Darling Quarter is unique for its precinct wide social and environmentally sustainable initiatives. The buildings have been Certified 6 Star Green Star – Office Design v2, and the first buildings to achieve 6 Star Green Star – Office As Built v3. The buildings and their fit-out is capable of achieving a 72% reduction in carbon emissions in operation compared to the average performance of a typical existing office building.
The main energy efficient elements in the buildings were:
•    Maximising daylight and external views while protecting against glare;
•    Minimising heat gains during hot periods;
•    Minimising heat loss during cold periods;
•    Allowing passive cooling through natural ventilation / mixed mode operation to specific zones (perimeter meeting rooms);
•    Combinations of different shading devices to assist with peak cooling loads;
•    Low energy chilled beams and low volume conditioned primary air distribution systems for cooling;
•    A central air handling unit provides 100% outdoor air to the spaces based on occupancy;
•    Reduced energy associated with lighting is via improved daylight quality;
•    Perimeter lighting can be dimmed to benefit from high levels of daylight;
•    All fluorescent luminaires incorporate high frequency electronic ballasts, with low brightness semi specular diffusers;
•    Internal staircases and bridges encourage inter-tenancy movements in preference to lifts;
•    A combination of photovoltaic cells and a tri-Generation system provides electricity, cooling, heat for hot water and heat for winter heating;
•    Rain water is collected, treated and used for landscape irrigation and also sent to the public domain for landscape irrigation and make-up water for the civic water feature;
•    The sewer mining and black water treatment system has been installed to treat and recycle 100% of black water generated by the buildings and additional effluent from the sewer, meeting 90% of the cooling tower, toilet flush and irrigation water needs annually, saving 52,000,000 litres of potable water that otherwise would have to be used.
The buildings result in high energy efficiency for their operation, providing lower running costs, lower greenhouse emissions, lower consumption of grid electricity, lower consumption of town water, high comfort levels for the occupants, high level of natural light. This is a worthy winner.