Waterfront Auckland has released the blueprint for what is to become the country’s most sustainable precinct - Auckland’s waterfront. The Waterfront Auckland Sustainable Development Framework (SDF), which was launched at the Sustainable City Showcase on 17 October, sets out five key strategies: high performance green buildings, renewable energy, sustainable transport, exemplar projects and adaptation to change.

Some of the development expectations in the framework include a requirement for all office buildings to achieve a 5 Green Star rating and all residential developments to achieve a 7 Homestar rating as a minimum, as well as for 75 per cent of the precinct’s roof space to be covered by photovoltaic solar panels.

Waterfront Auckland Chief Executive John Dalzell said the SDF was much more than just a vision statement. “What we’re talking about here is a genuine push to create New Zealand’s most sustainable precinct. This is not all aspirations and ideal world stuff; this is tangible standards and targets that our development partners must adhere to,” he said. “The net end game will be a significant reduction in stationary energy, greenhouse gas emissions, grid electricity consumption, water demand, stormwater discharge, private vehicle travel and household operating costs, all of which will create a community that is truly resilient to change and we very much see the SDF as the driving force to achieving that.”

The first tangible illustration of the framework in action will be the next phase of the Wynyard Quarter urban regeneration, Wynyard Central, which aims to achieve international best practice and provide an exemplar for New Zealand through the creation of a low carbon precinct.

The framework is available at waterfrontauckland.co.nz