The competition came to an end on May 6th 2016 – please see the main page for more information
Imagine a building designed and constructed to function as elegantly and efficiently as a flower: a building informed by its bioregion’s characteristics, that generates all of its own energy with renewable resources, captures and treats all of its water, is toxic free and beautiful.
Imagine true sustainability – socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative – in Melbourne’s newest retail centre.
Frasers Property Australia, in its first collaboration with the Living Future Institute of Australia is hosting The Brickworks Living Building Challenge. It asks a simple question to all built environment professionals:
What does the world’s most sustainable retail centre look like?
This international design competition for one of Fraser’s development sites in Burwood East is an attempt to dramatically raise the bar from a paradigm of doing ‘less harm’ to one in which we view our role as steward and co-creator of a true ‘living future’.
So what makes this design competition different?
Over the last twenty years, ‘green building’ has grown to become the most important and progressive trend in the building industry. There have been huge steps forward in the design, construction and operation of buildings, and yet when compared with the rate of change that is required to avoid the worst effects of climate change and other global environmental challenges, our progress has been minute and barely recordable. In that way, the Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a bit of a trojan horse – a philosophical worldview cloaked within the frame of a certification program. As such the program is a philosophy first, an advocacy tool second, and a certification program third. Because incremental change is no longer a viable option. Simply put, the Living Building Challenge defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today.
Aside from being the first Australian-based LBC design competition, with major prize money for professionals and student teams, and the opportunity to positively influence not only this development, but retail developments worldwide, the project asks design teams to help the industry shift up two gears – to genuinely think holistically and engage both our right and left brains, head and heart.
Added to this, the competition will have a unique legacy: a local primary school will win a renewable energy installation as a prize for the younger generation taking part too.
This competition has been made possible with generous sponsorship from the following organisations who believe in a living future:
Principal Partner
Frasers Property Australia creates real places for real people. As an international company with a proven track record of 90 years in Australia, Frasers Property understand the human side of property, making a real difference to peoples’ lives and caring deeply about how they will benefit. Frasers Property’s strength and experience is to champion real-world solutions, opening up new possibilities through innovative thinking as well as tackling important sustainability issues. Frasers Property are committed to delivering real value every time with a service that focuses on making things simpler and easier for real people.
Platinum Sponsor
Solgen Energy is a leading commercial solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) group. The EPC group of companies provides a horizontally integrated approach to the commercial solar market – whether clients want to buy a solar system outright or simply pay for the solar electricity produced. With unrivalled experience in the design and construction of commercial-scale solar electric systems for government and businesses across Australia, Solgen Energy has completed many of Australia’s most iconic solar projects.
Gold Sponsor
One of the leading advisory companies in Australia, McLachlan Lister/Hill International provides a full spectrum of project consulting services including management consulting, program management, project management, troubled project turnaround, staff augmentation, and construction claims consulting.
Pioneers of innovative and practical solutions, we believe in working with integrity, responding to challenges with creativity, and always seeking the best result for our clients across social, financial and environmental objectives.
With offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth and the ability to draw on the global Hill International network, our clients can rapidly access qualified, specialist staff with international experience to meet any project challenge.
Gold Sponsor
Interface is Australia’s leading manufacturer of modular carpet, producing locally for over 40 years. We are a truly global company with sales in 110 countries and manufacturing facilities on four continents.
We stand for design and sustainability as a way of thinking on an organizational level across all aspects of our business and as an aesthetic credo for our products. Interface invests in understanding the specific demands of a wide range of commercial markets, innovating and designing products to meet their needs. Our vision is to create beautiful, modern, functional spaces that provide engaging and inspiring work place for the employees while giving the designers a fresh perspective and incredible creative license.
Silver Sponsor
The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre building is a 6 Star Green Star- Education Design v1 accredited, multi-disciplinary facility that hosts a wide range of research and industry collaborations to address the challenges of making buildings sustainable. Located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, this beautiful new centre is alive with student research as a Living Laboratory and thrives on collaboration with industry. The building was designed and constructed based on the principles of the Living Building Challenge, pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and construction with hopes to inspire communities throughout Australia to take action on sustainability.
Silver Sponsor
QPS Geothermal are the first choice for geothermal solutions, with experience in completing a large number of highly complex and detailed ground works projects. With a high level requirement for quality and precision of works, QPS has developed an operational capacity that focuses heavily on quality and project delivery, with a keen understanding of critical path requirements and have a focus on achievement of programme. QPS Geothermal is the only company operating in the Australian market that self fulfills all installation works ensuring complete quality control and delivery of high quality outcomes.
SILVER SPONSOR
Onyx Solar develops BiPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) solutions – aka. Transparent Solar Glass – which offers the possibility to replace conventional construction materials and add photovoltaic properties to the buildings envelope (skylights, facades, windows, curtain walls, roofs) creating active and passive elements that allow the building to generate free and clean electricity from the sun. Counting on cutting-edge solutions from a flexible, customized and aesthetic point of view easing the integration of active and sustainable constructive materials into any project.
SILVER SPONSOR
Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) runs Australia’s only independent, not-for-profit, multi-sector ecolabelling program and is the only Australian member of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN). Our transparent certification program develops standards against which products and services can be independently audited according to criteria for environmental, health and social impacts. The GECA ecolabel shows that a product or service has been rigorously assessed for its impact over its life cycle and it is safer for you and your family or colleagues. We’ve provided procurement managers, architects, building industry professionals and consumers with an independent, reliable and credible way to make better purchasing decisions since 2000.
SILVER SPONSOR
Albatech Pty Ltd, the manufacturer of Evcco products, is a technology driven enterprise involved with advanced polymer materials to deliver class leading performance. Our products, Low Smoke Zero Halogen electrical conduits are often specified for use in areas of high traffic, high value assets and green buildings. We are committed to driving continued technological progress, setting new performance standards, maintaining a strong commitment to research and development, and increasing the pace of our new product development and speed to market. Our approach includes extensive research on both emerging technology trends and customer challenges that enable us to prioritize our R&D efforts
SILVER SPONSOR
Schueco is a total systems solutions provider, supplying Australia’s most comprehensive range of German engineered, highly insulated, premium quality aluminium systems for the whole building envelope.
Together with its worldwide network of partners, architects, specifiers and investors, Schueco creates sustainable building envelopes that focus on people and their needs in harmony with nature and technology. Aluminium window, door and façade solutions from Schueco meet the highest requirements in terms of design, comfort and security. At the same time, CO2 emissions are reduced through energy efficiency, thereby conserving natural resources.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Stephen Choi at +61 (0)421 978 288 / [email protected]
