29 Aug 2024
Ōtau Ridge, the first retirement village in Aotearoa to be registered under Green Star Communities, marks a significant advancement in sustainable development.
This registration highlights a project poised to deliver notable social and environmental outcomes, recently profiled by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) as a case study.
Ōtau Ridge is a low-density retirement village in East Auckland designed with sustainability at its core. It features 122 villas—38 of which, in Stage One, are targeting Homestar 7 ratings. Additionally, the village includes a 41-bed care facility offering rest home and hospital-level care, which targets a 6 Green Star rating. The development also boasts a clubhouse, pool pavilion, wellness centre, and a redeveloped historic cottage (circa 1870) for community integration.
As the Master Planner and Landscape Architect for Ōtau Ridge, Studio Pacific is playing a key role in the project’s sustainability achievements. Our work has helped secure credits for the Green Star Communities framework. The landscape design promotes native plantings to enhance biodiversity, incorporates water-sensitive urban design to manage stormwater sustainably, and creates outdoor spaces that encourage social interaction and physical activity among residents.
We have worked closely with Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki (mana whenua) throughout the design process embedding kaitiakitanga as one of the key design principles for the village, resulting in significant ecological enrichment along Te Wairoa Awa and more broadly with native amenity planting throughout the village.
By combining innovative design with sustainable practices, this project not only provides a high-quality living environment for its residents but also serves as a model for future developments. Studio Pacific is proud to have contributed to this visionary project and looks forward to its positive impact on both the community and the environment.
Sustainability at the Heart of Design
The design and delivery of Ōtau Ridge aligns with the five impact categories used to assess Green Star Communities:
+ Governance: Strong leadership and community engagement were pivotal throughout the project.
+ Liveability: The village promotes healthy living with features such as pathways, pocket parks, and cycle facilities.
+ Economic Prosperity: The project supports local employment and skills development.
+ Environment: Initiatives include a climate change adaptation plan, waste reduction during construction, light pollution reduction to enhance the local ecosystem, and a residential recycling system.
+ Innovation: Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) were undertaken to evaluate the environmental impacts of building materials and processes.
Studio Pacific is proud to be a part of the collaborative effort delivering Ōtau Ridge. Other key contributors include: Metlifecare, Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki (mana whenua), eCubed Building Workshop Ltd., Designgroup Stapleton Elliot (villas), Foley Group (clubhouse/care facility), GJ Gardner Homes (villas), Gibson O’Connor Construction (clubhouse/care facility), Civil Plan (civil engineers), and Mesh Consulting.
About Green Star Communities
Green Star Communities is a comprehensive rating tool designed for communities, precincts, and neighbourhoods. It aims to create lower-carbon, more human-centric, and healthier living environments by thoroughly assessing planning, design, and construction.
This tool provides a rigorous evaluation across five key categories: Governance, Liveability, Environment, Economic Prosperity, and Innovation. The certification process spans three years from registration to completion.
The primary goals are to reduce a development’s ecological footprint, recognise its commitment to sustainability, and promote productivity and prosperity. Moreover, Green Star Communities aligns with the globally recognised United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), supporting projects on their journey to net-zero emissions.
In Aotearoa, eight projects are currently registered under the Green Star Communities framework. These include both brownfield and greenfield residential developments, ranging from reconfigured city suburbs to new sustainable satellite towns.
Ōtau Ridge is projected to attain its Green Star Communities certification by 2028.
An artist's impression of Ōtau Ridge, the first retirement village in Aotearoa to be registered under Green Star Communities.
Artist's impression of the Village Garden at Ōtau Ridge.