Dexus managed Tauranga shopping, dining, and entertainment hub Bayfair Shopping Centre has been at the forefront of shopping centre sustainability in New Zealand for the past 20 years – and now the centre’s work has been certified with a 4 Star Green Star Performance rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council.

Since the introduction of the internationally recognised sustainability rating system to New Zealand in 2007, more than 250 new building projects have gained Green Star certification.

Bayfair is now the first shopping centre in the country to achieve a coveted 4-star rating for its sustainable operation, signifying best practice.

“Shopping centres are vital touchpoints for the local community so it is a great opportunity to show our shoppers how sustainability can be done and raise awareness of its benefits,” Bayfair Shopping Centre centre manager Steve Ellingford.

Bayfair installed greywater and rainwater harvesting systems, reducing dependence on mains water by over 50 per cent, demonstrating a foresighted approach to conserving this precious resource. Photo supplied.

“We know sustainability is important to our shoppers and we are pleased to be able to demonstrate our performance by benchmarking our energy and water efficiency along with many other key initiatives.”

“Our sustainability aspiration is to unlock the potential of real assets to create lasting positive impact and a more sustainable tomorrow,” Dexus head of sustainability, Ramana James.

“The success of Bayfair Shopping Centre rating recognises ongoing management initiatives at Bayfair, including an accredited Environmental Management System plan, procuring non-hazardous cleaning products, conducting regular procurement audits of contractors and raising staff awareness of the sustainable procurement policy through training sessions.”

“It was great working with Bayfair Shopping Centre Team on their successful rating and seeing the amazing sustainability initiatives underway,” says NZGBC Business development manager – existing buildings, Bobby Shen.

“The Green Star Performance framework provides managers with a certified benchmark to verify the impact of their initiatives and assess how they can improve the experience for customers, visitors and staff.

“Our independent third-party assessors were impressed by the submission and the work put into this building to lessen its environmental impact.

The 440-seat food court showcases best practices with a waste diversion system that has been in operation for almost two decades, diverting 56 per cent of waste from landfill annuall. Photo supplied.

“A huge congratulations to all involved, it’s a fantastic achievement.”

Bayfair’s management has been innovative in ways to reduce the centre’s environmental impact.

With initiatives such as encouraging alternative transport through coordinating ridesharing, EV charging, access to bike end-of-trip facilities and sponsoring and supporting the ‘Wednesday Challenge’ – a point-based system encouraging and rewarding people for ditching their cars in favour of other means of transport.

The 440-seat food court demonstrates best practice with a unique operation to manage and divert waste from landfill.

There are no customer waste bins in the food court, instead, the food court team collects and sorts 100 per cent of the customer waste generated.

This helps divert waste from landfill and reduces recycling contamination, further increasing the diversion rate to 56 per cent.

Bayfair Shopping Centre continues to invest in progressive sustainability practices setting new standards for large retail formats and public spaces across New Zealand.

This achievement supports the investment of co-owners Dexus Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund and Fisher Funds in sustainable solutions.

Bayfair is encouraging alternative transport through coordinating ridesharing, EV charging, access to bike end-of-trip facilities and sponsoring and supporting the ‘Wednesday Challenge’. Photo supplied.