BRAVE NEW ECO IMPACT REPORT 2023: PART 2During the first half of this year, Brave New Eco moved into our new home on Sydney Road. This is our fourth studio, sharing with our long-term studio-housemates SBLA who have come...
BRAVE NEW ECO IMPACT REPORT 2023: PART 2
During the first half of this year, Brave New Eco moved into our new home on Sydney Road. This is our fourth studio, sharing with our long-term studio-housemates SBLA who have come along for the ride again, and we plan to be here for a while! We have applied our design philosophies to this space including; reusing existing elements on site, extensive sourcing of second-hand materials and furnishings, and a healthy dose of colour. We love to take on sad old buildings with a story, and have completed an extensive fit-out and upgrades to the crumbled-down building and previous pie shop. We designed as we went, on a crazy six-week long fit-out window and made the most enjoyable, healthiest, carbon-free space we could!
SECOND HAND AND RECYCLED FIT-OUT
Use all second-hand architectural fittings including windows and interior doors.
Second-hand sinks, basins, troughs and kitchen benches.
Second-hand appliances including dishwashers, washing machines and fridges.
Used carpet offcuts.
Made use of remnant and sample tiles, tapware, fixtures and lighting.
Sourced second-hand furniture including shelving, caddies, couch, chairs, stools, side tables, drawer units.
Sourced second-hand kitchens x 2.
Salvaged granite benchtops.
Sourced vintage lead-light pendant.
Second hand cupboards and storage.
NEW MATERIALS AND FITTINGS and FURNISHINGS USED
CO2-neutral natural rubber Forbo Marmoleum flooring to the kitchenette.
Australian-made, plant-based Triexta carpet to shopfront.
Oriented strand board lining.
Polycarbonate sheeting.
Corton steel sheeting.
Live brass locally manufactured kitchen tap from Par Taps.
Locally made Laminex Olivine desks.
Remnant fabric wall hangings for sound absorption from Ace and Jig.
ENERGY USE
Our all electric studio uses 100% green power from Momentum Energy.
Onsite solar array is connected to a hybrid solar panel-powered reverse cycle heating and cooling system from Solar ACDC, to provide heating and cooling.
Designed for natural light spill through polycarbonate dividing walls and internal windows.
No gas is connected to the building.
Induction cooking to kitchens.
Draft sealing.
Added natural ventilation systems.
High-efficiency second-hand Electrolux and Fisher and Paykel appliances.
Installed new LED lighting throughout.
WATER USE
Installed low-flow tapware throughout the building.
EQUIPMENT
Our multifunction printer is made from 50% post-consumer recycled materials, has 50% reduced power consumption in Energy Saver Mode, low-melt toner technology, and the lowest Typical Electricity Consumption (TEC) values in its class.
We purchase second hand Apple equipment, and we build our PCs from discrete components, allowing parts to be upgraded as needed without having to replace the computer entirely.
EXPENDABLES
This year we created an internal tool to track how the office products we buy, and the services we use, meet our criteria for sustainability social and ethical practices.
Our toilet paper and tissues are sourced from Who Gives a Crap, a registered B-Corp, and meet 12 of the ESG+CSR metrics we are tracking.
All of our paper products are either FSC or recycled paper products.
The coffee we purchase is from a local cafe, and meets 7 of the ESG+CSR metrics we track. We use a refillable recyclable container.
Cleaning products are cruelty-free and made in Australia. Each product supports community initiatives, and 50% of the products we buy are refilled into reusable containers by us at a local store. The products meet between 9 to 13 of the ESG+CSR metrics we track.
UTILITIES
We buy green power from Australian-owned Momentum Energy.
Our internet provider is Aussie Broadband - a registered B-Corp.
Our mobile phone plan is certified carbon neutral, provided by Telstra.
WASTE AND RECYCLING
We have labelled bins to separate glass, plastic, paper and organic waste.
We collect soft plastics, e-waste, batteries and polystyrene and deliver them to local recycling centres.
SHARED RESOURCES
We co-share the studio space with our studio family, landscape architects, SBLA and share supplies such as office paper and expendable items, enabling us to limit shipping, purchase in bulk and share appliances.
CYCLING AND CARPOOLING AND TRAVEL
We have onsite secure bike racks and encourage the use of public transport, riding and even walking to our projects! We provide an annual bike tune-up to employees who ride to work more than 50% of the time and free parking to those who carpool.
