ASB BANK BUILDING

The'green' effort put into selecting and designing the major components of lighting and air-conditioning resulted in the 2006 Govt3 commendation award to the Ministry of Fisheries, tenants of the building.

The award recognises the building's environmentally-sound features:

• A modern responsive fan-coil HVAC system has been installed, including a new energy-efficient boiler and the replacement of the old cooling tower with a closed cooling system.
• The HVAC system is specifically designed for the floors with multi-zone controls for quick responsive changes to the environment. A BMS system has been installed to efficiently manage the HVAC system and the peak loads to the building.
• Windows can be opened so air-conditioning can be turned off at certain times of the year.
• The new ceiling supports new T5 energy-efficient, fluorescent light fittings with electronic ballasts and light-efficient reflectors. Lights are switched into zones to support the user's choice to rely on natural light in their workspace.
• The perimeter power was 'recycled', checked and upgraded.

Other 'green' upgrades to the building:

• The staircase has been upgraded with new vinyl and lighting and the security system has been upgraded to encourage people to use the stairs between the floors rather than the lifts.
• The carpet is biodegradable wool.
• Environmentally-friendly emulsion paints have been specified to reduce hydrocarbon emissions.
• Blinds have been installed by the landlord as a great way of ensuring that the solar heat gain (and hence load on the HVAC system) is kept to a minimum.