56 | WESTPAC AUCKLAND BUSINESS AWARDS Samson Corporation Sustainability a company mindset Karen Phelps Samson Corporation’s Geyser building was awarded the first 6 green star NZ Office Built rating. Making Buildings Work For People BTL is a technology company. We design, install and maintain responsive, intelligent and cooperative building management systems that care for your occupants’ safety and comfort and readily adapt to change over your building’s lifetime. P (09) 579 0246 E service@btlnz.co.nz W btlnz.co.nz Building Integration Building Automation Integration Solutions HVAC Products Lighting Automation Energy Products IOT Aer Hours Scheduling Building Performance Data Analytics Planned Maintenance Energy Management BMS Alarm Management Internal Training Information Centralisation Building Smarts Intelligent Buildings Internet of Things (IoT) Big Data Technology BTL is a long-standing partner of the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), with ‘Green Star’ accreditation • Installation • Maintenance • Repairs • Modernisation Orbitz Elevators are a multi-award winning vertical transportation service provider operating all across New Zealand P 0800 584 890 E info@orbitzelevators.co.nz W orbitzelevators.co.nz PROUD PARTNERS OF THE SAMSON CORPORATION By seeking to collaborate effectively with lessees Samson Corporation Limited’s environmental goals have had far reaching effect, says Samson property and sustainability manager Bridget Pyc. “We have seen not only lessees get on board but also their staff who in turn have taken initiatives to their own homes and families,” she explains. Samson introduced two key game changers to its business in order to partner with lessees and drive positive change: Green Lease and its Building User Guide (BUG). The Green Lease is Samson’s leasing documentation, which includes detail on the environmental strategy Samson has undertaken and sets expectations for lessees. “It provides a solid foundation for partnership and growth. Combined with our BUGs, the living document customised to each Samson property, which details what sustainable features the building has and sets guidelines for sustainable operations by lessees within, it’s been a powerful combination,” she says. The documents cover areas such as energy management, water management, waste streams, ventilation strategies, alternative transport offerings, health and safety, community engagement and more. Company CEO Daniel Friedlander says that these documents have challenged the norms for commercial leasing in New Zealand for the better. He says operating as a family business since the 1940s Samson has always held a longterm mindset. It was this future focus that saw the company investing in sustainability with Samson building Ironbank awarded the first 5 Green Star NZ Office Built rating, and Geyser awarded the first 6 Green Star NZ Office Built rating nationally. “It’s been an educational journey for the Samson team to explain to others in the industry that in order to take action on climate change we needed to set the foundations right from the start,” he says. “As market leaders we have noticed that these strategies have been picked up by other real estate entities wanting to achieve similar outcomes. To help lead environmental initiatives our approach has always been in the knowledge that change works best when our lessees come on board.” Samson’s sustainability strategy has been built to not just focus on protecting the physical environment (i.e. by considering materials and carbon emissions) but to also improve the health of building occupants, says Daniel. “We know that healthy buildings, which include adequate natural light, ventilation and fresh air, correlate to fewer sick days for staff and improved productivity. We spend 90% of our time indoors, and a large percentage of our awake time at work, so why would we not strive to make our spaces ones where people can perform at their best? When the spaces we provide facilitate lessees’ employees to thrive, their businesses can, our business can, and local neighbourhoods can prosper.” Daniel says Samson secures the best tenants by providing buildings that offer spaces that are productive, flexible, future proofed. Initiatives such as installing solar panels help save tenants money in operating costs - currently around $7,000 per building per year. Samson’s processes have also helped to assist many small businesses to market their sustainability initiatives, which they normally think is out of their reach, and bringing noticeable benefits to their businesses. Samson Corporation Limited is a family run commercial property investment company leasing space to Auckland businesses. The Samson portfolio provides a mix of heritage and modern buildings, future-proofed to operate in changing environments while standing the test of time. Bridget says that the Samson buildings push the envelope of architectural design and have received awards both domestically and internationally, notably with Ironbank on Karangahape awarded Highly Commended in the World Architectural Festival and New Zealand Institute of Architects awards granted to Geyser, Axis, Cumulus, Site 3 and others. The company is a finalist in the 2021 Westpac Auckland Business Awards in the Excellence in Strategy and Planning category. “The vision is to continue to provide buildings well suited for the modern world and sustainable for the next generation,” says Daniel. “We want to provide a base from which Auckland businesses can contribute to the growth and economic development of this city.” Samson’s Environmental Achievements • Carbon Zero Certified for three years in a row by Toitū Envirocare. Samson smashed its target date of Carbon Zero by 2030 by more than a decade by minimising its footprint and offsetting what was left. • Reduced total Greenhouse Gas emissions by nearly 40%. • Reduced waste to landfill by 75%. • Decreased electricity consumption by 22%. • Decreased gas consumption by 17%. • Achieved NABERSNZ 5.5 star rating (highest score given to any New Zealand building).
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