ARK (NSW)

ARK, located in the heart of North Sydney's CBD, has won the Baulderstone Award for Best Sustainable Development – New Buildings at the 2011 Property Council of Australia/ Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards.

Developed by Investa Property Group, the impressive new office building comprises 28,500 sqm over 21 levels and boasts Coca-Cola Amatil, Vodafone Hutchinson Communications and Regus amongst its high-profile tenants. The office building sets a new approach to architectural form, with its dramatic folded shapes, and has provided the North Sydney CBD with a new optimism.

ARK is the first high-rise office tower to achieve 6 Star Green Star Design and As-Built ratings in New South Wales. Committed to 5 Star NABERS, the building uses tri-generation as a single energy source. Rainwater is collected and recycled as grey-water.

The building has been designed to achieve a normalised greenhouse gas emission level of approximately 40 kg CO2 /m2. The energy demand reduction systems installed are designed to reduce the peak demand on electricity infrastructure by approximately 25%. A sophisticated Building Information System (BIM) manages the buildings performance.

Property Council of Australia CEO Peter Verwer announced the Innovation and Excellence Awards winners at the Gala Awards dinner, held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday 14th May 2011.

Mr Verwer said, "ARK is an example of the exceptional outcomes our industry can produce. The building embraces tomorrow's environmental sustainability, contemporary design and technology to create an inspirational workplace. It has put the North Sydney CBD firmly back on the map."

The Innovation and Excellence Awards provides an opportunity for the property industry to acknowledge and showcase excellence in the built environment, whilst heralding the achievements of its key professionals.

"The Awards program spans landmark projects over 14 separate categories in addition to nine future leaders. The calibre of this year's Awards winners is a true testament to the resilience of the Australian property industry and our key stakeholders," Mr Verwer added.

Damian Judge, Director of Rider Levett Bucknall commented, "The industry's commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development has been highlighted this year with the inclusion of two separate categories Awarding the commitment to sustainable development – one for new buildings and one for existing buildings. GPT Group's 530 Collins Street, Melbourne has won the THINC Award for Best Sustainable Development – Existing Buildings."
The project also made a major commitment to public art through art adviser Barbara Flynn and Architects Rice Daubney. The art works include a dramatic painting on the foyer ceiling by Aboriginal artist Freddie Timms and an amusing reinterpretation of the wires from the old telephone exchange on the site.

Some key project facts:
Owned, developed and nominated by: Investa Property Group
Architect:                                                     Rice Daubney
Builder:                                                       Thiess
Key tenants:                                               Coca-Cola Amatil, Vodafone, Hutchison Australia and Regus
Size:                                                             28,500sqm

For further information, please contact: Ken Morrison, Chief Operating Officer, Property Council of Australia on 02 9033 1919 or 0412 233 715