ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Arrow International: doing our part for the future of the environment

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) practices gained a lot of momentum in New Zealand in 2007.

The year saw the adoption of the Green Star rating tool for new office buildings, the completion of the country’s first five star rated building and the government setting Green Star rating requirements for new government offices.

Arrow welcomes the additional challenges that ESD brings to successfully managing the planning, design and construction of projects throughout the country. Many buildings have a life of 50 years or more.

We all have a vested interest in ensuring that the buildings we are involved with minimise energy consumption and emissions during their construction and operation.

Frequently Arrow is involved early in the project lifecycle and has a strong opportunity to ensure clients consider and understand ESD project issues at the outset.

During the planning phase this may include the planned building’s location and orientation. The feasibility phase needs to agree acceptable payback periods for investment in ESD initiatives as part of the project brief and budget setting process. Programmes need to allow for longer design and construction periods in some cases.

The challenge to plan, design, build and operate ever more efficient and environmentally sustainable buildings is, like Arrow, here for the long haul.