It’s World Green Building Week, a week to celebrate high-performing, low-carbon, healthy buildings.
The Research Winery is the first building in the Marlborough region, and the first winery in New Zealand to receive a 5 Green Star NZ Built rating. A five star rating is certification the winery meets best practice sustainable design and build benchmarks, demonstrating innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Central to the Research Winery’s green building design is the Building Management System, an integrated automated technology system that monitors energy, heating, and lighting, along with water and air quality. As demands for these alter, it adjusts these systems so that energy is used efficiently while meeting the needs of winery activities and making it a comfortable space for people to work.
Some of the other Research Winery features include:
The power of the sun
The 15kw solar panel system on the winery roof generates up to 30% of the building’s energy requirements
Rainwater capture
A rainwater harvesting system on the winery roof provides water for all the fixtures in the building, relying on the town water supply only as a backup during dry spells.
Automated cleaning station
A centralised cleaning station maximises the efficiency of the cleaning process, minimises water use and collects wastewater in one centralised place.
Air quality
As winemaking produces excess CO2 through fermentation, the building management system monitors the levels, automatically adding natural ventilation to maintain internal air quality.
Fermentation technology
Our VinWizard automated winery monitoring and control system optimises fermentation temperatures and aids efficient energy use.
Winery waste
100% of grape marc is composted in association with the NMIT horticultural department or given away to local permaculture lifestyle blocks for animal feed.
Packaging
Our trial wines are packaged using lightweight glass bottles to reduce emissions when sending the wines to clients.
Upcycling of Tōtara
Native timber cuves donated by Villa Maria have been upcycled into conference room tables by the NMIT carpentry unit & their students.
