Built: collaboration and big ambitions are key to great office refurb results

The most important part of achieving great outcomes is collaboration, according to Built national sustainability manager Joe Karten.

On a recent refurbishment project for a global ride share platform in the Sydney CBD, Joe says the company took a close early look at all the options and worked closely with the Uber team to make sure there was an excellent understanding of what furniture and other elements could be reused.

Sustainability is key, he says. “Our approach to maximising resource recovery on defits is underpinned by a broader sustainability ethos.

“We look for opportunities to deliver positive outcomes, beyond the industry standard environmental rating tool requirements.”

It’s an approach that’s paying off. It’s driven the company to exceed Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) ratings above the agreed contractual obligations on 10 major projects in the last five years, including Green Star, LEED and WELL ratings.

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And in FY17 Built exceeded its own target of an average 85 per cent recycling and achieved 98 per cent of construction and demolition waste recycled.

To achieve these outcomes you need be smart, Joe says. You need to find better ways to design deliver and build.

A good starting point is quality. “We look at high quality finishes and furniture that will last and that people tend to reuse.”