Sustainable commercial real estate developments are cropping up all over the Asia Pacific region and here Prospects features some of the best.  

These are by no means the only worthy contenders, there are dozens of others across the region. Both new and old buildings are contributing to lowering energy use and creating better working and shopping environments for Asia Pacific citizens. 

Sam Crispin, Head of Regional Sustainability and ESG at Savills Asia Pacific, says: “More and more Asia Pacific asset owners are recognising the importance of sustainability and how it helps buildings perform better as well as lessening their environmental impact.” 

One Museum Place, Shanghai 

This 250m office tower (pictured above) was completed by Hines in 2018 and has since won a number of environmental certifications and awards, including best green building at the MIPIM Asia Awards in 2019.  

As well as a host of energy-saving features, the Gensler-designed building has a pioneering air filtration and handling system, which Hines says offers the cleanest air commercially available in Shanghai. Clean air is high on the list of demands from Chinese office workers, due to the urban pollution the nation suffers. 

One Museum Place has air filtering through MERV 8 & MERV 13 filters on all HVAC equipment; a germicidal system featuring Ultra-Violet Lights, a PM2.5 indoor air quality monitoring system and a full-time indoor air quality manager on-site. 

Azabudai Hills, Tokyo 

Still under construction by Mori Building, this “city within a city” promises to be one of Tokyo’s greenest new urban areas, with 2.4 ha of green space and some lower-height buildings as well as three large towers. It will be a mixed-use development housing 3,500 people as well as providing accommodation for 20,000 office workers.  

Mori has pledged that all the electricity for the LEED Platinum-certified development will come from sustainable sources. It has also been WELL pre-certified.  

CapitaSpring, Singapore 

This 51 storey Singapore office tower has been meets ‘biophilic’ design criteria according to developer CapitaLand. It has more than 90,000 sq ft of landscaped space, planted with 80,000 plants from more than 130 species. Biophilic properties aim to increase occupant connectivity to nature using landscaping and planting as well as direct or indirect exposure to nature and are said to contribute to feelings of well-being among occupants and increase dwell time by shoppers. 

The building features a rooftop urban farm, which supplies an on-site restaurant, and a 600m cycleway, which is linked to Singapore’s Central Area cycle path network. Cyclists are also catered for with 165 bike racks and changing facilities.  

K11 Atelier King’s Road, Hong Kong 

K11 Atelier King’s Road, created by New World Developments, was the first building in the world to have achieved all Platinum levels of the WELL Building Standard Pre-certification, Hong Kong BEAM Plus Provisional Certification and the US LEED Pre-certification, with reference to relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  

The office building has more than 70 sustainability features, including nearly 70,000 sq ft of greenery on and around the building, low-e glass which reflects heat (thus easing the burden of cooling in the city’s steamy climate) and an LED lighting system which reacts to daylight. It also has rooftop solar PV. 

QV1, Perth 

Proving that sustainability is not simply the realm of the newest buildings, the QV1 office tower in Perth, Western Australia, is more than 30 years old, but won the sustainability award in the annual RICS Australia Awards for 2022. It has also been awarded the Well Core Gold rating and has a 5.5 star NABERS energy rating. 

The 40-storey office tower, owned by AXA IM – Real Assets and Investa Commercial Property Fund has had a number of energy-saving upgrades installed, including a new lift system which uses 40% less electricity, as well as more efficient lighting and building management systems.     

It also offers office workers fitness and wellness centres, the former open 24 hours to cater to flexible workers, and a number of health services. 

Further reading:
Savills APAC Sustainability & ESG Services

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Simon Smith