Media Release
Call to mandate sustainable office buildings
85% of Australian office space is not sustainable, that’s the disturbing claim by
internationally renowned architect, Professor Steffen Lehmann.
While governments and progressive companies try to move to sustainable developments,
existing office buildings are based on old technologies, which are heavy consumers of our
finite resources.
“We can’t expect to become a more sustainable society, while our cities are dominated by
old, inefficient, carbon hungry office buildings” said Steffen Lehmann, Professor of
Sustainable Design, University of South Australia.
In most EU countries, building owners are required by legislation to meet minimum,
measurable energy efficiency ratings.
“We need to do the same thing here” Professor Lehmann said.
“It’s all very well expecting new office buildings to be more sustainable, but it’s taken
centuries for our modern cities to evolve, and with climate change we can’t wait centuries
to convert them,” Professor Lehmann said.
Building owners and developers think it will cost too much to do a “green refit” of an
existing office building but with the right technology, it’s not only cost-effective, it cuts
operating costs and provides better financial returns for the building owners.”
“Being Green can be a win-win proposition!” Professor Lehmann said.
Professor Lehmann said it is time the community looked at the true environmental cost of
these existing buildings, and it’s time developers and building owners looked at the
potential return on a green investment.
Professor Steffen Lehmann, is the Keynote speaker at the Profitable Sustainability in
Property (PSiP) conference in Sydney next month. See the conference program at-
For Conference infomation, or to arrange an interview or visit a green refit building, please
contact:
Kathy Bowlen, 0421 192 610
NEWS 
