How is the Sydney Opera House leading the way in sustainability?

Tradies are under pressure to conform to environmental regulations whenever they carry out work, and it seems that one of the world's most famous buildings is setting the standard. The Sydney Opera House has recently been awarded a 4 Star Green Star - Performance rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), making it one of a limited few World Heritage sites to have been given the accolade.

A number of strategies and building procedures have been put in place over the years to ensure the Sydney Opera House has minimal impact on the environment. Steps have been taken to lower energy usage by over 10 per cent over the past half-decade, which has largely been achieved through environmentally friendly lighting.

Building user management has also taken centre stage, as the role of Environmental Sustainability Manager has been created to ensure all those using the Opera House are aware of the impact of their actions.

Greg McTaggart, Sydney Opera House director of building, explained that the efforts to improve standards at the site won't stop there.

"Green Star has provided an initial benchmark, but as part of our Decade of Renewal we will continue to look at ways to improve efficiency and sustainability within the GBCA's framework," Mr McTaggart noted.

"We want to ensure that the Opera House is recognised not only as one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century, but of centuries to come."

The GBCA noted earlier this year that efforts need to be made to ensure cities across the country are more resilient towards environmental changes - which includes their buildings. Improved infrastructure planning and investment are two components that will ensure this happens both now and well into the future.

Regardless of what type of project you're involved in, be sure to give Kennards Hire a call. We can provide equipment including cherry pickers and scissor lifts, ensuring your environmental project gets off on the right foot.