Sustainability

Barangaroo is sustainable today and for the future. It is carbon neutral and water positive, with zero waste emissions, and a place that contributes to community wellbeing. Barangaroo is Australia’s first urban precinct to be certified as carbon neutral.

Sustainability at Barangaroo is more than a commitment; it is a philosophy embedded into master planning, design, construction and Barangaroo’s day-to-day management and activities. Barangaroo was Australia’s first certified carbon neutral precinct under the Climate Active initiative. Through a combination of benchmarking, policies and innovative technology, Barangaroo sets a new Australian standard in urban renewal and sustainable construction. 

Benchmarking sustainability 

From concept to day-to-day operations, sustainability is a commitment to: 

  • reducing and offsetting all energy  
  • recycling and exporting more water than the drinking water that is imported 
  • responsibly managing waste, diverting waste from landfill and ensuring zero waste emissions 
  • providing a place that enhances community wellbeing. 

Each designer and developer involved in Barangaroo is committed to sustainable materials and practices that set up future building owners, tenants and sub-tenants to meet sustainability benchmarks. From this commitment, long-term sustainability is managed from a government to individual level. 

Carbon neutrality

Benchmark 1: Reducing and offsetting all energy used on the site.

Carbon neutrality is ensured, with: 

  • all electricity used on site offset by renewable energy generated offsite 
  • fuel used on site and for transport to and from Barangaroo offset with socially responsible carbon offsets programs based in Australia, mainly from regional NSW 
  • energy used to power public areas and an on-site wastewater recycling plant powered by the solar energy generated in Barangaroo 
  • large-scale centralised infrastructure built into service buildings, including a District Cooling Plant, embedded electricity network, recycled water treatment plant, on-site renewable energy generation and a low voltage co-generation plant 
  • cost effective and energy efficient air conditioning through the District Cooling Plant, whereby water from Sydney Harbour helps to reject heat from buildings, passing through a series of screens, filters and strainers to protect and filter out marine life then pumping through electric chillers to absorb waste heat before being returned to the harbour. 

Barangaroo is a proud climate active network member. For more information, please visit the climate active website.

Water positive

Benchmark 2: Recycling and exporting more water than the drinking water that is imported 

As a ‘water wise’ precinct, Barangaroo uses: 

  • a water treatment plant that treats wastewater and supplies non-drinking water for uses like irrigation  
  • the ability to mine the adjacent public sewer for additional recycled water 
  • extensive water storage tanks to capture rainwater across 
  • the District Cooling Plant, which avoids using drinking water to reject heat from the buildings, removing the biggest single demand for water use in conventional commercial buildings 
  • a leading-edge water re-use system for Barangaroo Reserve that captures, stores and re-uses rainwater for irrigation 
  • water efficient appliances in every building

Zero waste emissions

Benchmark 3: Responsibly managing waste, diverting waste from landfill and ensuring zero waste emissions.

Waste is managed sustainably, with:  

  • more than 80% of operational waste from residential and commercial buildings diverted from landfill 
  • all tenants and building owners obliged to use waste management contractors that responsibly handle and dispose of waste and offset emissions  
  • waste generated across all buildings sorted into 19 categories in the centralised waste storage centre. 

Community wellbeing

Benchmark 4: Providing a place that enhances community wellbeing. 

Barangaroo is a place that supports people, with:  

  • more than 50% of the site dedicated public open space (this does not include roads, laneways and footpaths) 
  • connections to Sydney’s CBD through Barangaroo Ferry Wharf, Wynyard Walk and two pedestrian bridges over Hickson Road 
  • connections to the rest of Greater Sydney with a dedicated Barangaroo Metro Station expected to open in 2024 
  • the new Wulugul Walk that forms part of the continuous urban waterfront walk from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge 
  • cultural tours that help people to understand Sydney’s First Nations and maritime history as well as contemporary First Nations culture 
  • skilled exchange programs, embedded in development agreements, that train and support people with on-site experience 
  • the Discover Barangaroo online learning portal for high school students, with a focus on history, environmental sustainability, social sustainability and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).