Australia’s First Carbon Neutral Building is Now Complete!

No, this is not a rendering, do not adjust your screen. This crazy building is a real live structure and it's also Australia's very first carbon neutral building. Recently completed, the Pixel Building is an office building located on the former CUB Brewery site in Melbourne. Scoring a perfect 105 points on the Australia's Green Star rating system, the office building designed by Studio505 is an amazing example of what is possible in terms of energy efficiency, renewable energy, water collection, waste reduction and green roofs. Capable of collecting all of its own water and generating all of its own energy, the funky, colorful pixelated building is totally self-sustaining.

Pixel is a ‘Future Office’ – a prototype for commercial buildings that produce their own power and collect their own water for a future carbon constrained world. The four story building is home to developer and construction group Grocon who wants Pixel to serve as an example for their other projects. The project achieved a perfect score of 100 through the Green Star rating system and earned an extra five points for innovation for achieving carbon neutrality and including a vacuum toilet system, the anaerobic digestion system and reduced car parking. The developer is also targeting USGBC’s LEED certification as well as the UK’s BREEAM rating system to prove how well designed their building is.

The office building includes a native-planted green roof that harvests and collects rainwater. Based on historical rainfall, the building is capable of harvesting all the water it needs inside the office, making this building water neutral as well. Energy efficient design, which includes the use of the pixelated shade screen facade, double glazed windows, daylighting and natural ventilation minimize the need for energy. Meanwhile, solar panels and vertical axis wind turbines on the roof generate enough energy to offset the building’s electricity use. The Pixel Building’s vibrant facade gives it a unique identity and sets it apart from the neighboring structures, and its super sustainable strategies set it above most buildings in the world.