by Brianna Crandall — May 8, 2015—The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has awarded diversified property group Stockland a 6 Star (highest level) Green Star — Communities rating for its Caloundra South development in Queensland. Caloundra South is said to be the largest mixed-use development ever undertaken under single ownership in Australia; over the next three decades, the community will grow and become home to around 50,000 people.
According to the GBCA’s Chief Executive Officer Romilly Madew, Stockland’s achievement cannot be understated, and will help set national benchmarks for community development that stand the test of time for many generations to come. Madew commented, “Stockland’s 6 Star Green Star rating for Caloundra South demonstrates that it is possible to undertake a development of unprecedented scale and achieve world-class environmental and social outcomes.”
“Stockland has done an outstanding job to formulate a world’s best practice approach to water treatment, purification and management and environmental conservation and rehabilitation for its Caloundra South Master Plan, while also demonstrating inspirational thinking around social inclusion that will enhance the ‘liveability’ of this new community.”
Stockland points out that the accreditation is important because it considers the social and economic sustainability and environmental performance of communities, not just during construction but in perpetuity. Stockland has reportedly gone to great lengths to ensure the community will become a model for social inclusion and environmentally sensitive urban design and development, with a range of initiatives:
- More than 700 hectares, nearly one-third of the site, will be rehabilitated from decades of use as a former pine plantation and designated as a conservation area.
- New habitats for rare and endangered flora and fauna species will be created, with fauna underpasses at every major creek crossing.
- The company will install the most advanced water reticulation, filtration, storage and treatment system ever installed in any Australian city, which will recycle water, minimize run-off, and ensure the protection of the nearby Pumicestone Passage.
- Annual environmental reporting will assess the development of the project against stringent water quality and biodiversity measures.
- Stockland will establish an environmental education facility and run sustainability awareness programs to promote life-long learning among residents and local school children.
- A dedicated Caloundra South economic development strategy will target the creation of 19,500 direct jobs, creating long-term local employment opportunities.
Stockland will also invest in local roads, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure and create a host of new communities facilities. This will include nine separate sporting grounds, numerous parks and playgrounds, and a “people’s place” and central park alongside a new town center.
“Stockland understands that it is shaping the future of a community for generations. This isn’t about simply bricks and mortar — it’s about creating a community that protects and enhances the natural environment, that is built for resilience, and that has people at its heart. Caloundra South embodies the future of Australian communities,” Madew concludes.
GBCA’s case study on Caloundra South’s Green Star achievement is available on the GBCA Web site.
