Located on a restricted site in the middle of Melbourne’s CBD, Council House 2 (CH2) was the first commercial office building in Australia to receive Six Star Green Star ratings for both Design and As-Built. CH2 sought to provide council’s employees with a healthy, energy efficient building with superior air quality, while providing an exemplar of advanced, sustainable design to others.

A groundbreaking project, CH2 required extensive research and development of new technologies. Creative solutions reduced installation time dramatically, while maintaining the ambition of the project. With sustainability at every corner – from custom wind turbines, rooftop energy capture, healthy air supply and smart use of thermal mass, to innovative ‘shower towers’ for natural cooling, CH2 set a new benchmark for sustainability in construction.

More than 85 percent of construction site waste was recycled throughout Council House 2

Installation of the statement recycled timber facade required a purpose designed and certified lifting frame and installation platform  that reduced anticipated timing by 25 percent, while eliminating working at heights risks. The unique, 10 tonne curved precast concrete ceiling panels were transported with the help of built for purpose, high density foam blocks – a silhouette of the panel profile. The focus of sustainability extended beyond the built outcome – encompassing the construction procress itself, with more than 85 percent of site waste recycled.