Assemble Futures deliver sustainable living at 4 Ballarat Street, Brunswick

The team worked together to ensure best practice waste and sustainability targets were in place at the 171-residence development
Assemble Futures deliver sustainable living at 4 Ballarat Street, Brunswick
4 Ballarat St, Brunswick balcony. Image supplied
Max KwokSeptember 12, 2021

4 Ballarat St is the latest collaboration between developer Assemble and environmental design consultants Atelier Ten.

The team worked together to ensure best practice waste and sustainability targets were in place at the 171-residence development.

“We have introduced some sustainable solutions throughout the building to reduce our environmental impact and enhance the quality of life of our future residents”, Rebecca Shackleton, Director of Relationships and Marketing at Assemble, said.

Inspired by the history of Brunswick and its unique spirit of inclusivity, progress and opportunity, 4 Ballarat St follows a clear set of design principles to ensure natural light, cross-flow ventilation, and connection to landscaping and open space.

The homes, while also offering a more accessible pathway to homeownership through the ‘rent with the option to buy’ Assemble Futures scheme, are fully electric and run on 100 per cent renewable energy.

4 Ballarat St also includes its own green spaces, with landscaping by Rush Wright Associates to include lush entrance gardens, native tropical plants and communal landscaped space.

The development also aims to close the loop on waste through an onsite bio-composter.

Around half of all waste generated in homes is food waste, so as part of Assemble’s wider organic waste management strategy, residents of 4 Ballarat St can contribute to the health and wellbeing of the land beneath them.

The onsite bio-composter will use microbial technology and heat to reduce organic waste volumes by up to 90 per cent in 24 hours, essentially turning harmful food waste into valuable fertiliser.

Residents can then use the fertiliser to enhance the soil in their rooftop veggie gardens or give it away to local community gardens and environmentally-conscious family and friends.

Other green features in this new development include:

  • Rooftop Solar PV energy generation and distribution system to achieve up to 45kW on-site renewable energy
  • Provision for car sharing and electric vehicle charging facilities
  • Generous bike storage
  • Minimum 7.5 NatHERS rating on average
  • Exposed concrete soffit to provide thermal mass to help regulate internal temperature
  • Highly efficient heating and cooling reverse cycle system as well as ceiling fans
  • Full height double-glazing to balconies for views out and daylight penetration
  • Communal laundry and clotheslines to encourage lower energy use
  • Low VOC materials used throughout design
  • Sustainable water management through re-use and recycling of stormwater to toilets and secret landscapes

Max Kwok

Max Kwok is a staff contributor at urban.com.au. Based in Sydney, Max has previously worked at Property Observer where he specialised in content creation and editorial research.

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