20 Nov 2017
In this series, we profile the inspirational people making sustainable buildings, cities and communities come to life. Meet Frasers Property Australia Sustainability Manager, Development, Andrew Thai.
I’m a Sustainability Manager, Development at Frasers Property, so my role is to assist in integrating sustainable design into our developments, as well as supporting our design and delivery teams to reach their Green Star aspirations.
I work closely with the design and delivery teams of our commercial, industrial and retail business units. I also work closely with the rest of the sustainability team within the business and we constantly collaborate to deliver better value to the business.
I am most proud of our industrial development for CEVA Logistics in Truganina, Victoria. The largest warehouse in the southern hemisphere, this project was recently awarded 6 Star Design & As Built v1.1 certification. It’s memorable because it challenges the current way industrial developments are designed and built and is evidence that all building types can integrate quality sustainable design.
CEVA Logistics was the first project we certified using a standard volume certification approach. Developing the volume process with the Green Building Council and adjusting our internal processes was definitely a challenge, particularly striking the right balance between time and rigour in providing evidence. This effort has paid dividends by streamlining our internal processes and integrating Green Star into our business as usual.
Green Star certification is how we prove that we are being real and delivering on our promises. It is our way of independently verifying that we have achieved meaningful sustainability outcomes for our customers.
There is always a smarter way to do things, that can enhance the experience for others – whether that is our tenants, our communities, or our environment. I get up out of bed every day with the aim to challenge how to do business as usual and to push boundaries.
My mantra is to do myself out of a job. I see this happening through the empowerment and engagement of everyone in the industry, not just sustainability professionals. My vision for a sustainable future is fairness in the way we use resources as a society and equitable access for all.