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Spotlight: Green Star - Industrial v1 ‘Breakout Spaces’

Working in an industrial environment doesn’t have to mean smoke stacks and polluted air.  Green Star – Industrial v1 encourages healthy, open spaces where employees can relax and recharge.

The IEQ19 Breakout Spaces credit, exclusive to the Green Star – Industrial v1 rating tool, rewards projects that provide a high quality breakout space for the building’s occupants.  Two points are awarded when the breakout space meets a number of criteria, such as being a universally accessible, well lit, well ventilated and non-smoking space.

At Australia’s first 4 Star Green Star – Industrial v1 building, the Energex Distribution Centre in Brisbane, more than 80 staff are enjoying the indoor and outdoor breakout spaces that have been specially located to avoid noise, odour and air pollution. 

The 52,000m2 industrial facility features ‘breakout spaces’ equivalent to 3.6 per cent of the gross floor area.  The indoor space features a range of pot plants, and opens out to the outdoor area which includes a shaded area and soft landscaping.

John Moynihan from Ecolateral, who was the Green Star Accredited Professional on the project, says that “as a rule, industrial buildings have a high focus on productivity and, as a result, tend to offer little opportunity for social interaction and relief from the processes of the business.  A dedicated breakout space provides an ideal hub around which staff can de-stress and share personal and professional experiences, and take time out to enjoy a break from work. 

“Ensuring that these breakout spaces are not too small to become crowded or too large to become impersonal is an essential element and should be integrated into the fabric of the building. We believe that attaining this credit has added considerable value to the Energex facility and we have had significant positive feedback from building occupants in post occupancy surveys that we undertook.”

Want us to shine the spotlight on a particular Green Star credit?  Email greenstar@gbca.org.au to let us know.

Green Cities 2012 will feature an ‘Industrial Spotlight’ on Tuesday 6 March.  Industrial heavyweights Australand, DEXUS and Goodman Group will bring the green business case to life using Australian and international industrial case studies, providing insight into the valuation and decision making process, delivery and process implementation, objectives and results.  Speakers include DEXUS’ Andrew Whiteside, Goodman Group’s James Vesper, Paolo Bevilacqua from Australand.  Find out more and register for Green Cities 2012.

 

 

Corporate Partners Leighton Properties Brookfield Multiplex