August 19 2016 – Two landmark assets in MHP’s management portfolio – the Kathmandu and Vodafone buildings in Christchurch’s Innovation Precinct – have been awarded 5 Green Star NZ – Office Design 2009 Certified Ratings from the New Zealand Green Building Council.
Dale Robertson, director of South Island-based specialist property and asset manager MHP, says the ratings are testament to the high quality of the developments across the company’s management portfolio.
“We now manage three landmark office buildings in Christchurch that have been awarded top marks for sustainability. We are very proud to manage these high-quality assets on behalf of their investor owners.”
Both the Kathmandu and Vodafone buildings are owned by groups of investors and managed by MHP. A third MHP-managed office building in Christchurch, the IAG building at 14 Show Place, Addington, recently became the first building in New Zealand to achieve a 5 star NABERSNZ whole building rating, following a refurbishment project undertaken by IAG and Goodman.
The 5 Green Star ratings for the Kathmandu and Vodafone buildings set a high standard for the emerging Innovation Precinct in the Christchurch central business district, says Robertson.
“We congratulate Calder Stewart on achieving 5 Green Star ratings for these significant new buildings. It sets the bar high for the Innovation Precinct to have the first two major projects off the rank awarded these ratings. It’s a very positive step for the precinct, and will help in attracting more high-profile national tenants to buildings in the area.”
From a management perspective, 5 Green Star ratings are important attributes for commercial buildings, Robertson says.
“A 5 Green Star rating greatly assists in attracting and maintaining high-calibre tenants, who benefit from the positive profile occupying a green building carries in terms of corporate social and environmental responsibility.
“Sustainable design also benefits building owners as well as occupiers; with features such as modern, efficient and low-maintenance heating and cooling systems, increasing the efficiency of buildings’ performance and reducing running costs.”
Vodafone’s 8,500m2 InnoV8 building has four office levels with retail space on the ground floor. The building features passive solar design, a high-performance façade to maximise daylight while balancing heat levels and an integrated fit-out design to reduce waste.
The 4,650m2, three-level Kathmandu building, Papa Kainga, includes a high-performance double-glazed façade and automated blinds that track the sun and adjust accordingly. Both buildings feature a highly efficient ventilation system that brings in outdoor air at a rate 50% above Building Code requirements, to provide a healthier indoor environment for staff.
