Wynyard Central achieves Homestar 7 and 8

Willis Bond & Co.’s recently completed development – Wynyard Central – has set a new standard for sustainable living.

Wynyard Central is the first large-scale, multi-unit, residential development in New Zealand to achieve a Homestar design minimum of a 7-star rating for sustainability and energy efficiency. All homes in the development have been awarded a Homestar Built certification, with over 80% of the homes achieving an impressive 8-stars.

Designed to stand the test of time, Wynyard Central’s sustainable and passive design principles have helped craft comfortable, safe and healthy homes for many generations to come, earning the development high praise on the Homestar scale.

“The vision for Wynyard Quarter is to create a lasting waterfront community.” says Willis Bond Managing Director, Mark McGuinness.

“Willis Bond is committed to implementing considered and sustainable designs that sit harmoniously within their surroundings and benefit those who enjoy them today and those who will in the future.”

Most existing New Zealand homes sitting at 2 - 3 out of 10 on the Homestar scale, with a ‘typical’ home built to current New Zealand Building Code requirements sitting at 3 - 4 out of 10, says Paula Koller, Development Manager Waterfront at Panuku.

“Panuku is immensely proud of our partnership with Willis Bond and what we’ve been able to achieve with Wynyard Central,” says Koller.

Going forward, Wynyard Central will pay a pivotal role in the wider Wynyard Quarter ‘Smart Precinct’. Using data gathered from smart energy, water metering and building management systems, the development will provide critical environmental feedback to Panuku and their partners.

Passive design is a focus of Wynyard Central, with apartments requiring no artificial heating and cooling for 80 percent of the year and no artificial lighting in living spaces for 80 percent of annual daylight hours. 

Wynyard Central is an example of commitment to creating and enhancing communities, and a dedication to setting the tone for future New Zealand developments.

Other sustainability attributes of Wynyard Central include:

• heat-recovery ventilation systems and efficient heat-pump heating

• high standards of thermal performance, daylight and sound insulation

• high level of acoustic privacy

• 95% LED lighting

• smart metering for apartment energy and water

• solar power ready for the future installation of a photovoltaic array

• rainwater harvesting for selected homes and common uses

• WELS-rated water fixtures and ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances

• double insulated hot water cylinders

• materials are low VOC, and certified by ECNZ or another approved eco-label

• shared hybrid-powered car available for residents’ use

• bicycle parking for residents and visitors

• low-speed, shared streets and laneways for walkability and cycling

• low-impact design, rain gardens, stormwater treatment

• resilient design and adaptation to climate change

• renewal and rejuvenation of previously under-utilised land

• 70-90% of demolition and construction waste diverted from landfill

• recycling/composting facilities

• green roofs and linkages to public green space including linear park and Wynyard Common

• connection to WQ Smart precinct providing feedback on the environmental performance of the precinct

About Homestar

Homestar is a way of showing how warm, healthy and sustainable kiwi homes are. It assesses a housing development against several different categories including health and comfort, energy, water, waste and materials. Having a home on the upper end of the scale presents a more sustainable, more energy-efficient home.

Homestar provides a clear framework for home sustainability and performance. It’s comprehensive, independent, and creates homes that are healthier and more efficient than much of New Zealand’s existing housing stock.