107 Carlton Gore Road

The Newmarket commercial office has been transformed into a leading Green Star building

Project Snapshot

Owner: Argosy Property Limited

Architect: Jasmax

Service engineer: Norman Disney Young Ltd

Main contractor: Alaska Construction Interiors

GSAP: Patrick Arnold, eCubed Ltd

Fire Engineers: Holmes Consulting

Project status: 10 month refit/upgrade completed December 2019

Project Cost: $12 million

Project certification: 5 Green Star Office Built V3 (2020)

Essentials

What: Seven level commercial office building, four levels of office space, two basement levels, 6100m2 net lettable area

Where: 107 Carlton Gore Road, Newmarket, Auckland

Tenant: Kāinga Ora- Homes and Communities (formerly Housing New Zealand)

Occupancy: daily average over 300 people

The monolithic façade of 107 Carlton Gore Road is unlikely to stop anyone in their tracks.

Located on a high-profile road frontage in an existing office precinct, the seven -level building blends seamlessly into the Newmarket cityscape. Its uncluttered contemporary style is familiar in the commercial sphere.

But 107 Carlton Gore Road is far from conventional.

A sustainably-driven $12 million upgrade by its owner Argosy has reused the building’s existing structure and façade, and transformed the Newmarket address into a 5 Green Star showstopper equipped with energy smart services and cutting-edge end of trip facilities.

Built in the early 2000s, the A-grade building had previously been tenanted by ANZ Banking Group.

When ANZ vacated owner Argosy embarked on an eco-refit of the premises targeting a high Green Star rating.

“Argosy’s environmental strategy means we’re always looking to introduce sustainability into the design process. This allows us to improve the green credentials to our properties and mitigate the impact our buildings have on the environment” Argosy’s Head of Sustainability, Saaytesh Bhana says.

Argosy has already had considerable success, with the Carlton Gore Road rating the company's fifth 5 Green Star Built award. Committed to reducing its environmental footprint Argosy has established an innovative Green Bond Framework which raises capital for greening its portfolio.

Architecture firm Jasmax, responsible for designing the Carlton Gore Road revamp, shares Argosy’s environmental ethos and has been involved in numerous Green Star projects.

 “Green Star recognises a commitment to improving our world one project at a time irrespective of scale, use or complexity, and provides a readily-measurable target for the project team,” Jasmax architect and project led Andy Anderson says.

He says in the case of 107 Carlton Gore Road multiple small actions propelled the building’s 5 Green Star rating.

“Identifying all aspects with potential to enhance sustainable outcomes was important. Doing the simple things well ; improving lighting, fresh air volumes, improved thermal comfort, fresh clean hygiene focussed amenities and recognising alternative modes of transport was essential in our design because it all impacts on occupier well-being,” says Andy.

Main contractor Alaska Construction Interiors says Argosy’s Green Star target brought fresh thinking and environmental practices to the work site.

“The Green Star goal had a really positive impact, not only on site but also helping all trades involved in the project to consider where the products they were installing actually came from, what they’re made from and how did they arrive to site.

We regularly discussed ‘product journeys’ in our weekly site toolbox meetings,” says Alaska Constructions Interior project manager, Michael Handley.

Over 70% of construction waste was recycled with a streamlined process requiring all workers on site to actively separate construction waste material into appropriate bins.

Soil removed from large planter boxes during the exterior demolition phase was later used to create kumara gardens at an Auckland church.

Michael says Green Star is beginning to change the culture of construction for the better.

“Green Star is the leader and the solid foundation for great initiatives. It connects the dots between construction and environmental consideration. 107 Carlton Gore Road is a next generation commercial space,” he says.

Attracted by its green attributes Argosy has secured Kāinga Ora- Homes and Communities as a long term tenant at 107 Carlton Gore Road.

“The open plan layout creates a spacious feel, the ergonomically-designed furniture  is great and it’s a really pleasant environment for our team who’re really pleased with the facilities. And we’ve noticed we use less power because the lights are on sensors,” says Kāinga Ora spokesperson, Shelley Dela Cruz.

Project GSAP and eCubed Building Workshop Ltd director, Patrick Arnold says the innovative upgrade at 107 Carlton Gore Road demonstrates Argosy’s progressive thinking.

“Argosy was the first and is one of the few property investment companies to recognise that green building is more valuable in the marketplace, that there’s tenant demand. And it fully understands that third party verification of sustainability, Green Star certification, increases asset value,” he says.