Located in Newtown, Presidio is a 5-storey building with 93 apartments.
Like many apartment buildings, Presidio faced rising energy costs. The owners corporation looked for financially savvy ways to reduce the building’s environmental impact. It explored renewable energy options but needed financial assistance to make the project viable.
What they did
Presidio received a City of Sydney grant in 2013 to fund an energy audit. This prompted:
- installation of a carbon monoxide monitor for the underground carpark
- LED upgrade for all common areas
- lift upgrades for improved energy efficiency.
In 2022, another City of Sydney grant funded a NABERS energy and water assessment, and a solar feasibility study. Following this, Presidio added a rooftop solar system (32kW) and installed a device to capture data on water meters.
The results
NABERS energy rating increased from 1.5 to 3 stars. The building also enjoys ongoing energy savings of up to $1,000 each month and a payback period for the solar system of 5 years.
Challenges
After going through the assessment and audit, Presidio’s strata committee gained the confidence to seek a supplier who could manage the tender and installation of its rooftop solar power system.
Future plans
Following the success of installing solar, the building is working towards a second year NABERS rating. It’s also received approval to install EV (electric vehicle) charging infrastructure thanks to a NSW Government grant.
"The City of Sydney grants made it possible for us to conduct an energy and water audit and assessment, which would have otherwise been too costly to pursue. These audits and assessments enabled us to prioritise projects and take the first important steps toward implementing real change in the building, improving our energy efficiency and creating cost savings for residents for over a decade.”
– strata committee member, Martin
