Case Study: Chadstone Place

Landmark revitalization development Chadstone Place has achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating, 6 Star NABERS Energy rating, 6 Star NABERS Water rating and the first Living Future Institute (ILFI) Zero Carbon certification in Australia, setting a new standard for innovative, sustainable property development nationwide.

Fully electrified, it is one of the lowest carbon buildings in Australia.

To achieve the Zero Carbon rating, significant upgrades were required to reduce energy consumption of the building, including improvements to roof insulation and the building’s airtightness, full electrification, and the installation of a 440kW solar array.

Since the redevelopment, the NLA of the building has increased by 12% and the rent has increased signficantly, proving the financial viability of sustainable development and addressing a critical market need for premium, zero-carbon spaces.

Location: Chadstone, VIC
Client: Vicinity Centres
Architect: Bates Smart
Value: $25m

Electrification Strategy

The electrification strategy focused on three key objectives:

Prioritising the use of lower capacity low-temperature heat pumps;
Minimising electrical supply and switchboard upgrades;
Retaining as much of the existing HVAC system as possible.

A critical factor in the project’s success was optimising the heat pump plant size and selecting low-temperature heat pumps over high-temperature alternatives.

To achieve this- and retain main power infrastructure- our team undertook extensive analysis of the building’s energy output, a detailed review of the existing HHW VAV system and assessed the building’s facade performance.

Building Power Infrastructure

Electrical system evaluation confirmed that the reduced-size heat pumps could be powered using the existing main switchboard and submain to the Mechanical Services Switchboard (MSSB) on the roof. This avoided major electrical upgrades, requiring only a new MSSB on the roof powered by the existing submain.

Extensive energy modelling analysis also substantiated our decision to use two heat pumps that could work with existing systems, avoiding costly replacements.

Sustainability Certifications

ILFI Zero Carbon Certification

Chadstone Place is Australia’s first building to achieve a Zero Carbon rating from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), a global sustainability leader with notoriously rigorous standards.

To earn this certification, the building significantly reduced and offset both its operational and embodied. A comprehensive airtightness strategy further improved energy efficiency by reducing air leakage by 60%.

6 Star NABERS Energy Rating

The project has achieved a 6 Star Base Building NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) energy rating, the maximum rating for low energy usage and a benchmark for the property industry.

Chadstone Place is one of only four buildings in Melbourne to currently hold this rating- a particularly remarkable feat given the age of the building and the extent of both façade and services retention.

6 Star Green Star Rating

The project’s unwavering commitment to sustainability has earned it a 6 Star Green Star rating.

To earn this rating, our team incorporated a number of features to heighten the overall sustainability of the building. Specialist acoustic treatment, for example, was applied to internal ceilings to improve the acoustics of the building, an important contributing factor to the 6 Star rating.

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Designing a Greener Chadstone

Chadstone Place is part of Melbourne’s iconic Chadstone Precinct, a world-renowned destination for fashion, dining and entertainment.

Chadstone isn’t just one of Australia’s largest and best retail and lifestyle precincts; it is also one of the country’s most dynamic, constantly upgrading to remain at the forefront of technology and deliver best-in-class consumer and tenant experiences.

ADP Consulting is playing a key role in Chadstone’s journey towards a more sustainable future, working on a number of projects across the precinct to boost its environmental performance and energy efficiency.

What can we learn from Chadstone Place?

By working closely with tenants in the early phases of a project, we can set and achieve even the most ambitious sustainability targets.
Implementing targeted envelope improvements can be an inexpensive way to lower peak heating requirements. A blower door test, for example, identified leakage through Chadstone Place’s existing roof, which led to informed insulation and building sealing improvements.
By undertaking early, detailed energy modelling and testing of existing systems, reductions in both peak heating loads and heat pump temperatures can be permitted- without upgrading or replacing HVAC plant systems.