Gurrowa Place Tower 3 Student Accommodation

Change is underway at Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market. The southern site of the precinct, to be known as Gurrowa Place, will soon be home to three ultra-modern towers offering a mixture of accommodation types.

Run by student accommodation provider Scape, Gurrowa Place Tower 3 will provide up to 1,100 much-needed beds for students at Victorian universities and colleges.

The future-focused project has high sustainability aspirations targeting the most recent 5-Star Greenstar certification requirements.

SUPPORTING THE PROJECT FROM CONCEPT TO TENDER

Having previously worked on several student accommodation projects with Scape, WT was engaged to provide cost management and advisory services for Gurrowa Place Tower 3.

This included providing cost estimates from initial conceptual design to pre-tender stage and collaborating with consultants to develop high-quality, sustainable design solutions. We also prepared the bills of quantities and supported Scape throughout the tender evaluation process.

SMART METHODS TO SCRUTINISE CARBON

We also took on the challenge of measuring and managing the embodied carbon emissions of the new development. This involved reviewing and analysing the project specification, a ‘business-as-usual’ Scape specification, and the Greenstar Reference Design specification for mid-high-rise developments, to illustrate the impact that different specifications can have on a development’s environmental footprint.

We reviewed, analysed and compared a significant amount of data to draw conclusions about the likelihood of the project meeting its green certifications. This included using BIM modelling to check various concrete structures and volumes for accurate carbon assessment.

The approach we took was carefully selected to ensure that our client can demonstrate to certifying bodies that the environmental impact of their project has been appropriately and accurately examined. It may also enable our client to provide greater confidence to contractors.

AIMING FOR THE (GREEN) STARS – AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Our team’s resourcefulness, determination and analytical approach made it possible for Scape to gain a clear understanding of the building’s sustainability position. We were able to confirm that the ‘as-designed’ structure has embodied carbon levels below Scape’s previous benchmarks and is on track towards achieving the credits required for Greenstar.

Gurrowa Place Tower 3 is a beacon for Scape’s determination to be a leader in climate action. Students will be able to sleep easy, knowing that their accommodation has been designed with the future of the planet in mind.