A four-storey building is being billed as the first stage of a new, mixed use commercial district for Three Parks.

‘Aspiring House’, if approved by Queenstown Lakes District Council, will include a mix of office and retail space, and developer Roa - whose chief executive is local businessman Mike Saegers - plans to build it to certified international carbon zero standards.

The International Future Living Institute Zero Carbon Certification standard requires a project to have net zero emissions from both operational and embodied carbon.

If achieved at Aspiring House, it would be a first for the Southern Hemisphere.

Roa’s resource consent application said the carbon zero certification had been a focus throughout the project’s development “and includes the whole building, including tenancy fit out”.

It’s also part of a broader well-being focus, Mike said.

Competition for staff “in a working-from-home world is at an all-time high”.

“Employers and workplaces need to be more attractive and create environments where end-users genuinely want to be,” he said.

“Designing buildings with a focus on well-being involves creating spaces (external and internal) that promote physical and mental health, enhance productivity, and foster a sense of comfort and connection.”

Roa submitted its resource consent application for Aspiring House with Queenstown Lakes District Council last week.

Construction is expected to start in spring next year.

Development of the subsequent stages of the commercial district would follow over the next 5-7 years.

PHOTO: Roa