Brookfield Properties and Oxford Investa Property Partners (OIPP) have set a new benchmark for sustainability in Australia, pioneering the recycling of office workstations at its $200 million 388 George Street redevelopment in Sydney’s CBD.
Achieving an Australian industry first, some 19 tonnes of existing desktop materials at 388 George Street that would ordinarily go directly to landfill, were recycled in an innovative demonstration project.
The unique recovery was the culmination of a three-year grant issued by the City of Sydney to Edge Environment to uncover recycling options for melamine coated particle board, a material heavily found in office fit-outs and currently un-recyclable across much of Australia.
Combining the innovative recycling initiative and the re-homing of furniture, the refurbishment in its entirety saw some 93 tonnes of furniture recovered - the weight of approximately nine school buses - as well as 75 tonnes of glass, 112 tonnes of carpet and 200 tonnes of metals. The combined total of recovered materials almost equates to the weight of an Airbus A380 aircraft.
Danny De Sousa, National Sustainability manager at Brookfield Properties, says: “Sustainability has been a core focus at 388 George Street, and we are thrilled to have discovered meaningful sustainability initiatives that provide tangible and measurable benefits. Our incredible sustainability team has ultimately paved the way for more responsible waste management in the future.
“We’ve finally found a solution to a common and persistent problem in redevelopment and commercial office fit-out and we are proud to further reduce our impact on the environment while elevating the standard for green practices in Australia.”
Prominently located on the corner of George and King Streets, 388 George Street is jointly owned by Brookfield Property Partners and Oxford Properties, as owner of the OIPP portfolio, with the construction works undertaken by premier builder Multiplex.
The project is due for completion in 2021 and will deliver 38,364sqm of commercial office space and 2,680sqm of prime retail space in the CBD.
Image: Supplied
