Alkimos Beach in Perth’s northern coastal corridor has been awarded Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating for a residential master-planned project from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
The first 240 hectares of the 710 hectare master-planned community is being developed by Lend Lease and LandCorp, and is set to become the most significant coastal development north of Perth in 50 years.
Upon completion, the first stage will deliver more than 2,000 homes for 6,000 residents. Green Star – Communities, operated by the GBCA, is one of the world’s first independent, transparent, national schemes designed to assess and certify the sustainability of large-scale master-planned development projects.
GBCA CEO Romilly Madew said that Lend Lease had achieved many ‘firsts’ in the sustainability space over more than a decade, but up until now these have all been in buildings and fit-outs.
"This 6 Star Green Star rating for a community project sets the bar for world leadership community development and demonstrates a long-term commitment to sustainability at scale,” she said.
"We applaud the range of initiatives – from education campaigns to financial incentives to technology – that will help the residents of Alkimos Beach embrace more sustainable living."
Alkimos Beach was assessed against best practice benchmarks for governance and innovation, design excellence, environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and liveability.
The CEO of Lend Lease’s property business in Australia Tarun Gupta said that in partnership with the Western Australian land development agency LandCorp has achieved world leadership in environmentally sustainable planning, design and construction at a precinct scale.
“We are very proud about achieving an Australian first and on leading the market on sustainability and community development. What better way to demonstrate our vision of creating the best places?”he said.
LandCorp CEO Frank Marra said LandCorp’s key focus is growing WA in a planned and sustainable way.
"We encourage innovation and are delighted that our Alkimos Beach project has been recognised by the nation’s authority on sustainable buildings and communities and acknowledged as a world leading development with global significance,” he said.
The project site will eventually host 3.6 hectares of playing fields, six hectares of conservation reserves and 41 hectares of dune and foreshore reserves.
All homes will be within 800 metres of both the local centre and transport links. Thirty per cent of the site will be reserved for open space; no home will be more than 200 metres from a park, and walking and cycle paths will link the beach, the town centre and the train station. WiFi will be provided in major public spaces to foster economic and social opportunities.
Key sustainability innovations at Alkimos Beach currently include:
Mandatory solar panels and gas boosted solar hot water systems as well as other energy-efficient appliances, supported by a financial incentive package from the Alkimos Beach development partners that range from $4,500 to $6,000 are expected to reduce home energy bills by up to 50 per cent;
Smart water initiatives are planned throughout the site including stormwater retention, bore water irrigation and water efficient appliances in each home;
Fibre-to-the-Premises internet connectivity is being provided throughout the development to encourage the notion of working from home.