From surface car park to 6 Green Star show-stopper. 3 Te Kehu Way speaks of outstanding sustainability and global-leading greenness.
Essentials
Name: 3 Te Kehu Way
What: six-level building with adjoining two-level pavilion; L shaped form offers shelter from prevailing winds and traffic noise
Where: Sylvia Park Precinct; includes large-scale shopping centre
Big picture: marks the next phase in Sylvia Park Precinct’s evolution from retail hub to mixed-use centre
Tenants: commercial tenants (5800 square metres) in tower block, a medical centre in an adjoining 2-level pavilion
Daily occupancy: approximately 450 people
Address: 3 Te Kehu Way, Mt Wellington, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Project Snapshot
Owner: Kiwi Property
Architect: Woods Bagot and Peddlethorp
Project GSAP: NDY
Building Services Engineer: NDY
Main contractor: Naylor Love
Structural Engineer: Holmes Group
Project status: design commenced August 2020; construction commenced November 2021; construction completed March 2023
Project certification: 6 Green Star Design & As Built NZv1.0 Built rating (February 2024) – the first awarded in Aotearoa
Green inside and outside is the story of 3 Te Kehu Way.
Articulating a raft of sustainable elements from its high-performing building envelope to low carbon concrete, rainwater harvesting and a 64 kW solar array, this striking building offers its occupants a prime indoor environment.
But there’s an additional theme of green happening here.
Referencing the pūriri forest which once covered the site, a palate of intense green colours have been applied to building’s lower levels to highlight the natural environment.
“The project aspires to recreate what the experience of occupying the original ecosystem may have felt like - a complete immersion in vivid green tones achieved through four shades of glazed green brick, custom-made for the project. These glossy shades of green mimic the waxy leaves of the endemic pūriri,” says Woods Bagot associate principal, Matthew Pieterse.
“We aimed to recreate a small slice of nature in what was formerly a surface car park.”
The building’s spirited urban expression “provides an intriguing counterpoint to the uniform glazing typifying commercial buildings in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s CBD,says Peddlethorp associate director, Joshua Grant.
With its waffled precast panels, sense of geometry and nod to the site’s original ecosystem, Kiwi Property development manager, Matt Cole, says its unique design “breaks the mould of the typical commercial office buildings seen around the country.”
It also breaks the mould as Aotearoa’s inaugural 'world-leading' 6 Green Star Design & As Built NZv1.0 Built rated project.
Driven by a strong ESG mandate and pushing to minimise the environmental impacts of construction, Matt says the company is “incredibly proud to deliver a world-leading sustainable building that will remain relevant for a long time to come.”
Naylor Love project manager, Clive Simpson, says the company’s early involvement in the project allowed for innovative thinking to upscale the efficiency and safety of the build.
Off-site manufactured precast wall panels complete with windows, façade lighting and paint finishes and pre-built steel structures were part of this mix – speeding up construction, reducing the risks of working at height, promoting a healthy work environment and reducing on-site waste.
Clive says Green Star’s most significant impact on the site was a 92 percent diversion of building waste from landfill – achieved through segregation of waste and diligent reporting of reuse and recycling practices.
That impressive diversion rate has been “a feel good story for the project team who’ve felt they’ve been able to make a real difference” says Kiwi Property.
NDY senior sustainability consultant and project GSAP, Sanjeev Ganda, says the project’s drive to divert waste from landfill saw it delivered as ‘cold shell plus’ with:
- minimal base building services installed, and
- a Green Star compliant packl provided for tenants to adopt – minimising waste to landfill from potential demolition due to tenant fit-outs
Sanjeev says dynamic features of the building include its low emissions (carbon and waste), native planting, rainwater garden filtration and daylit spaces.
Reduced energy and water consumption is on its list of outstanding achievements with:
- a projected 74 percent reduction in operational energy
- a projected 63 percent reduction in operational water
He says the building’s rooftop 64 kW solar array connected to Kiwi Property’s embedded energy network allows electricity generated on site to be distributed to common areas across Sylvia Park – reducing the company’s operational carbon emisisons.
Woods Bagot associate principal, Matthew Pieterse, says Green Star certifications encourage the industry and wider public “to celebrate resilience, intelligence and excellence in building design.”
“Thanks to the vision and efforts of Kiwi Property, engineering consultants, contractors and the wider project team we’ve achieved this world leadership benchmark in measurably mitigating the building’s environmental impact.”
Green features include:
- predicted high levels of thermal comfort
- outdoor air is provided at a rate 100 percent greater than current recognized standards
- 25kL rainwater tank serves toilet flushing and irrigation
- over 60 percent of the nominated area receives high levels of daylight
- reuse of pe-developed land
- light-coloured roofing, landscaping, mature trees and native planting mitigate urban heat island effects
- sheltered green spaces provide dwell zones where occupants can connect to the outdoor environment
- EOT facilities
- very good access to public transport
Technical features include:
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predicted GHG emissions reduction of 66 percent compared to a standard building
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predicted peak electricity demand reduction of 43 percent compared to a standard building
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final As-Built life cycle assessment indicates over 300 tonnes of upfront carbon (A1-A5) savings
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at least 80 percent of the building’s gross floor area is covered by a jint landlord and tenant commitment to set measure and report on its environmental performance
Innovation points include:
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Innovative technology or process: onsite renewable energy – with over 10 percent of renewable energy generated onsite
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Exceeding Green Star benchmarks: construction & demolition waste and stormwater pollutant reduction
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Innovation Challenge: financial transparency
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Global Sustainability: green cleaning and groundskeeping (both from Green Star Performance)