ORLANDO, FL
SunTrust Center
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Reducing energy consumption, water use and greenhouse gas emissions are at the core of the sustainability efforts of Australian real estate company Macquarie Real Estate Capital.
The company's sustainability strategy is integrated into the business operations of the A-REITs it manages, particularly Macquarie Office Trust, which has embraced the performance-based National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) for existing buildings.
Macquarie Office Trust's Australian properties have an ABGR rating of 3.7 stars and the company has a target of achieving a 4.5 star rating across its Australian portfolio by 2012.
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The NABERS scheme rates a building on the basis of its measured operational impacts, including energy and water use, indoor air quality and waste management. NABERS incorporates the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating (ABGR) system, an energy-efficiency certification process equivalent to the U.S. EPA's Energy Star system. Buildings are rated from one to five stars, with five representing exceptional greenhouse performance. Currently, best practice in Australia is three stars.
Macquarie Office Trust's Australian properties have an ABGR rating of 3.7 stars and the company has a target of achieving a 4.5 star rating across its Australian portfolio by 2012.
"Ongoing capital investment and improved facilities management are integral parts of the environmentally sustainability strategy of Macquarie-managed REITs and enhances its long-term competitiveness in the markets in which it operates," says Claire Orton, sustainability manager for Macquarie Real Estate Capital.
For example, a recent development in Market Street, Sydney, co-owned by Macquarie Office and Allianz Australia Insurance Limited, has met eco-efficiency targets by incorporating design features that exceed environmental standards for both greenhouse gas emissions and environmental sustainability.
Energy-saving measures include a green roof that provides shade and insulation, reducing top floor cooling loads and storm water flow; a double-glazed Low E glass facade and occupant-operated solar control blinds that minimize external heat loads and cooling requirements; a smart electrical metering system enabling proactive energy management with real time data availability; and a high efficiency T5 lighting system with dimmable ballasts and daylight-linked photocell controls that reduce artificial lighting requirements.
Macquarie Real Estate Capital's management is working toward transferring its sustainability efforts across its geographically diverse portfolio, particularly in the U.S.
— Lorna Pappas
