Objectives
Demonstrate and encourage sustainable urban form design and development in practice.
Establish practical public sector leadership by securing a commitment to Sustainable Public Buildings by 2007.
Approach
There is a strong case for public sector leadership in sustainable building. By creating a portfolio of real-world examples of efficient and attractive sustainable buildings, the public sector has an opportunity to set the standard for the wider industry, encouraging private developers to also become interested in the promise and benefits of sustainable building.
There are also direct bottom-line benefits to be reaped – especially valuable for those agencies who have long-term investments in the operation of the buildings they are constructing, and for those who are responsible for the management of the resources and environments that buildings impact.
A convincing business case must be developed to help secure a public sector commitment by 2007, demonstrating the benefits of a sustainable building approach, offering guidance as to how to go about building more sustainably, and which clearly identifies the risk and potential of such an approach. Some of the work necessary to implement this objective is close to or has now been completed. At a national level the Govt3 document “The Value Case for Sustainable Building in New Zealand” is now close to final draft.
Links/Documents:
Sustainable Buildings in the Auckland Region (PDF 1mb) A Waitakere City Council publication that provides case studies of some of the most successful examples of sustainable building across Auckland. The booklet also discusses policy drivers and profiles the Ministry for the Environment's recent research into the value case for sustainable building. Advice on how to practically design and build is also given.
The Better Building Code for Public Buildings The Better Building Code was developed by Waitakere City Council as the minimum standard for its own buildings, but is equally applicable to other public buildings and private commercial buildings.
Sustainable Home Guidelines a range of information and assistance for those wanting to build sustainable homes or buildings and/or modify existing structures using eco friendly or sustainable materials.
Sustainable Public Buildings (PDF 93kb): Leading the Way – a paper from Waitakere City Council, presented to the Urbanism Down Under Conference, 18-20 August 2005, Wellington.
