The City of Greater Geelong has been awarded a coveted 6-Star NABERS waste rating for the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct located at 137-149 Mercer Street Geelong.
The 6-Star certification makes Wurriki Nyal the second building in Victoria and the first among local governments across Australia to achieve the market leading 6-Star waste management rating.
The NABERS Waste Rating Report for the period of 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 showed the total weight of all waste going to landfill was 3.09 tonnes and the total of recycled waste that avoided going to landfill was 7.21 tonnes.
NABERS the National Australian Built Environment Rating System is a widely recognised and reliable sustainability measurement system for the built environment.
Similar to efficiency star ratings for household appliances NABERS assigns ratings from one to six stars across key efficiency categories including Energy Water Waste and Indoor Environment.
This enables building owners to benchmark their performance against comparable buildings facilitating informed decisions for ongoing improvements and cost savings.
Greater Geelong Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken
The achievement of a 6-Star waste rating for Wurriki Nyal reflects the City's commitment to environmental responsibility and leadership in sustainable development.
Geelong is a designated UNESCO City of Design and we are proud that Wurriki Nyal has established itself as a benchmark in building sustainability and has set a new standard for others to follow.
Councillor Peter Murrihy Chair of the Environment and Circular Economy portfolio
As a community we need to be clever and creative with managing resources to reduce the waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Achieving a 6-Star NABERS certification is a testament to the City's vision of being a leader in sustainable urban development.
In 2023 the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct was also awarded a 6-Star Green Star Design and As Built v1.2 certified rating (the highest rating) by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) making it one of the most sustainable local government buildings in the country.
The name Wurriki Nyal (WUU-ruh-kih nee-YAHL) comes from Wadawurrung words meaning "speak and talk together" and was decided through close engagement with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.
Constructed in 2022 the 10 050 square metre building comprises five office levels a ground floor customer service area and end-of-trip facilities and a lower ground secure carpark.
One initiative by City Officers to reduce the building’s waste is a shared reusable cup and container system for employees so they can avoid using takeaway coffee cups and food packaging.
There is also a recycling station located on the ground floor for residents to recycle household items including X-rays eyeglasses plastic lids batteries CD/DVDs and small e-waste.