At the heart of Erben’s Principles is a genuine dedication to reducing the environmental impact of our projects: we believe that we have a moral obligation to anchor each of our developments with sustainability practices that contribute to a better future for people and the planet.
We are aligned with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) – an indication of our assurance that all Erben projects will be independently certified to meet a minimum 5-star rating under the Green Star program, which defines Australian excellence in property development.
We pride ourselves on unique designs that are not only aesthetically beautiful but also incorporate a suite of sustainability features, using clever design to deliver buildings that are greener, cost less to live in, and deliver a better quality of life for residents.
“Sustainability is ingrained in Erben’s identity. Our developments demonstrate that it’s possible to blend affordability and sustainability without compromising on luxury,” Erben Managing Director Luke Reinecke said.
“Sustainability is integral to every brief we provide to our architects – from water and energy efficiency to material selection and other initiatives, it is considered throughout every stage of every project to ensure optimum environmental performance from the ground up.”
“We recognise that while our buyers are of course looking for an apartment that looks great and offers the lifestyle features they’re looking for, sustainability has to be central to the finished product – it’s an essential part of their purchasing decision.”
Erben provides buyers with confidence that the development they are investing in meets sustainability standards through its alignment with GBCA and independent Green Star accreditation. Green Star is Australia’s leading measure of sustainability in the design, construction and performance of buildings and communities, benchmarked against international standards.
Sustainability features included in developments and recognised through Green Star certification include high quality windows to maximise passive heating and cooling, solar-boosted centralised heat-pump hot water plants and home energy and water metering systems to allow residents to track their water and energy use.
Erben also provides sustainable transport options for residents at select developments, including shared-use electric cars and bicycles, and electric vehicle charging points.
Not only are buyers asking questions around sustainability as part of their purchase consideration process, they are also realising the tangible benefits of living in an environmentally conscious building. In addition to the quantifiable benefit of lower costs associated with water savings and energy usage, residents are also experiencing the health and wellbeing impacts of measures such as greater natural light and ventilation.
Renowned architect David Krantz has more than 50 years of experience in apartment design and is a current resident at Erben’s Treehouse Apartments. He has experienced firsthand the benefits that sustainable design delivers.
David cites several features at Treehouse that make the design special, including clever building ventilation and elements to ensure energy conservation, an aspect that affords different light in summer and winter, and a balanced sense of privacy and connection to outdoor surroundings made possible through high windows.
“It’s great that developers and architects are now incorporating green design and being innovative with energy conservation,” David said.
“It’s becoming more important to people now that the footprint of these buildings is minimised, and good design can achieve this. The design of this building (Treehouse) has also made clever use of fresh ventilation and air flow, as well as making sure there is a real connection to the outside.”
At Erben’s multi award-winning Cirque project in Mount Pleasant, the difference we are making to minimise environmental impact is tangible and measurable. Using the sustainability framework developed by the GBCA, Cirque’s certified sustainability initiatives equate to a reduction in lifecycle carbon of 44 per cent – the equivalent of removing 200 cars off the road per year for the project’s entire design life, for a project of Cirque’s size – and total water savings equivalent of six Olympic sized swimming pools per year.
Cirque was the first development of its type in WA to achieve a 5 Star Green Star design rating as determined by the GBCA – further Testament to Erben’s commitment to sustainability.
“We are excited to continue working with our design and build partners to push the boundaries when it comes to providing liveable and luxurious homes that have the lowest possible impact on the environment,” Mr Reinecke said.
“We will always ensure our designs can deliver on providing the optimal lifestyle for inhabitants and incorporate sustainability as a key priority as we pursue a pathway for all of our buildings to be carbon neutral.”
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