The CEVA Logistics development at Berrinba, Queensland, represents a benchmark in sustainable industrial facilities. Covering a site area of more than 56,000m², the project comprises a warehouse primarily for storage, multiple office spaces, and 100 dedicated car parking bays. The warehouse integrates functional areas for picking, packing, loading, and unloading, while the office components include a main office and a dock office, providing boardrooms, meeting spaces, open-plan work areas, staff amenities, and driver facilities.
The project is located within NCC Climate Zone 2, on the traditional lands of the Yuggera and Yugambeh people.
SUHO collaborated with Vaughan Constructions to achieve Green Star – Design & As Built v1.3 certification for the facility. From the outset, SUHO provided specialist sustainability expertise, coordinating the environmental design strategies, preparing and managing Green Star documentation, and guiding the project team through assessment and certification.
A key aspect of SUHO’s role was ensuring that the ESD initiatives were not only technically robust but also clearly evidenced for the Green Star As-Built submission. The project bypassed the Design Submission stage, meaning that documentation and performance evidence had to be exceptionally detailed and coordinated to achieve compliance on the first As-Built round.
Sustainability Initiatives
Through careful design collaboration, the CEVA facility integrates a suite of ESD measures that significantly reduce operational energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions compared to a reference building. These included:
- High-performance building fabric: Enhanced insulation to roof and external walls combined with advanced glazing (low U-value and low SHGC) to reduce thermal loads while allowing daylight penetration.
- Efficient HVAC system: Optimised plant reducing fan power and cooling energy requirements.
- Solar hot water system: Reducing reliance on water heated via grid electricity.
- LED lighting: High-efficiency lighting systems throughout to minimise energy use.
Together, these strategies created a high-performing, environmentally responsible building tailored for industrial functionality.
Outcomes and Achievements
The project originally targeted a 5-Star Green Star rating. However, through effective integration of sustainability measures and rigorous assessment management, the facility exceeded expectations and achieved a 6-Star Green Star – As Built rating with 76 points.
Key milestones:
- Round 1 As-Built assessment: 71 points awarded with 11 points pending.
- Round 2 As-Built assessment: 76 points awarded, confirming the project’s 6-Star achievement.
The Assessment Panel commended the submission for its clarity and high standard of documentation, reflecting SUHO’s role in managing and delivering a robust certification outcome.
The CEVA Logistics facility exemplifies how large-scale industrial developments can achieve world leadership benchmarks in sustainability. By exceeding initial targets and securing a 6-Star rating, the project stands as a flagship example of Vaughan Construction’s commitment to sustainability, with sustainability and SUHO’s instrumental expertise in guiding the process to success.
This case study highlights the value of early integration of ESD strategies, close collaboration with construction partners, and meticulous management of Green Star submissions—ensuring both environmental performance and project delivery are optimised.
SUHO is an industry leader in sustainable design, certification, and performance optimisation. With extensive expertise in Green Star, ESD planning requirements, ESD initiatives, Section J, DTS, NatHERS, and holistic building optimisation, SUHO partners with developers, builders, and architects to deliver buildings that perform better for budgets, people, and the planet.
