The Pixel Building in Carlton, Melbourne has received the world’s highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating from the US Green Building Council.

Developer Grocon built Pixel in conjunction with sustainability consultants Umow Lai and architects studio505.

Grocon chief executive Officer Daniel Grollo said the rating followed a perfect score from the Green Building Council of Australia and proved Pixel was at the forefront of green buildings internationally.

“There are over 44,000 buildings in 120 countries around the world that have used the LEED rating system and in scoring 105 points out of a possible 110, Pixel has now surpassed all of them,” he said.

Shane Esmore, Umow Lai Director and Head of the Sustainability team, said. “Pixel has also outscored the previous highest performing LEED building by a massive 10 points.

“The Pixel project demonstrates how excellence and innovation can push the boundaries of sustainable design, and while it may be only a small building, its impact will be felt on the design of other office buildings not only in Australia but around the world.”

Pixel is a four-level building with a striking façade. Carbon neutral and water balanced, the building contains an impressive array of sustainable design technology and innovation, including wind turbines on the roof and fixed and tracking solar panels.

studio505’s directors Dylan Brady and Dirk Zimmermann said Pixel was the culmination of a wealth of ideas, vision and innovation in design, architecture and sustainability.

“The capacity to collaborate with like-minded individuals thinking ‘outside the square’ has been key in the successful delivery of Pixel and in ensuring its achievement of 105 LEED points,” they said.

“studio505’s involvement at Pixel included the research and development of the ‘Living Edge’ reed beds, creating shading and treating grey water collected from the building, as well as providing personal greenery to every office floor.

“The colourful panelised façade is complex and based on not only aesthetics but also science, to allow maximum daylight, shade, views and glare control, whilst creating the building’s identity.”

Umow Lai developed many of the innovative technologies that have helped Pixel surpass all current sustainable commercial developments, providing a benchmark for the office of the future.

Shane Esmore also said Grocon and Umow Lai intend to apply some of the technology used in the building for future developments.

The two companies have already begun a further collaboration on another carbon neutral building in Sydney, Legion House, that is seeking to break further ground in sustainable building design.

Daniel Grollo said Pixel has notched up some impressive achievements since its completion in 2010.

As well as receiving a perfect score as a 6 Star Green Star building from the Green Building Council of Australia, it has won the prestigious Banksia Award, a Melbourne Award and the BPN Sustainability Award and a host of other industry accolades both locally and internationally for its sustainability and design achievements.

LEED is a system developed by the US Green Building Council for certifying the greenest performing buildings in the world, providing building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

Architecture & Design Team

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