Crossing The Threshold | Sustainable Digitalisation Primer
Crossing the Threshold - a primer for sustainable digitalisation in real estate and cities (2018) was a groundbreaking thought-leadership publication by Morphosis designed to kick-start learning and action on responsibility, ethics and sustainability with the use of digital technology and data in the built environment.
For the first time, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues associated with digitalisation in the built environment were mapped and a call to action on both advancing digitalisation for upside ESG benefits and taking great care with its inherent downside risks, made.
Crossing the Threshold was conceived and created by Morphosis and co-published with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
It was endorsed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), GRESB, the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) and the Property Council of Australia (PCA) and launched in Sydney and online in September 2018.
It led to the formation of the Sustainable Digitalisation Project (SDP), a collaboration advancing sustainable digitalisation for the built environment.
See www.sdp.digital
THE STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP | SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
The Star Entertainment Group is an ASX100 company and leading integrated resort operator, incorporating hotels, gaming, entertainment and F&B businesses.
In 2016 The Star sought to develop a new group Sustainability Strategy, which would support the company through a period of considerable expansion.
Morphosis was engaged to facilitate a process for this and conducted a sustainability materiality assessment, engaged senior leadership stakeholders across the group and ran a strategy development process, including development workshop.
The resultant Board-approved strategy is currently in implementation.
AXA IM REAL ASSETS | RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND PROGRAM
AXA IM Real Assets Australia (AXA IM, formerly Eureka Funds Management) is a privately owned real estate fund manager with approximately $5billion under management. AXA IM have long provided leadership on sustainability and in 2013 embarked on a process with Morphosis to consolidate and enhance their Responsible Investment program.
Morphosis collaborated with AXA IM's team to develop and implement a new Responsible Investment strategy. It has subsequently been retained to guide implementation of the strategy, including development of ESG management and reporting systems and participation in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB).
GROSVENOR GROUP 'LIVING CITIES' | CORPORATE VISION AND STRATEGY
The eight attribute model used to define a 'Living cities' city.
Grosvenor Group is a large privately owned diversified property group, headquartered in London and operating around the world.
In 2011, Morphosis facilitated the creation of Grosvenor's long-term global sustainability vision, an ambitious vision known as 'Living cities'. Primary objectives for the project were to ensure that the vision:
was owned by staff and management around the world,
aligned with the company's core purpose, values and identity,
provided flexibility for Grosvenor's four operating companies while ensuring group-level cohesion and clarity, and
build the capacity of Grosvenor's people with sustainability.
Over 20 Morphosis-designed workshops were held across four continents and the resulting vision was approved by the Board.
In 2012, as part of the program steering group, Morphosis co-created a 'Living cities' model to define what Grosvenor mean by a 'Living cities' city and inform how their development, investment and asset management activities could contribute to the sustainability of the cities they operate in. We facilitated workshops in Grosvenor offices around the world to test and evolve this model and to translate the overarching Living cities vision into operating company strategy.
Morphosis continues to advise and support Grosvenor as Living cities is progressively implemented. This included being part of the Resilient Cities research project, examining the resiliency of 50 cities around the world and informing Grosvenor's long-term investment decision-making in those markets.
City of Sydney Better Buildings Partnership | Feasibility Study.
The City of Sydney, as part of its Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision, sought to establish a program in which the largest commercial landlords in the City's area would collaborate to help improve the environmental performance of the city.
Morphosis was engaged to conduct a feasibility study for such a program. This included analysis of CBD office asset ownership, reviews of similar
programs around the world, interviews with a selection of property groups and provision of recommendations for the program.
The resultant Better Buildings Partnership has been highly successful, including receiving the 2013 award for Best Energy Savings program in Australia from the Energy Efficiency Council.
Colliers International | Program & Thought Leadership.
'Lifeblood - Sustaining the Vitality of Australian Businesses, the Critical Role of Buildings and Workplaces' and 'r.e.Design, the Green Real Estate Guide'
Simon established what is understood to be the first full-time sustainability leadership role in a property services group globally. As an employee of Colliers International he developed and led corporate-level sustainability programs for the Australian business, across Asia-Pacific (nine nations) and co-initiated Colliers' global program.
This involved developing corporate strategy and policy, creating services within business lines, engaging clients, conducting research, training staff, creating tools and systems, managing the company's environmental footprint, building brand value and representing Colliers in the media and industry or government initiatives.
Under Simon's leadership Colliers received considerable recognition, particularly from clients, for its pioneering work with sustainability, innovation in service offerings, proactive assistance advancing industry, thought leadership and market leadership improving the environmental performance of its own offices. This included winning a Green Globe award from the NSW government.
Simon authored the highly regarded publications 'Lifeblood - Sustaining the Vitality of Australian Businesses, the Critical Role of Buildings and Workplaces' and 'r.e.Design - the Green Real Estate Guide.'
BVN | PROGRAM LEADERSHIP & SUSTAINABLE DESIGN.
National Australia Bank's building in the Melbourne Docklands. Simon helped build the case for investment in approaches to provide high levels of indoor environmental quality and improve employee productivity.
In 1999, while practicing as an architect at leading architectural practice BVN, Simon established the role of National Sustainable Design Manager. This was a pioneering role in the Australian architecture and construction industries.
BVN had been achieving solid sustainable design outcomes in projects around Australia, such as the Sydney Olympic Stadium. The rapidly growing practice wanted to lift the standard with sustainability of all of its projects across Australia and to use sustainability to further enhance its positioning as a market leader and innovator.
Simon established an internal framework for understanding and conducting sustainable design and provided the practice with a program of training, research, tools, systems and project strategy assistance. This included a 600 webpage intranet guide to sustainable design and an integrated ISO14001 certified environmental management system.
Simon conducted market leading research into the health, comfort and productivity benefits of sustainable buildings. He also produced one of Australia's first few green building ratings as part of the global Green Building Challenge program.