Ferrars & York

Ferrars & York is a physical exemplar of net-zero in action, providing a proof point to the development, building and construction industries that all-electric, net-zero homes and apartments can be more than just a pipe dream. Apartments have been set up to be 100% electric, and are therefore set up to be fossil fuel free in operation. Ferrars & York residents will use active heating and cooling less, will experience cooler summers and warmer winters, and will reap the benefits of lower energy bills. Double glazed timber and thermally broken aluminium windows & doors reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, with the added benefit of minimising noise.

Genuine collaboration with our design and construction team, together with experience carried forward from previous projects and input from our in-house team of green building engineers enables market-leading innovation. Apartments feature an Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system, designed to run continuously to provide a constant supply of fresh, filtered air, reducing heating and cooling demand whilst creating a healthier indoor environment. Solar Panels to the roof provide the capacity to generate a maximum of 117 kWh of power per day, distributed evenly to all apartments and ground floor retail via an embedded network. This system enables Ferrars & York to be Carbon Neutral through its operational lifecycle.

Ferrars & York features pieces from award-winning local suppliers and HIP V. HYPE collaborators including: double-glazed, European style timber tilt and turn windows and doors by BINQ, lighting by Artefact Industries and Archier, tapware by Brodware and handcrafted ceramic basins by Robert Gordon. Car parks are fully provisioned with a demand-managed electric vehicle charging system, to be managed and billed via the building’s embedded network. A detailed Sustainability Manual is provided to all occupants of Ferrars & York at settlement, assisting residents to live more sustainably, more easily.

At the very core of Ferrars & York is a belief that the buildings we choose to build and live in can drive the positive change our cities deserve and the survival our way of life demands. Across its six levels, Ferrars & York is designed to foster an active vertical community. The building is visible from all sides, with smaller forms and an articulated saw tooth roof designed to create a finer grain formal response. The saw tooth roofline nods to the area's industrial buildings, with angular forms evident in the adjacent South Melbourne Market. Open walkways create an active skyline and a visual connection to the wider community. They provide high-quality, light-filled spaces ideal for fostering interaction and engagement between residents. Off-form concrete with timber textures provides solid bookending to the building’s form. This robust materiality anchors the building, whilst a centrally located glazed fire stair, steel frame, scattered landscaping, feature tiles, timber and stained glass accents provide richness and warmth.

Our aim is to deliver a commercial scale building that feels like a home. Site orientation and light modelling, conducted in-house by HIP V. HYPE’s team of green building engineers, ensures residents enjoy a dual aspect for abundant natural light and cross flow ventilation. External automated blinds are included to avoid excessive heat gain in warmer months - fundamental to quality, low impact apartment living. Kitchens embrace location and proximity to the South Melbourne Market, designed for robust use with stainless steel bench tops and premium Swiss made V-ZUG appliances. Residents are encouraged to stock their full-size, walk-in pantry with local market produce. A communal roof yard with BBQ, fireplace and landscaped arbour offers all residents striking views across the City skyline and South Melbourne Market.

Ferrars & York achieves an exceptional average energy rating of 8.6 stars out of 10, ensuring more comfort for occupants due to consistent air temperatures, better acoustic performance, significantly lower energy bills and a lower carbon footprint. HIP V. HYPE's technical analysis shows that these apartments will on average consume 40% - 50% less energy to run compared with a standard 6-star apartment. Powered by 100% Green Power, Ferrars & York presents best practice in climate resilient design and construction, and is one of the highest performing and most sustainable apartment buildings in Australia. With an average energy rating of 8.6 stars out of 10 – where the highest rated apartment achieves 9.3 stars and lowest rating apartment achieves 7.4 – apartments at Ferrars & York are ultra-energy efficient, fossil-fuel free and much more comfortable to live in.

Compared to a standard 6-star apartment, an apartment at Ferrars & York will consume 40-50% less electric demand, 32% less heating and 25% less cooling. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equates to 1600kg; the equivalent of driving from Melbourne to Byron Bay and back just under 3 times. Apartments feature an Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system, designed to run continuously to provide a constant supply of fresh, filtered air whilst removing stale air. The ERV system also works to prevent excess moisture build up and associated mould issues, providing a multitude of short- and long-term health benefits for occupants. HIP V. HYPE has committed to post occupancy research on a sample of apartments, including assessment of construction detailing, blower door testing and at least 12 months of post occupancy monitoring. Data will be used to test design assumptions and provide feedback into our process, optimising design advice provided by our Better Buildings team of green building engineers to our clients across industry.

Ferrars & York achieves an exceptional average energy rating of 8.6 stars out of 10, ensuring more comfort for occupants due to consistent air temperatures, better acoustic performance, significantly lower energy bills and a lower carbon footprint. HIP V. HYPE's technical analysis shows that these apartments will on average consume 40% less energy to run compared with a 6-star apartment. At the very core of Ferrars & York is a strong belief that the building we choose to build and live in can drive the positive impact our cities deserve. The Green Building Council Australia recognises that 57% of Australia’s total built environment emissions come from our homes. With rising temperatures and more extreme weather events affecting the health of both people and planet, tangible exemplars of carbon neutral, all-electric buildings are needed to instil confidence, inspire positive change and drive greater demand for a more comfortable and prosperous environment.

Ferrars & York is a physical exemplar of net-zero in action, providing a proof point to the development, building and construction industries that all-electric, net-zero homes and apartments can be more than just a pipe dream. Apartments have been set up to be 100% electric, and are therefore set up to be fossil fuel free in operation. Ferrars & York residents will use active heating and cooling less, will experience cooler summers and warmer winters, and will reap the benefits of lower energy bills. Double glazed timber and thermally broken aluminium windows & doors reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, with the added benefit of minimising noise. HIP V. HYPE’s commitment to post occupancy research is a key factor in capturing evidence that will be used to improve the design process not only of HIP V. HYPE projects, but via our consultancy model shared with industry at scale.

HIP V. HYPE have sought to achieve a balance between quality, durability and value. Importantly, we have focused on low impact, responsibly sourced products and materials with low embodied energy. Reclaimed or recycled materials are used where possible, such as Messmate: salvaged from demolished buildings in Victoria and machined into engineered floorboards for Ferrars & York. Prior to construction, Revival Sustainable Practice salvaged 2,000 lineal metres of Douglas Fir (Oregon) timber from the existing on-site warehouse. Standard industry practice is for such timber to be burned, releasing toxic particulates like carbon monoxide and fine soot. HIP V. HYPE’s Better Buildings team estimate salvaging the timber has prevented ~24 tonnes of carbon (24tCO2e) from re-entering the atmosphere. Revival has since repurposed the timber for furniture, fitouts and workshops. HIP V. HYPE’s Better Buildings team conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), peer reviewed by third party e-Tool.

There were two primary goals for generating a carbon profile of the building. The first was to identify the total amount of embodied carbon, allowing HIP V. HYPE to purchase high-quality carbon offsets to deliver a carbon neutral building. LCA modelling revealed a total carbon footprint of 3,740 tonnes of CO2 that would have otherwise been added to the atmosphere. The second goal was to use the learnings from the LCA to inform future projects, which could also be shared at scale through HIP V. HYPE’s consultancy work. Ferrars & York operates with a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle strategy, created by HIP V. HYPE to replace a traditional waste management plan. The plan makes it simpler for residents to reduce their consumption, reuse as much as they can and properly recycle almost everything else. HIP V. HYPE has also created a Sustainability Manual, designed to help residents better understand and maximise the sustainability features in their apartment.