44 Bowen Street has achieved 5 Green Star status. It marks the end of a green journey at Bowen Campus – a revitalised, resilient, energy-smart business precinct.
Essentials
Name: 44 Bowen Street
What: eight level new build; 14100 square metres; one of a pair of new buildings (40 and 44 Bowen St) with dynamic interplay; shared glazed atrium with lobby cafés; shared basement/ level one carpark, bike parks and EOT facilities
Tenancy: KMPG and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Significance: 44 Bowen St is the fourth and final building at the redeveloped Bowen Campus situated behind the Beehive and Parliament Buildings
Bowen Campus occupancy: approximately 5000 workers
Address: 44 Bowen Street, Wellington
Project Snapshot
Owner: Precinct Properties Ltd
Architect: Tennent Brown Architects
GSAP: 335 Ltd, Patrick Arnold
Project Manager: RCP
Main contractor: LT McGuinness Limited
Project status: completion July 2023
Project certification: 5 Green Star - Office Built v3 rating (May 2024)
When Precinct Properties set about transforming a disparate Bowen Campus into an integrated green precinct with four large modern statement buildings in 2016 it was a full-scale mission.
The demolition of an annexe building, the gutting and sensitive refurbishment of two outdated 1960s and 1970s towers to meet current government office accommodation standards, the re-use of a brownfield carpark site and the construction of a pair of dynamic commercial office blocks were all part of the mix.
Now the 5 Green Star accolade for 44 Bowen Street signals the completion of a high profile, sustainable project in the capital.
Precinct is committed to green design and high building performance goals - and its reinvigoration of Bowen Campus walks its talk.
“Green Star is an inspirational tool and using it to measure our outcomes across our four buildings on campus has been pivotal to the success of this significant project,” says Precinct CEO, Scott Pritchard.
Charles Fergusson Building (2018), Defence House (2019) formerly Bowen State Building (2022) and 40 Bowen Street (2023) have already received both 4 and 5 Green Star certifications.
44 Bowen Street is the Green Star campus conclusion.
“Our vision was to create one connected, environmentally-positive mixed-use precinct easily accessible to the core CBD with the highest standard of resilient and sustainable office accommodation. 44 Bowen Street completes our vision.”
A short walk from the CBD and close to public transport, with a network of laneways and integrated landscaped spaces, Precinct expected the rejuvenated campus would appeal to public sector tenancies only.
“However it’s attracted significant interest from the private sector and two of the largest global consultancies are our tenants. It’s great having a modern green environment that supports a diverse working population,” says Scott.
Drawn to 44 Bowen Street by its ESG specifications, generous floor plate size (1500 square metres) and abundant natural light, anchor tenants KPMG and NZTA have invested in premium integrated fitouts – comprising more than 90 percent of the building – seamlessly integrated into the base build construction.
Building performance at 44 Bowen Street has been centre stage and in order to reduce operational carbon emissions:
- building services use central heat pumps
- low GWP refrigerants are used to reduce the building’s lifetime greenhouse impacts
- the building is undergoing a full fine-tuning process
- based on the energy consumption since practical completion and the building’s design occupancy Precinct is targeting a 5.5 star NABERSNZ rating
- an embodied carbon calculation was carried out on the building, with Precinct offsetting the development as per their carbon neutral commitment.
Precinct says creating a safe, reliable, modern, connected and comfortable working environment for staff across its four Green Star rated buildings has been paramount.
Like its sister building at 40 Bowen Street the façade of 44 Bowen Street features a faceted rippling glass and the building’s structure has a steel frame with viscous dampers – delivering high-level resistance in the face of seismic activity.
Project GSAP, Patrick Arnold, says 44 Bowen Street’s 5 Green Star achievement reflects an amalgamation of passive design, smart centralised heat-pump HVAC energy systems, providing a high-quality internal environment for occupiers.
“Precinct’s green-themed reinvigoration of Bowen Camus and its realisation of Green Star ratings for four commercial buildings on site – two of which have been reused and regenerated - exemplifies how future-thinking property developers can drive green change in Aotearoa,” he says.
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Green features include:
- re-use of land
- over 90 percent of waste generated by the new buildings was diverted from landfill, largely recycling
- predicted GHG emissions significantly lower than a standard building (8.57 kgCO2-e/m²/annum)
- outside air provided at 50 percent above NZBC requirements
- low internal noise
- electrical sub-metering
- water metering
- water efficient fixtures and fittings
- lower environmental impact concrete
Innovation points include:
- carbon neutral commitment - Precinct purchased 5,719 credits through Toitū to deliver carbon-neutrality to the project
- seismic resilience
Photography by Jason Mann.