Steaming towards sustainability
Excess energy from the powerful boilers that run the CUB Brewery in Abbotsford are being retasked to meet the energy needs of a nearby office building, turning it into a hub of environmental sustainability and design.
The former art deco-era headquarters of Kodak and CUB will be transformed from a zero NABERS-rated building into a carbon neutral precinct, courtesy of this alternative energy source and an extensive retrofit.
"We are in a really unique position - with the brewery and its existing co-generation infrastructure - to begin establishing a renewal energy community utility, which will the first of its kind in Australia," said John Shone, chief executive of environmental research and education group Kunexion.
Kunexion, along with non-profit partner and sponsor Yarra Energy Foundation, have big plans for this type of cooperative model, with the FFHQ project set to be a "test lab" of cutting edge thinking as part of a much larger plan to make the City of Yarra carbon neutral by 2020.
"This is part of the Yarra Energy Foundation's strategy to establish a municipal style community utility and renewable energy business based around six industry districts in the City of Yarra," Mr Shone said. "We happen to have six large boiler rooms in our municipality that already generate electricity, hot water and heating and cooling for their host operation, be it a brewery, hospital, university or laundry. So we're able to use, quite ironically, infrastructure from the 1840s - i.e. the steam engine - to generate renewable energy today."
Kunexion recently signed the master lease for the five-level building on Southampton Crescent, which is owned by Perth-based developer Wyllie Group.
A leasing campaign has begun to fill the 8000 square metre space, but it's not everyday office users who will get to become tenants.
The 200 sq m to 1600 sq m spaces will be offered only to businesses that profess a dedication to the co-generation and carbon neutral concept.
The anticipated tenancies should include a major energy retailer/generator, sustainability engineers, architects, designers, consultants and financial modellers, along with advanced bio-tech and research and development firms.
The leasing campaign is being handled by Kelly & Kelly and Gross Waddell.
Achieving a carbon neutral target is likely to take three to five years.
"We are more interested in year one, two and three, in learning to live and work together and to use the intelligence of the tenants to look at the best way to retrofit this 1928 art deco building," Mr Shone said. "We're not rushing towards the retrofit. This place is a test lab."
cvedelago@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The FFHQ project will convert the former Kodak/CUB art deco headquarters in Abbotsford into a carbon‑neutral precinct by retasking excess energy from the CUB Brewery's powerful boilers, carrying out an extensive retrofit and using co‑generation infrastructure to meet the building's heating, hot water and electricity needs.
Environmental research group Kunexion is leading the project with non‑profit sponsor Yarra Energy Foundation. The five‑level building is owned by Perth developer Wyllie Group, and the leasing campaign is being handled by Kelly & Kelly and Gross Waddell. The CUB Brewery provides the excess boiler energy that will be reused.
Excess energy from the brewery's boilers and existing co‑generation infrastructure will be retasked to supply electricity, heating and hot water to the neighbouring office building—essentially using industrial steam and co‑generation systems to create a local renewable energy community utility.
Spaces of 200–1,600 sqm will be offered only to businesses committed to the co‑generation and carbon‑neutral concept. Anticipated tenants include major energy retailers/generators, sustainability engineers, architects, designers, consultants, financial modellers, and advanced bio‑tech and R&D firms.
Project organisers expect achieving a carbon neutral target to take roughly three to five years, with an early focus on learning in years one to three and using tenant input to guide the retrofit process.
Kunexion calls the building a 'test lab' because the team plans to learn how tenants can live and work together, use their expertise to determine the best retrofit approaches for the 1928 art deco structure, and proceed deliberately rather than rushing into the retrofit.
In this context it refers to a municipal‑style cooperative model that links existing industrial energy sources—like brewery, hospital or university boiler rooms—into a local utility that supplies electricity, heating and hot water across an industry district, with the goal of creating a first‑of‑its‑kind renewable energy community utility in Australia.
The project is being positioned as a hub of environmental sustainability and design, targeting tenants committed to carbon‑neutral operations. That specialised green focus and the use of on‑site co‑generation could make the building more attractive to investors and tenants seeking sustainable, energy‑efficient commercial space.
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