Located at 110 Unity Drive in Mount Duneed within the City of Greater Geelong, the POA Banyul Community Hub is a thoughtfully designed development that brings together childcare, health and community services within a high-performing, sustainable environment.
Designed by Perkins Architects and delivered by Fairbrother Construction, the project has successfully achieved 5 Star Green Star certification for both Design and As-Built stages — reflecting a strong commitment to sustainability from concept through to completion.
A Performance-Led Approach to Green Star
SUHO played a central role in guiding the project through its Green Star journey, leading the Design submission and providing ongoing ESD advisory throughout delivery.
At Design stage, the project secured 64 Green Star points, demonstrating a clear and credible pathway to certification. This early success was underpinned by detailed modelling, coordinated documentation, and close collaboration with the broader project team.
As the project progressed into construction, SUHO continued to support the delivery team — working closely with Fairbrother Construction to manage compliance tracking, review documentation, and ensure all required evidence was captured for the As-Built submission. This continuity helped maintain alignment between design intent and built outcome, ultimately securing final certification.
Designing for Performance and Community
The Banyul Community Hub reflects a holistic approach to sustainability — balancing environmental performance with occupant comfort and community value.
Key initiatives include:
- A high-performance building envelope, incorporating strong insulation and thermal mass
- Optimised orientation and glazing, reducing heat gain and improving energy efficiency
- Natural ventilation via operable louvres, minimising reliance on mechanical systems
- Energy-efficient VRV HVAC and lighting systems
- A large rooftop solar PV system, offsetting operational energy demand
- Rainwater harvesting and reuse, supporting water efficiency
- Use of low VOC materials, enhancing indoor air quality
- Electric vehicle charging and cyclist facilities, encouraging sustainable transport
- Smart metering systems for ongoing energy and water monitoring
- Dedicated waste and recycling facilities
Resilience and Collaboration at the Core
Beyond performance, the project responds thoughtfully to its local context. Design strategies addressing flood resilience and water management ensure the building is equipped to perform under changing environmental conditions.
Equally important was the collaborative approach taken by the design and construction teams. Early alignment on sustainability targets, combined with consistent communication throughout delivery, enabled the project to meet its certification goals without compromising design quality or buildability.
Delivering Lasting Value
The POA Banyul Community Hub demonstrates how integrated ESD strategy and Green Star certification can support the delivery of buildings that are not only environmentally responsible, but also practical, resilient and deeply connected to their community.
SUHO is proud to have supported the project from design through to completion, helping to translate sustainability ambition into measurable, certified outcomes.
