Project Overview

Hall & Wilcox’s new workplace in Newcastle West, NSW delivered a 930 m² fitout to the existing Level 11 warm shell, with open-plan flexible work settings, secure meeting rooms and a town hall area.

The workplace design ethos was for a smarter, flexible, region-centric legal workspace to support approximately 70 staff and provide stakeholder engagement zones. Key design features of the fit out included open-plan work zones, breakout/social spaces, client boardroom/event zone, strong daylight and views, timber and biophilic finishes. 

Rewild Agency supported the project team through the sustainability certification pathway, achieving 5 Star Green Star Interiors and WELL Building Standard Gold certification.

Key Services Provided

• Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP)

• WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP)

Key Initiatives to Achieve the 5-Star Green Star Rating

• Low-VOC, low-toxicity interiors specification: Specification of compliant low-VOC paints, sealants, adhesives, flooring, and composite wood, all requiring product declarations / emissions certifications and a site VOC compliance register.

• Construction and operational waste strategy: monitoring and achievement of construction waste diversion targets, with separate streams (metal, plasterboard, cardboard, commingled, e-waste), and take-back schemes for furniture/IT where possible.

• Embodied carbon–conscious materials selection: Selection of products with verified EPDs (carpet tiles, workstations, joinery substrates), with minimum recycled content thresholds, and the avoidance of high-impact finishes where lower-carbon alternatives achieved equivalent performance.

• Water-efficient fixtures and verification: Installation of WELS-rated fixtures (taps and dishwashers).

• Commissioning and tuning of tenancy systems: Post-occupancy tuning and seasonal commissioning of lighting controls, supplementary HVAC, and sensors to demonstrate performance beyond design intent.

• Indoor plants and biophilic elements: Integration of compliant indoor planting (with maintenance plan) and natural materials to support Connection to Nature and occupant wellbeing credits.

Key Initiatives to Achieve the WELL Gold Certification

• WELL Policy review: An in-depth review of all Hall & Wilcox’s national policies for compliance against the WELL Building Standards’ best practice, and assistance in the integration of recommendations to achieve WELL compliance.

• Indoor Air Quality management: Installation of Kaiterra Sensors to enable the visualisation of air quality, alongside sensing of thermal Comfort parameters. Specification of low-VOC materials throughout and the implementation of a a construction IAQ management plan, plus verification of ventilation effectiveness and filtration performance.

• Material health and transparency: Selection of products with health disclosures (e.g. low-emitting finishes, furniture with material transparency documentation) and avoiding restricted substances.

• Acoustic comfort: Management of background noise levels, reverberation times, and sound transmission between spaces through appropriate acoustic design and material selection.

Project Timeframe

• April 2022 – Jan 2023