Ed.Square awarded a 6 Star Green Star rating.
Sustainability at the heart of new south west Sydney community.
Ed.Square, Frasers Property Australia’s game-changing community in south west Sydney, has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, meaning the new community is a world leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Nestled between the Blue Mountains in the west, Royal National Park in the east, and with over six hectares of open space including an expansive Central Park, Ed.Square is all about close connections to nature.
The community is entirely walkable, with a variety of green pocket parks, walkways, 3.5 kilometres of cycle paths and the neighbouring Edmondson Park regional parklands within easy reach for residents. Ed.Square Town Centre will be within 400 metres of each home, connecting residents by foot.
Nigel Edgar, General Manager – Residential NSW, Frasers Property Australia says the 6 Star Green Star Communities rating recognises the connections at play at Ed.Square, between people and place.
“Ed.Square introduces to south west Sydney a new model of community connection, with a choice of homes and shared spaces to enhance connections between neighbours and their environment,” says Mr Edgar.
“This rating is a testament to the planning and design of Ed.Square to provide diverse and affordable housing choices in an inclusive, well-connected and healthy place to live, work and play.”
The 6 Star Green Star Communities rating has been achieved on the back of a range of environmental initiatives integrated in the Ed.Square masterplan:
- Water wise: Every home has been designed to feature dual plumbing, allowing the supply of both potable and reclaimed water. Water efficient fixtures will save water and water sensitive planting is woven through the community.
- Solar energy: A large-scale solar photovoltaic system has been installed on the shopping centre roof and on the roofs of the new homes. With certified carbon offsets, carbon neutral power generated on site will be delivered to tenants and residents at Ed.Square.
- Geothermal heating and cooling: For residents, a geothermal system operates like a conventional air-conditioning system. It uses the constant temperature of the ground to heat and cool as opposed to an external condenser and fan, which is subject to fluctuating air temperatures outside. It means the heating and cooling system has much less work to do, saving energy.
- Designed to reduce the heat island effect: The heat island effect occurs in spaces that become unnaturally warm due to tree removal and the prevalence of dark coloured surfaces like asphalt in our urban environment. At Ed.Square, this effect is mitigated with 50 per cent of the community landscaped with trees and cool materials that lower air and surface temperatures.
- Electric vehicle enabled: Every terrace and townhome at Ed.Square will support car-charging outlets via the home’s power board, with a series of ready-to-use electric car charging bays in the designated apartment parking areas and the retail parking stations.
- Recycling focus: During construction over 90 per cent of waste is being recycled across the site.
In addition to the many environmental initiatives, the Ed.Square masterplan encompasses a host of social sustainability initiatives to ensure it’s a healthy and inclusive place to live well into the future.
Frasers Property will invest in the provision of daily exercise classes freely available to all residents in the Central Park. Additionally, a dedicated Community Development Officer will welcome new residents and organise community events, with a Community Committee set up to encourage residents to be actively involved in planning the community activities they’d like to see.
Ed.Square is also delivering a major economic boost to the local community, supporting local jobs and integrating new infrastructure for generations to come. The development is expected to generate approximately 3,500 jobs, including 2,500 jobs created during construction and 1,000 ongoing employment opportunities in Ed,Square Town Centre.
Ed.Square will be one of Sydney’s most walkable communities. Ed.Square Town Centre is within 400 metres of all homes, and parks and bushland are dotted through and around the community to encourage walking and community connections. The community will offer a variety of home styles and floorplans across 991 apartments, and 893 terraces and townhomes, set amongst more than six hectares of open space.
The opening of Stage 1 of Ed.Square Town Centre is on track for the second half of 2020, when the first residents move in. It will comprise approximately 25,000 square metres of retail space, with a full-line Coles supermarket, a Liquorland store and Event Cinemas complex. On completion of Stage 2, of up to an additional 15,000 square metres, the development will comprise up to 40,000 square metres of retail space with over 120 shops.
Like the wider community, Ed.Square Town Centre will be at the cutting-edge of sustainability.
The energy needs of Ed.Square Town Centre will be provided by Real Utilities, Frasers Property’s renewable energy retailing business, through an on-site embedded energy network that will generate energy via a large solar array. Real Utilities will procure any surplus energy required for the Town Centre from offsite renewable energy sources.
Ed.Square will be serviced by convenient bus and train links to Parramatta and Sydney CBD, with easy access to Sydney’s main roads and Western Sydney Airport. It is a 45-minute train journey from Edmondson Park railway station to Central Station.
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