Six Green Stars for Sydney's Green Square

Green Square town centre in Sydney’s inner south has been awarded a 6 Star ‘Green Star — Communities’ rating by the Green Building Council of Australia. Six stars, the highest possible rating, recognises the sustainable planning, design and construction of large-scale development projects across the country. Governance, livability, economic prosperity, environment and innovation are the five categories assessed by independent sustainable development experts.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the certification recognises 15 years of dedicated work from City of Sydney staff.

“We set out to make Green Square an exemplary model for sustainable, high-density living in Sydney by embedding green infrastructure into our planning. Because of this commitment, Green Square town centre features one of Australia’s largest urban stormwater recycling schemes, as well as tree-lined, low-speed streets and extra-wide footpaths, self-watering raingardens, separated cycleways and LED streetlights,” she said.

The Lord Mayor also pointed to the 104 affordable housing units in the town centre, allowing workers to live close to their places of work, and to the $540 million infrastructure investment, which includes:

• An underground library with amphitheatre, reading garden, café, technology lab, music room and dedicated children’s area, along with an outdoor plaza for community events. The building was awarded a 5 Star ‘Green Star — Design’ rating for its wastewater system and low energy displacement ventilation system within the library bookshelves.
• Gunyama Park aquatic and recreation centre, due to open in 2020, which will be heated and powered by its own locally produced energy system.
• Green Square community and cultural precinct featuring heritage buildings that have been refurbished as a creative centre, community shed, childcare centre and green infrastructure centre.
• More than 40 parks, including large open spaces, children’s playgrounds and dozens of community pocket parks.
• A 2 km underground stormwater drain from Epsom Road in Zetland to Shea’s Creek channel in Alexandria to reduce the risk of flooding in the town centre. A water recycling plant on the former South Sydney Hospital site treats water from the drain so it can be used by thousands of residents for washing clothes, flushing toilets and in parks and gardens.
   

“In Green Square, we’ve shown that high density living can be created with environmental, social and economic sustainability in mind and this award is a fantastic recognition of our efforts,” Moore said.

Green Square’s town centre sits at the heart of one of Australia’s biggest urban renewal areas, just 3.5 km from the city centre. Including the suburbs of Beaconsfield, Zetland and parts of Rosebery, Alexandria and Waterloo, the area is set to house around 7500 residents and 8600 workers.

The City continues to work with, and advocate for, the state government to bring education, health and more public transport services to the area.

For more information on Green Square, click here.

For more information on the Green Star program, click here.

Image caption: The Joynton Avenue Creative Centre occupies heritage-listed buildings on the former South Sydney Hospital site. Image credit: ©City of Sydney/Paul Patterson.