A project aimed at measuring connections between sustainable buildings and improved health, productivity and learning was launched in London recently by the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC).

Sponsored by Lend Lease, the only ASX listed company involved in the project, the 'Health, Wellbeing and Productivity in Office Building: Measuring Impact and Sharing Best Practice' initiative will establish a common way of capturing health and productivity outcomes to demonstrate financial value for organisations.

Lend Lease's Group Head of Sustainability Geoff Dutaillis believes organisations worldwide and across Australia are beginning to appreciate both the business benefits of greener, healthier buildings and the benefits realised through staff wellbeing and satisfaction.

"People are an organisation's greatest asset and are central to the broader sustainability challenge.  As the fight for talent increases, corporate health and wellbeing strategies are increasingly being used as a competitive edge to attract and retain the best people. The spaces we occupy are an integral part of this endeavour and we believe this project will help solidify the benefits we know exist," Mr Dutaillis said.

Lend Lease is also the principal sponsor for this week's Australian Green Cities 2014 conference in Melbourne and Mr Duttaillis says the company will continue to take a leadership role in the discussion about sustainable cities of the future.

"As one of the largest international property and infrastructure companies, we are committed to investing in health and wellbeing strategies for our employees, partners and visitors."

A local project where these benefits are being realised is Victoria Harbour in Melbourne, Lend Lease's first large-scale urban regeneration project and home to Australia's largest concentration of green buildings. Victoria Harbour Project Director Claire Johnston said the health and wellbeing benefits green buildings offer is becoming the key driver for businesses considering moving to the precinct.

"In the beginning, it was about the fact that we could offer large floor plates and top quality accommodation. Now, more and more businesses are focussing on the potential productivity and profit gains realised through the benefits green buildings offer to the organisation's staff," Ms Johnston said. "We're thrilled the WorldGBC is leading this project."

Lend Lease continues to be a leader in sustainable development, with the Barangaroo South project in Sydney aiming to deliver a climate positive and low carbon outcome for the whole of the Barangaroo precinct.

The other corporate sponsors for the project are Jones Lang LaSalle and Skanska. The Green Building Councils of Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States and Colombia are also partnering on the project, with the final report expected in Autumn 2014.

Read the WorldGBC media release or find out more about the project.

ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Larissa Webster
Ph: 03 9643 0420 / 0418 254 959

About Lend Lease
Lend Lease is a leading international property and infrastructure group. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and with more than 18,000 employees worldwide, Lend Lease's capabilities span the property and infrastructure spectrum.
In Australia we offer development management; investment management; project management & construction and asset & property management. Our expertise covers multiple sectors including commercial, residential, retail, retirement and infrastructure.

We create innovative and sustainable property solutions, forging partnerships and delivering maximum benefits to clients, investors and communities. Sustainability has always been an integral part of our culture and through design and investment in new technologies, we are delivering the next generation of sustainable property solutions. Safety is our number one priority and Lend Lease is committed to operating Incident & Injury Free wherever we have a presence.


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