ways: making a feature of the layered plywood edges, and as facing panels so the natural wood grain can be seen.
Timber is used on the facing edge of joinery on the kitchen island and library, which visitors see as they enter the office. “We felt that using plywood edging and timber panelling gave a warmer feeling to the entrance, and provided some contrast against the white of the walls and ceiling,” says Gallagher. “It also acts as an accent to the white joinery of the kitchen and library, adding visual definition.
“The fit-out features a palette of natural colours – greens, burnt orange, charcoal, white – and timber complemented them all.”
Timber also features in four ‘quiet’ work booths made from unpainted plywood. “This was chosen because it was attractive and economical compared to ready-made booths lined with fabric.”
The NZGBC says the choices a company makes around fit-out materials can have the largest influence on the achievement of a Green Star rating, no matter what the project size.
