Paint and coatings manufacturer Rockcote has won the United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day Awards’ Green Building Award for its design centre in Queensland.
Rockcote took home the Szencorp Green Building Award for its headquarters which fuses features of sustainability and innovation.
Rockcote managing director, Bob Cameron, said the ‘green building’ accolade was awarded to the company’s
1000m2, single storey design building, which acts as both a warehouse and showroom for Rockcote’s products, which include environmentally friendly paint, energy efficient walling systems, coloured renders and high performance membrane coatings.
The Rockcote building boasts impressive environmentally sustainable credentials such as zero Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paints and finishes, complete water self sufficiency, a worm farm, compost systems, photovoltaic panels for energy generation and recycled and renewable materials.
Staff pick organic herbs from the onsite permaculture garden and grow their own flowers and vegetables. Environmental education is also high on the agenda with monthly site tours for the general public and ‘on request’ tours for university students, school students, architects, designers and overseas delegations.
Award sponsor Szencorp was the first company in Australia to retrofit an inefficient, typical suburban office block into Australia’s highest rated sustainable building. Its multi-award winning Szencorp Building at 40 Albert Road in South Melbourne has achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating for design and 5 Star NABERS ratings for energy and water performance.
Rockcote’s Dry Mix Plant in Yandina, Queensland, won the highly commended award in the Mining, Minerals and Exploration category at the recent PACE magazine Zenith Awards in Sydney.