The new Brisbane headquarters for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) located at South Bank. Construction on the building is expected to be complete by early 2012.
Environmental consultants Cundall, who were working on the ABC’s new Brisbane headquarters, have temporarily resigned with concerns that cost-cutting had jeopardised the environmental health measures that were to be put in place.
There had been promises of a new ‘green and healthy’ headquarters at Southbank following public controversy after 18 women who had worked at the former headquarters in Toowong were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Cundall had previously walked off the job for a month in 2010 after similar concerns were leaked to the ABC.
The ABC reported Leaked documents showing that Cundall’s key concerns were mould prevention, quality of the air conditioning and ventilation systems, which had been shown to affect air quality and the overall health of the building.
Those documents quoted Cundall:
"We have witnessed the ABC continue to make public statements about this building being an exemplar in Indoor Environmental Quality and sustainability. Yet we have also continued to witness design practices that are not in alignment with these aspirations”.
ABC managing director Mark Scott made a statement to staff on Monday 1st February that the building’s guidelines are being adhered to.
"In every new development, architects, engineers and consultants will raise different approaches to design and construction," he said.
"We were very clear from the outset that we sought to design a five-star building as designated by the Green Building Council of Australia, ensuring an appropriate environmental standard.” Mr Scott said.
The budget for the new Brisbane headquarters was originally $50 million, however estimates from 2009 reveal the costs will be closer to $90 million.
Image: South Bank Corporation
