Te Mirumiru gets Green Star status

Rob Cooper (left), Ngati Hine Early Childhood Centre chief executive, Tanya Milne, manager, and Pita Tipene outside the now award-winning building, before its official opening two years ago. Photo / John Stone

New Zealand's first commercial earth-bank building, an early childhood centre in Kawakawa, has been awarded Green Star status.

Te Mirumiru, which is owned by the Ngati Hine Health Trust, is the first 6 Green Star education building in the country.

According to New Zealand Green Building Council chief executive Alex Cutler, the innovative building is an example of world leadership in sustainable construction.

The building had a gently curved concrete structure covered by earth and grass on its roof and unglazed sides, integrating it with the landscape and paying homage to Ngati Hine's customs and history.

Ms Cutler said Te Mirumiru was not only beautiful and technically accomplished, but also proved the health and education benefits of working and learning in a green building.

Te Mirumiru's success also marked a milestone for the environmental rating scheme because it was the 100th building in New Zealand to be reach Green Star status.

Ms Cutler said Green Star buildings used, on average, 66 per cent less electricity and 50 per cent less water than their conventional counterparts.

Other newly recognised buildings were the Forte Health Building in Christchurch (4 Green Star), New Zealand's first Green Star medical centre, and the Sharp Tudhope Building in Tauranga (4 Green Star), the Bay of Plenty's first Green Star office building.

"The appetite for green buildings is growing. These three projects show the diversity of sustainable building - it's not just premium commercial space in our bigger cities. It's fantastic to mark our century with not one but three buildings that are each extraordinary, and leaders in their own way," she said.