With its coastal edge and many native and exotic trees and plants, the Hobsonville Point development site lends itself naturally to a strong environmental focus.

The site borders the sensitive Upper Waitemata Harbour presenting valuable opportunities to maintain and enhance the existing native habitat. A particular focus will be on retaining significant vegetation and restoring the coastal edge to form a continuous “green corridor” so people can enjoy the bush and harbour.

Energy use will be minimised through good design and technology that will make saving energy easy. A treatment train will help cleanse and slow storm-water run-off while rain-water tanks will help reduce water supply pressures.

Minimising waste and recycling will be a feature of construction and residential phases.

Examples of environmental aims:

• establishing or retaining a continuous green corridor with native vegetation covering at least 10% of the site
• using eco-sourced native plants
• increasing bird, insect and vegetation diversity and abundance
• average household energy consumption of 6,500 kWH/year or less
• houses built to at least 5 Star HERS performance rating
• smart meters monitoring home energy use
• all storm-water treated before discharge to harbour
• potential on-site renewable generation demonstration projects
• rain tanks for toilet, laundry and garden water use
• public recycling systems
• waste management for the demolition and construction phase.