NABERS first for Adelaide office landmark

Adelaide, 10 September 2013 – The 151 Pirie Street office tower in Adelaide has become the first commercial building in South Australia to achieve a 5.5 star NABERS Energy Base Building Rating without the need to purchase green power.

151 Pirie Street is owned by an institutional fund managed by the German fund manager Real I.S. Group. The property management of the building is made by CBRE. The rating is the latest to highlight the building’s green credentials, after the property also maintained its NABERS water rating of 4.5 stars.

CBRE Regional Director, Technical Services, Nick Mavropsi said there had been an overriding focus on managing the property effectively to minimise energy without compromising tenant environmental conditions.

This included the use of Solar Photovoltaic Cells, energy efficient lighting in the common areas and sub-metering of the tenant condenser water loop.

“Diligent operational management has also contributed to the increase in the Base Building Rating, which takes into account energy used by common services such as cooling and ventilation systems, lifts, hydraulics, car parks and lobbies,” Mr Mavropsi said.

CBRE’s Adelaide headquarters are also located in 151 Pirie Street – a 12,500sqm building overlooking Hindmarsh Square in the heart of the Adelaide CBD.

Originally designed to achieve a 4.5 star NABERS Energy Base Building Rating, under CBRE’s management the building initially achieved a 5 star rating through operational optimisation alone.

The step up to a 5.5 star rating was achieved following the implementation of a range of initiatives, including a rooftop solar installation to provide renewable energy for the base building.

"Real I.S. are committed to sustainability and continually explore opportunities to optimize and invest in initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint in their managed assets," Ralph Andermann, Head of Fund Management at Real I.S. Group, said.