A sustainable fit-out delivered by UNSW Sydney in collaboration with architecture firm DesignInc will be showcased as a case study at the 2026 Green Building Forum, highlighting how circular design principles and occupant wellbeing can be embedded into a commercial workplace setting.
The project, which establishes a new professional campus for UNSW within Sydney’s central business district, has been completed inside a base building that already holds a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
Building on that foundation, the fit-out itself is targeting a 5 Star Green Star Interiors rating, placing it among the highest tier of sustainable interior outcomes recognised under the national rating system.
Organisers of the forum have selected the UNSW CBD Campus as a case study because it demonstrates how a large institution can translate sustainability commitments into a functioning, occupied space rather than treating environmental performance as a design afterthought.
The fit-out is expected to be presented to delegates as an example of how circularity, resource efficiency and human-centred design can coexist within a commercial tenancy.
Circularity has been a defining principle of the project from the outset. Rather than designing a fully bespoke interior from new materials, the approach has prioritised the reuse and adaptability of building components, aiming to reduce waste associated with construction and future refits.
This aligns with the broader intent of the Green Star Interiors framework, which rewards projects that minimise embodied carbon and extend the useful life of materials already in circulation.
Wellbeing has been treated as an equally central concern.
The layout and interior specification of the campus have been developed to support the health and comfort of staff and students who will use the space day to day, addressing factors such as indoor air quality, natural light access and acoustic comfort that fall under the wellbeing-related credits of the Green Star Interiors rating tool.
The campus has also been designed to work as a multifunctional environment, supporting teaching, research collaboration and professional engagement within a single commercial address.
This flexibility is intended to allow the space to adapt to different uses over time without requiring extensive future reconfiguration, a factor that also supports the project’s circular economy objectives by reducing the likelihood of premature material replacement.
By pursuing a 5 Star Green Star Interiors rating within an already 5 Star Green Star-rated building, the project reflects a layered approach to sustainability certification, addressing both the performance of the base structure and the interior environment built within it.
This dual focus is likely to be of particular interest to forum attendees working on similar university or corporate fit-out projects in existing high-performing buildings.
The inclusion of the UNSW CBD Campus fit-out in the 2026 Green Building Forum program highlights growing interest across the education and property sectors in interior projects that go beyond compliance, using established rating frameworks to guide decisions on materials, wellbeing and long-term adaptability from the earliest stages of design.
