Projects | 500 Bourke Street Refurbishment, Melbourne, Australia

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500 Bourke Street is an A Grade office tower in Melbourne’s CBD, originally built in the 1970s, undergoing a complete transformation. It is a trailblazer in commercial office space, transitioning away from using gas as its main energy source to an all-electric building powered by renewable energy.

Aurecon is providing mechanical, electrical, information and communications technology (ICT), security, hydraulic, specialist lighting, acoustic, audiovisual, fire protection, fire safety and environmentally sustainable design services for building owner and client ISPT, for the refurbishment of the tower and its precinct area.

Taking a circular economy approach to refurbish rather than build new

Circular economy is a framework that supports businesses and communities to thrive in a climate and resource constrained world by designing out waste and pollution, extending the use of assets and materials, and regenerating natural systems. It is a system-based thinking approach, regenerative by intention and design.

500 Bourke St presented an ideal opportunity to incorporate circular economy approaches by refurbishing the building rather than demolishing and building new. Aurecon conducted an environmental lifecycle assessment to demonstrate that the decision to retain and refurbish the existing tower would have significant positive outcomes from the perspectives of embodied carbon, energy and water, indoor air quality, and smart technology, transforming it into a building of the future.

The refurbishment avoids CO₂ emissions that would have been generated with the construction and manufacture of a new concrete and steel building. It is also an example of how good design principles make it possible to breathe new life into an existing building with sustainable outcomes that create rich and enlivened spaces and places.

"It is refreshing to see a team committed and pushing forward to create something different. You promised something different and the entire team has delivered on it."
Nick Kennett, ISPT Development Manager

Location

Wurundjeri Country
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Client

ISPT Super Property

Partners

Fender Katsalidis, Alpha PCM, Roberts Co

Aurecon's Role

Aurecon provides building services, including specialist lighting, acoustics, fire protection, fire safety, and environmentally sustainable design (ESD) services for the refurbishment of the tower

Expertise

Building Design

Complete

2022

A fully electric, carbon-neutral commercial tower

The tower’s refurbishment will transform it into a sustainable, all-electric building, powered by renewable sources. By retrofitting the existing structure, the aspiration is to become carbon-neutral, while also remaining functional for tenants. The challenge is to create a sustainable design that puts people and how they will use the building at the heart.

In response, Aurecon’s engineering design of the building services meets the innate human need for natural light, ventilation, heating and cooling that supports their well-being and productivity. The bespoke building services design use sensors through a converged network to centralise the management of infrastructure resources to help lower electricity costs, increase resource-utilisation rates and improve serviceability.

The refurbishment is an example of how good design principles make it possible to breathe new life into an existing building with sustainable outcomes that create rich and enlivened spaces and places.

Key electric features

The user experience in the building is enhanced by monitoring preferences for heating, cooling and lighting, which is easily adjusted due to the converged network. This means occupants will be able to have a great indoor environment that positively impacts their health and comfort, while at the same time minimising electricity costs (operational carbon).

New and refurbished chillers that provide energy efficient cooling, together with cooling towers and the variable speed drives for these systems is positioning the building for occupants to be able to minimise energy and water consumption. In addition, the water heating system will not operate on gas, only on electricity.

The project is targeting a 6 Star Green Star rating, achieving a reduction in embodied carbon, through avoiding waste and emissions associated with demolishing an existing building and constructing a new one.

Sustainable acoustics solutions for occupant well-being

The acoustics team worked closely on this fit-out to provide sustainable solutions to control noise and vibration in the new building services systems and infrastructure. This included sound isolating constructions and integrated sound absorbing finishes for occupant well-being, focus and productivity.

An important element of the design was to determine, in conjunction with the ESD team, what upgrades were necessary to provide responsible interventions which result in a comfortable and focused space.

Streamlined building operations and monitoring

The converged building network provides an opportunity for data analytics and streamlined building operations. It allows a number of services to ‘talk’ to each other to provide the building manager and maintenance crews with real-time data on the performance of systems: heating and cooling, hydraulic services, electrical network, lighting control, security and vertical transport (such as lifts).

Future flexibility has been incorporated into the building services designs, for example innovations found in the basement car parks include provision for electric car charging stations and a number-plate recognition system for entry and exit.

Connecting the tower to the precinct

The 36-level office tower is a strong presence within its surrounding precinct, with its expressive entry columns and defining entry canopy. The entry reveals a sustainable design that has preserved as much of the existing building facility as possible, while providing upgraded building services which are accessible and secure, but also minimise environmental impact.

At ground level, connections are made via a new canopy between an elevated public terrace and the adjacent laneway, retail and restaurant tenancies. Aurecon’s specialist lighting team is working closely with project architects, Fender Katsalides, for the plaza area connection.

The commercial tower and open-air plaza have been designed to intertwine public and private spaces, with visual connection and access that draws people in to linger longer and connect with colleagues and friends.

Taking a circular economy approach to refurbish rather than build new

"It is refreshing to see a team committed and pushing forward to create something different. You promised something different and the entire team has delivered on it."

A fully electric, carbon-neutral commercial tower

Key electric features

Sustainable acoustics solutions for occupant well-being

Streamlined building operations and monitoring

Connecting the tower to the precinct

TAGS

We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.

Taking a circular economy approach to refurbish rather than build new

"It is refreshing to see a team committed and pushing forward to create something different. You promised something different and the entire team has delivered on it."

A fully electric, carbon-neutral commercial tower

Key electric features

Sustainable acoustics solutions for occupant well-being

Streamlined building operations and monitoring

Connecting the tower to the precinct

TAGS

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We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.