The adaptive reuse of University of Auckland’s B201 building has been awarded six Green Stars for design by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), achieving 93 out of 100 points. This is the most Green Star points given to any New Zealand building to date.

A high-level carbon reduction strategy developed in collaboration with Beca Engineers and the University of Auckland led to the replacement of existing concrete cladding with a new super-insulated and airtight curtain wall system. It incorporates industry-leading ‘passive house’ design principles, enabling the use of an ‘ultra-low energy’ mechanical ventilation system, so the B201 building will use almost a third of the average energy of an equivalent new building in New Zealand. This ensures the design meets 2030 operational energy targets for net zero carbon.

The relationship of the building to its historical and geographical setting was a key consideration in its design, informing the desire to limit the ecological impact of the construction process and the final built product. In collaboration with Haumi, and with the support of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the design reflects the university’s commitment to learning and sharing knowledge.