Living buildings - Why ARUP is taking the challenge

Global design and engineering consultants at Arup are targeting an ambitious sustainability accreditation for their new Adelaide office as part of the Living Building Challenge. Notorious for being difficult to achieve, full Living Building certification demands the most rigorous sustainability outcomes – not only aiming to minimise harm, but actually aiming to give back to people, place and planet.

Arup’s new office which opened in Adelaide’s iconic Reserve Bank Building in October is a testament to sustainable design and construction. The desks are made from salvaged timber floorboards, reclaimed from the demolition of a very old building; the patchwork of marble in the kitchen benches is made up of leftover off cuts from other projects; and the boardroom glass was granted a second life, being repurposed from the previous fit-out with upgrades to function and form.

Our team went above and beyond in taking on this challenge, spending hours at auction yards and online to source vintage furniture for the lobby, and personally salvaging materials from nearby building sites to minimise the use of new materials and reducing waste.

We count many achievements in striving for full Living Building certification for our fit-out, but the process was not without complications. It was challenging to find salvaged materials in the first place, and those we could attain couldn’t be used due to the difficulties of reuse as a result of destructive demolition processes, and buildings and products not being built or installed for reuse. Collaborating with our contractors and sub-contractors was critical to success on this project, everyone had to be engaged with the process and willing to learn. We needed to deviate from ‘business as usual’ practices like using adhesives in the construction phase, so products could be disassembled and reused in the future.

Adhesives truly are the enemy of the circular economy as their permanent binding nature prevents material reuse (while emitting harmful VOCs), so the team took it upon themselves to opt for mechanical fixtures wherever possible instead.

Avoiding materials with ingredients on the Red List was one of the toughest challenges, despite the harm they cause to the environment and the people involved in their manufacture, they are abundant in many common building products. This project highlighted the lack of awareness suppliers and manufacturers had about the ingredients used their products. A shift towards product transparency throughout supply chains is integral for real sustainable development impacts.

There were many times that the team were told to forget something because it was too hard and take the easier road, but their passion and commitment to the Living Building Challenge encouraged them to go the extra mile for a result that is a beautiful, warm and welcoming space with fantastic learnings we can now share. This journey has enabled us to work with and challenge the industry, which has already started leading to positive change with our immediate collaborators.

When it comes to tackling the climate crisis, those of us working in the built environment cannot look away as our industry directly accounts for around 40% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Most in the industry recognise the need to take steps towards reduce climate change. In Australia, there’s been a positive shift with 78% of office space currently rated by the National Australian Built Environment Rating System.

It’s encouraging that more and more of our colleagues and clients are opting for sustainability credentials that reduce climate change impacts and contribute to the circular economy. However, the truth is that we have not pulled down the global emissions curve quickly enough, and we need to take stronger action to shape a better future for the next generations.

Globally recognised as the leading international certification for sustainable buildings that protect and restore the natural environment, Living Buildings generate the strongest positive impacts in energy and emissions; water, transport, and minerals; health and wellness; as well as other holistic sustainability features.

While it may not be the right certification for every project, the Living Building Challenge offers a chance to stretch the limits of current sustainable practices. For us to pioneer these sustainable features and practices on our own offices has meant that we can take these learnings and share them with others in the industry as well as apply them on other projects in the future.

If you’d like to learn more about our work, and the lessons we learned in taking the Living Building Challenge, you can reach out to our Adelaide team at Adelaide@arup.com.

By Virginia James, South Australia Leader, Arup