‘Healthy building’ trend focus of next Bayleys At Five

The global shift towards ‘healthy homes and offices’ will be the theme of this year’s first Bayleys At Five event on 1 March.

Presented by Andrew Eagles, CEO of the New Zealand Green Building Council, the event will focus on what the trend means for building owners and developers, why it is important, and what can be done to make new and existing buildings as healthy as possible.

Andrew says that nurturing the physical and mental wellbeing of a building’s inhabitants, as well as improving their productivity, is becoming top of mind for developers and owners.

“It’s not just about choosing environmentally friendly materials or installing solar panels, for example. The building has to have a positive effect on the people inside it too. So, things like low carbon emissions and thermal efficiency become as important as daylight air quality and effective acoustic baffling,” he says.

The development of healthy buildings will become increasingly important locally, with the New Zealand Government intending to introduce a Zero Carbon Bill by October 2018. The Government’s aim is to have a net zero emissions economy by 2050.

The NZGBC is a not-for-profit organisation that supports New Zealanders living, working and playing in healthy, efficient and productive buildings in a sustainable built environment. It has been influential in the development of key projects in Christchurch’s central city, including the Bus Interchange, Christchurch City Council’s offices, and the Vodafone and Kathmandu buildings in the Innovation Precinct. The organisation has also worked on The Terrace hospitality strip, which will open in phases over the next few months.

“It’s great to see that health and wellbeing is a priority for developers and building owners in Christchurch,” Andrew says.

The NZGBC also oversees the award-winning Homestar and GreenStar certifications for New Zealand homes and buildings. To date, more than 20,000 residential properties are confirmed for Homestar certification and almost 200 new buildings have been verified to the Greenstar standard.

Justin Haley, Bayleys Canterbury Commercial and Industrial Manager, says wellbeing and building quality are becoming increasingly important to Christchurch developers and owners as they look for longevity in their buildings. “It’s really exciting for the future of our city.”

Bayleys Canterbury is in the process of assessing its own buildings, through a NABERSNZ free feasibility study.

“We want to walk the walk in terms of striving to be as green as possible,” Justin says. “It’s important for us to ensure we are providing a healthy and productive space to work in.”

Where: Bayleys House, 3 Deans Avenue, Riccarton, Christchurch

When: 5pm, Thursday 1 March 2018

Find out more: www.bayleyscanterbury.co.nz/at5

-Ends-

© Scoop Media