The Darling Quarter is the much celebrated development on Sydney's waterfront which has been recognised for its sustainability credentials since its completion in 2011.
The $500 million development is comprised of two eight storey campus style office buildings called Commonwealth Bank Place designed by fjmt (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp) with 58,000 sqm of office space and an outdoor children’s playground and new pedestrian link.
The Darling Quarter achieved a 6-star Green Star office V2 Design Rating and has achieved a 6-star Green Star V3 As-Built Rating and 5-star NABERS rating through a combination of active and passive design features.
The building saves up to 2,500 tonnes of carbon emissions a year as well as having water-saving features including two on-site tri-generation plants, passive chilled beam air-conditioning, and high levels of natural light and sun-shading.
Photography by John Gollings. Image courtesy of fjmt
The designers took a stringent approach to water management and as a result the building saves 92 per cent on mains water consumption compared to conventional office buildings.
This is achieved by a combination of blackwater treatment and reuse, employing sewer mining, and rainwater harvesting.
The blackwater treatment plant treats 245 kilolitres of sewage a day, producing 166 kilolitres of treated water which is used for toilet flushing, irrigation and cooling tower make-up water.
The sewer mining infrastructure and recycled water treatment plant was designed by Warren Smith & Partners, supplied and installed by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Australia.
Photography by John Gollings. Image courtesy of fjmt
Grundfos has installed factory assembled and tested pump sets and control panels. The pump sets consist of cast iron SEG grinder pumps for sewage and brine return to the Sydney Water sewer main in Harbour Street.
Combined Grundfos BM booster pumps and CR centrifugal pumps are utilised in the treatment process.
The system features more than 50 Danish designed Grundfos pumps installed throughout the precinct which was a decision made by the Hydraulic and Fire Services Consultants at Warren Smith & Partners in close consultation with Lend Lease.
In total, the rainwater reuse will save up to 60 million litres of drinking water per year.
