Barangaroo South is Australia’s most advanced and most sustainable precinct. This development has delivered innovation and leadership in sustainable place design and will be Australia’s first large scale Carbon Neutral precinct.
Project implemented: Started 2009; final building of Stage 1A will be complete late 2019. Stage 2 complete 2023
Carbon Neutral in operation, Towards Zero Waste, Capable of being Water Positive, 50 Social programs
This is the first large scale Carbon Neutral Precinct in Australia.
Based on World's best practice benchmarking; goals of carbon neutral in operation, towards zero waste , water positive.
Developed Climate resilience and adaptation plan
All buildings designed to be as energy efficient as possible.
All tenants have signed green leases to help achieve waste, carbon and water goals.
Subcontractors have been engaged to ensure environmental goals are met
Barangaroo South Community Partnership: With a shared vision for an inclusive neighbourhood, the ambition is to leverage the capability and know-how of organisations who are each recognised leaders in sustainability to collectively achieve positive impacts and outcomes that benefit the Barangaroo South community as a whole
The Barangaroo South Art and Culture Plan provides a framework for interpreting this place and its stories through a variety of mediums. Over the next decade, in a joint project between Lendlease and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, more than $40 million will be spent creating works of public art and historical interpretation at Barangaroo. All of these works will be “site-specific,” meaning they will be made especially for Barangaroo, responding to the history of the western edge of the city and the environments and unique spaces being created by new architecture and landscapes. These will make a vital contribution both to the quality of public space at Barangaroo South and to the cultural landscape of Sydney as a whole.
BSX: A partnership between Lendlease and TAFENSW, the Barangaroo Skills Exchange (BSX) was set up to support workers and apprentices in achieving qualifications and work experience, and since its inception in 2013 has trained over 10,800 people. On-site training has been provided in workplace English language literacy and numeracy, digital literacy, skills assessment and advice–particularly for mature-aged workers, apprentice mentoring, training at Certificate III and above, mental health awareness, first aid and workplace health and safety, communication skills and leadership training. The BSX cumulatively delivered 40,853 accredited and non-accredited training outcomes. As well helping to optimise productivity on-site, the BSX aims to make a meaningful contribution to building a skilled workforce at the local and national level.
Barangaroo South developed a new cultural learning opportunity in collaboration with Terri Janke and Company. The reference material and information sessions are designed to build our team’s understanding of Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) and how to better work with Indigenous art, cultural property and artists. This has become an increasingly important topic of learning, given the many art, culture and language initiatives being delivered across our projects. The reference material is now shared on the RAP microsite and information sessions are being provided across all business units. Over 100 people so far have participated in Place and Protocols.
Community Development: Given the overall 10-year timeframe of the project, undertaking proactive engagement with the local community has been critical to the success of Barangaroo South and subsequently International Towers Sydney. Given the political nature of the project and its sheer scale, there will always be challenges in delivering successful, meaningful community engagement, however, feedback received from the residents and community has been exceptional noting they believe that Barangaroo has added great value to their area socially, culturally and economically.
To achieve this integration with the community, a dedicated Community Development team was created for the project with the purpose of embedding themselves into the area and developing positive, trusting relationships with the local community. Over the past six years, this team has become ‘quasi-locals’ with many residents treating them more as neighbours, than as representatives of Lendlease.
In November 2016, a family focused Street Fair was held to officially launch Barangaroo South to the local community and tenants within International Towers Sydney. This event saw over 30,000 people attend from both near and far to engage in the precinct and experience the many things it has to offer.
Barangaroo has undoubtedly changed the local community and based on feedback received, we believe for the better. It has brought new retail, public spaces, vitality and life to an area that was for many years a disused container terminal that was fenced off and inaccessible to the community.
BARANGAROO SOUTH SUSTAINABILITY
Barangaroo South has delivered innovation and leadership in sustainable place design. Every aspect of the project is seen through the lens of sustainability, from the raising of the ground plane to accommodate predicted sea level rises, through to the more than 50,000 LED lamps that light the public realm and buildings. One of the largest achievements is that the project is on track to be the world’s first large scale carbon neutral precinct. This project has achieved independently verified World’s Best Practice for sustainability in all facets of it’s development.
Barangaroo South utilises a number of precinct based solutions to solving sustainability challenges, including a precinct district cooling plant, recycled water treatment plant and low carbon and renewable energy strategies. Combined with innovative offsite strategies, the precinct will target becoming Australia’s first carbon neutral community as well as being capable of being water positive. Lend Lease has also implemented innovative precinct based waste management strategies including on and offsite advanced waste treatment options that maximise recycling rates and reduce waste to landfill.
Lendlease’s in-house sustainable design team have designed and delivered some of Australia’s lowest carbon footprint buildings, including the towers at Barangaroo South which will be some of the most efficient office towers anywhere in Australia. Barangaroo South is also a pilot Green Star Communities and has achieved a 6 Star rating.
Key Benefits
Combined, these sustainability approaches will ensure that Barangaroo’ s overall aims of carbon neutral, water positive and zero waste as well as creating new sustainability benchmarks globally can be delivered via integrated and holistic sustainability strategies.
Some of the innovations & benefits that are making this a remarkable sustainability achievement include:
o Verification of World’s Best Practice initiatives from an independent auditor and certifier.
o Reducing impact on the environment through best practice energy efficient design and carbon off setting of emissions
o Most sustainable office buildings in Australia – all commercial buildings have achieved 6 star, green star certification and 6 star green star communities rating
o Anadara and Alexander residential apartments achieved 5 star, green star rating
o 6,000 sqm of solar PV panels providing enough electricity to offset the energy used by the Recycled Water Treatment Plant and public domain lighting
o Retail volume certification for green star accreditation
o Tallest CLT commercial building in Australia – benefits to construction works as well as occupants.
o 20% reduction in embodied carbon compared to standard construction practices
o Precinct wide district cooling plant using harbour water = no cooling towers
o Recycled water treatment plant capable of delivering
o Recycling water on site for use in toilet flushing and irrigation
o 90,000L water tanks under each commercial tower.
o Diverting 80% of operational waste from landfill
o 97% diversion of construction waste from landfill
o All take away packaging made from compostable materials. Packaging is processed with food scraps into fertiliser and green energy.
o Plastic bag free precinct.
o All retailers separating up to five waste streams for recycling (cardboard, recyclables, food scraps, cooking oil, soft plastics). This has led to 84% diversion of waste from landfill or 500 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill in the first 12 months of operations.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Lendlease is making a $40m contribution to public art and culture, a huge investment in Sydney’s arts and cultural future that will confirm the Barangaroo precinct as a landmark in the nation’s cultural landscape.
Since commencing Barangaroo South, Lendlease has planned to leave a positive social legacy that benefits the wellbeing of everyone in the community. This has resulted in establishing and delivering at least 50 successful community learning and wellbeing programs via five key areas:
Information Communication Technology and WiFi connectivity;
Examples of the highly successful programs initiated include:
The Barangaroo South team made a commitment to generate a positive legacy for workers through education and employment. The Barangaroo Skills Exchange is Barangaroo’s onsite, pop-up college.
A partnership between Lendlease and TAFENSW, the Barangaroo Skills Exchange (BSX) was set up to support workers and apprentices in achieving qualifications and work experience, and since its inception in 2013 has trained over 10,800 people. On-site training has been provided in workplace English language literacy and numeracy, digital literacy, skills assessment and advice–particularly for mature-aged workers, apprentice mentoring, training at Certificate III and above, mental health awareness, first aid and workplace health and safety, communication skills and leadership training. The BSX cumulatively delivered 40,853 accredited and non-accredited training outcomes. As well helping to optimise productivity on-site, the BSX aims to make a meaningful contribution to building a skilled workforce at the local and national level.
Social Impact team, measuring the socio-economic outcomes delivered over the first three year period of BSX operations, 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015. The report, which was independently assured by Social Value International, found the BSX delivered $78.5M in socio-economic benefit to workers, government and contractors including Lendlease. Netting out the total investment inputs of $6.15M, the net social return ratio came to $11.76 in socio-economic value equivalent for every $1.00 invested.
Construction labourers and plant operators have traditionally presented lower levels of literacy and numeracy in the workforce, potentially due to disrupted schooling, or limitations with English language. This has flow-on impacts in safe work practices, productivity and efficiency, levels of re-work to correct defects from poorly understood instructions, and level of supervisory time and cost. Lower levels of literacy and numeracy are also a barrier to retraining for mature aged workers, which can limit future opportunities for their economic participation.
Over 4,000 workers have received support with English language, literacy or numeracy at the Skills
Exchange. Workers have understood mathematical concepts in an applied setting for the first time and have learned to use computers, iPads and smartphones.
Almost 10,600 workers gained almost 20,162 accredited training outcomes ranging from Skill Sets to Advanced Diplomas.
Over 820 apprentices, including 65 Indigenous apprentices have been supported and mentored through the BSX Apprentice Mentoring program.
Apprentice completion rates at Barangaroo are at (85%) compared to NSW average (47%) – the flow on benefit being a significant increase in earning potential for apprentices’ transition to work as qualified tradespeople, and supply of trades people to market.
Another 20,014 social and awareness outcomes have been delivered to support the wellbeing of
individuals. These include Drug and Alcohol Awareness, Mental Health and Suicide Awareness, Quit Smoking, Healthy Eating, Incident and Injury Free, and Asbestos / Hazardous Materials Awareness sessions.
2,899 workers have studied and gained licenses from external accrediting authorities such as SafeWork NSW to operate plant and equipment, or work in high risk situations such as confined spaces, working at heights, or working in contaminated areas.
85 mature aged workers have received re-training at the BSX to transition to new work roles and another 145 unemployed young people have enrolled in pre-vocational construction programs learning basic skills to work in the construction and building industries.
The Barangaroo South Community Partnership (BSCP) began in 2014 as a collaboration between corporate businesses within Barangaroo South – Westpac Group, KPMG, Gilbert+Tobin, PWC, HSBC and as a tenant, Lendlease. The Barangaroo Delivery Authority is also closely engaged.
This collaboration differs from traditional business networks because it is location specific. With a shared vision for an inclusive neighbourhood, the ambition is to leverage the capability and know-how of organisations who are each recognised leaders in sustainability to collectively achieve positive impacts and outcomes that benefit the Barangaroo South community as a whole. In addition to building a sense of community and social cohesion at Barangaroo South, the functional and cost benefits of a collaborative response to issues that all businesses have in common today makes sense, and it is expected that as new companies move into the neighbourhood, membership of the BSCP will expand.
Over the past 18 months, the BSCP’s main focus has been on Indigenous engagement. Our aim is to forge meaningful connections between Barangaroo and its businesses and the local Aboriginal communities of La Perouse, Redfern and Waterloo. Current projects include joint initiatives for preserving and celebrating culture, the facilitation of employment and training particularly for Indigenous youth, and developing commercial opportunities for local Indigenous small businesses.