Sustainability by Design: Why Willing buildings prioritise cleaner, leaner living

We live in a world where climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss has become the new norm. So why are many architects and designers sitting on their hands?

We continue to see inefficient apartment projects being built that accelerate carbon emissions and waste precious resources. Instead of prioritising aesthetics and cost savings, shouldn’t we be prioritising sustainability?

Many will say ‘easier said than done’. And in a way, they’re right. Managing a construction project is incredibly complex with an array of competing pressures, from managing people, suppliers and subcontractors, to meeting council regulations, material sourcing, budgeting constraints and timelines – adding sustainable practices to the list only intensifies the juggling act.

Yet as developers, we all have a responsibility to create buildings and environments that are ecologically responsible. According to the World Green Building Council, the construction industry generates an estimated 39% of the world’s carbon emissions – that’s a black mark too great to ignore. For the sake of future generations, we should demand that developers make sustainability a design shaper, not an afterthought. With the right mindset, we can turn this challenge into an exciting opportunity to transform the way we design, build and live in Perth.

Good design is sustainable design

Sustainable design seeks to create efficient, healthy, productive, uplifting spaces for people to live and work. Spaces that minimise waste during construction, improve building performance during operation, and enhance health and wellbeing for those who live in them.

So, how can the construction industry become more sustainable?

• • Plan better: We need to create strategies that consider sustainability in every step of the building process, from start to finish.
  • Design better: Implement sustainable design that finds effective ways to reduce energy consumption, protect and conserve water, optimise quality of indoor environments, incorporate smart home technology, and encourage use of electric transport.
  • Build better: Find ways to reduce emissions and waste throughout the project lifecycle to reduce our carbon footprint, including quality material selection that is ethically sourced and has strong longevity.

Willing to build sustainably

At Willing, we continue to see a rise in environmentally conscious buyers who expect their apartments to be built utilising the latest sustainable practices, thoughtfully designed to incorporate green living into everyday life, and intelligently adapted to embrace future technology. Here are three Willing developments made with tomorrow in mind.

139 Lake

 Green living is at the heart of 139 Lake. Designed to achieve a 5-Star Green Star Rating, sustainability is cleverly integrated throughout the building to utilise natural resources where possible and reduce its impact on the environment.

• • Solar passive design: 139 Lake optimises natural light and cross-breezes, reducing the need for energy-hungry lighting, cooling and heating. This in turn creates calm, positive and healthy spaces that invite residents to enjoy a naturally uplifting life in tune with nature.
  • Renewable energy: Abundant rooftop solar panels absorb free renewable energy to help power communal spaces and EV charging. This is offered in tandem with an E-scooter share program, encouraging residents to take part in a cleaner urban lifestyle that takes more cars off the road, positively contributing to reduced emissions and road congestion.
  • Waterwise features: Innovative features capture, store and use rainwater for irrigating green spaces. This helps reduce pressure on our precious dams and aquifers, which continue to be stress-tested as the impacts of climate change take hold.

West

West’s environmentally sustainable performance credentials are impressive. Designed to meet 7 Star NatHERS performance criteria, the building is carbon neutral and achieves a 5 Star green star rating. Working alongside Willing, Klopper and Davis Architects have considered every detail to ensure the apartments are energy efficient and innately liveable.

• • Solar passive design: Minimising the need for artificial heating, cooling and lighting starts with positioning. West’s apartments take advantage of a north facing orientation, with living areas enjoying abundant winter sunlight through large windows, while living rooms and bedrooms are naturally cooled by cross-breezes captured through operable openings.
  • Renewable energy: Grid-connected solar PV system delivers renewable power to all common amenity and EV charging, further reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
  • Waterwise features: West preserves natural resources through rooftop rainwater collection, as well as cleverly landscaped spaces that reduce landscaping run-off. Residents are also encouraged to play their part, with waterwise fixtures and appliances in all apartments designed to make efficient, water-conscious living a natural part of inner city living.
  • Waste management: West implements thoughtful waste recycling infrastructure that promotes organic recycling. Given organic waste is generally the heaviest component of general waste, this helps to dramatically reduce landfill, frequency of waste collection, and the energy it takes to deliver such a service. Organic waste can be utilised as mulch or compost in gardens.

The Coolbinia

 Designed by award-winning architects MJA Studio, with landscaping by CAPA, The Coolbinia is one of Willing’s up-and-coming developments, recently described as a project of “wonderful ambition”. That recognition is largely due to its exceptionally good design, which incorporates progressive sustainability philosophies at every opportunity.

• • Material selection: The Coolbinia targets a 5 Star green star rating through clever design material selection. Working in tandem with solar passive design to reflect and absorb solar radiation, the materials reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling. And because Willing buildings are ‘designed for a hundred years’, these materials are selected for their enduring quality, minimising the need for maintenance and the environmental debt that comes with it.
  • Renewable energy: Solar PV systems deliver renewable power to all common amenity at the Coolbinia. The solar energy also helps power EV charging, creating a ‘double win’ where more residents are encouraged to transition to an emission-free urban lifestyle with EV cars that source their energy from natural sources, rather than coal power.

To read more about Willing’s commitment to #SupportGoodDesign, click here.