The world's most sustainable retail centre

Burwood Brickworks is the bold expression of a deeply-held conviction - that we can design places that give back more than they take. Every aspect of this community, from its apartments and townhouses to its world leading retail space and expansive public areas, has been designed to achieve the highest standards of sustainability and liveable luxury.

But creating a place that gives back to its inhabitants and environment is about more than just architecture and innovation. It means putting the tools of sustainability in the hands of both the project’s residents and the tenants of the on-site retail centre. And so we’ve set ourselves the ambitious goal to do something that’s never been done anywhere before – to design and build a shopping centre that achieves the world’s strictest environmentally-friendly certification: The Living Building Challenge™ (LBC).

Now, you’ve probably heard of Green Star certification. It’s widely in place across Australia for construction of new buildings, and most Frasers Property developments achieve 5-Star as a minimum and often 6-Star beyond that. This has been a tremendously beneficial set of standards that ensure buildings are more efficient and produce less waste. 

The Living Building Challenge goes well beyond this standard of being ‘less bad’ for the environment, demanding instead that certified buildings are actually net positive, ultimately giving back to the planet and helping future generations thrive.

There’s no question that attaining LBC certification is immensely difficult. Only 22 buildings worldwide have done it, none of them in Australia and none of them retail centres. To achieve certification, a project must satisfy seven judging criteria which scrutinise sustainability, useability, and beauty equally.

Better for everyone. For their part in this major undertaking, tenants at Burwood Brickworks will benefit in a number of novel ways. The first is access to cheap, reliable, renewable energy generated by the retail centre itself. Using what’s known as an embedded network, Burwood Brickworks will capture energy through solar panels on its roof and use that power to heat and light the stores within. The goal is to generate 105% of our energy needs through clean, carbon neutral means, and to supply that to our retailers at a price that’s competitively on par or better than can be bought from the big 3 energy retailers.

Another initiative that has been catching the eye of both residents and prospective retail tenants is the rooftop garden. Taking up 2,000m2 of space atop the centre, it won’t just be a beautiful place to visit, but will also supply fresh produce to local restaurants and provide composting facilities and organic fertilizer for residents to use. An unusual drawcard by shopping centre standards, the garden is expected to provide educational opportunities for green-thumbed residents, local school children, and the wider public – with positive effects on the centre’s visitation and general sense of enjoyment.

With all these benefits and more, Burwood Brickworks is attracting a number of high-profile retailers keenly committed to sustainability. Sydney’s farm-to-table institution, acre eatery will operate the rooftop farm and café. There will also be a Woolworths, a flagship Dan Murphy’s location, plus 40 or so other retailers that will be announced progressively in coming months.

As Living Building Challenge™ Manager for Frasers Property, I’m naturally an avid supporter of what we’re aiming to achieve here at Burwood Brickworks, but I think the last word belongs to the people who will use the centre in their day-to-day lives. Melinda Bouquet bought her new investment property at Burwood Brickworks in one of the very early releases and says that the green approach of the development is a game-changer.

“The first thing I heard about was the rooftop garden,” says Melinda, “and that the restaurants would be using the produce. I just thought that was genius. It was a big ‘wow’ moment. nothing like this has been done before that I know of and it makes me think we’re moving in a great direction.”


Discover a new standard in sustainable living.
Visit the Burwood Brickworks Display Suite at 78 Middleborough Road, Burwood East, call 13 38 38, or visit BurwoodBrickworks.com.au

 

Burwood Brickworks Community
The new heart and soul of Burwood
19km from Melbourne’s CBD
A mix of townhouses and apartments available
Fully walkable and completely connected to parks, retail, dining and entertainment
Urban plaza for meeting friends and enjoying café society
2.5ha of open space, including expansive central park and wetlands
A 6-Star Green Star community

Burwood Brickworks Retail Centre
6 screen cinema
40 specialty shops
13,000m2 dining and entertainment precinct
4,200m2 full-line Woolworths
1,400m2 Dan Murphy’s
2,000m2 rooftop urban farm operated by acre eatery and farm Brickworks
20% of retail space dedicated to agriculture
3 electric car charging points
All electricity consumed will come from renewable resources
Burwood Brickworks will be water-wise - all grey and black water will be captured, treated, and recycled on site