The GPT Group de-fits an office suite in support of homeless youth
The GPT Group
GPT is a vertically integrated diversified property group that owns and actively manages its $24.4 billion portfolio of high quality Australian office, logistics and retail assets.
The Group leverages its real estate management platform to enhance returns through property development and funds management.
GPT aims to be a positive contributor to environmental sustainability, which includes an objective to procure, use and recover materials in a closed-loop.
This objective supports Australia’s transition to a circular economy and encourages us to focus on initiatives like the reuse of commercial furniture through the Property Industry Foundation’s Furniture Fund.
Challenge
- Avoid the costly and long-winded issue of the de-fit of an office suite at 8 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.
- Minimising the items which generally end up in landfill.
The Property Industry’s Furniture Fund
GPT, alongside co-owners Kepple, used the Foundation’s Furniture Fund to provide a fast, fuss-free, environmentally sustainable way to de-fit this office in the Melbourne CBD.
The Property Industry Foundation’ Furniture Fund is a social and environmental initiative that enables companies to recycle for homeless youth.
- The Property Industry Foundation arranged a free quote for the removal of all unwanted assets and assess their resale values with the Foundation’s Furniture Fund partner, Egans.
- Egans removed all assets to be resold, reused, recycled, deposed of.
- Egans supplied GPT with a rebate (over $16,000), along with a tax-deductible invoice and sustainability statement.
- GPT donated the rebate to the Property Industry Foundation.
By reusing, reselling, re-manufacturing and recycling unwanted office furniture through the Fund, GPT was able to make a donation of over $16,000 to the Property Industry Foundation.
Benefits
The Property Industry Foundation is for homeless youth. It perfectly aligns with the GPT charitable foundation focus on helping youth at risk.
“Participating in the furniture fund program was an easy process that yielded a fantastic outcome. We are very proud that furniture that would otherwise go to landfill has been turned into a donation to help the great work that the Property Industry Foundation does for our community’s youth.”
“Using items which generally end up in landfill has been an absolute win for the organisation. This has been used a case study for the business and GPT will definitely be completing all de-fits like this going forward,”
“It is a really simple way to donate a large amount of money. This works for us not only from a charitable perspective but also from our sustainability and carbon commitments.”
Results
Industry research from the Better Buildings Partnership has demonstrated there is more material leaving commercial office buildings in Australian CBDs from defit and strip-out works each year than from everyday tenant operations, and most of this material goes straight to landfill.
“GPT has worked with its peers in the BBP to implement the BBP Strip-out Waste Guidelines and encourage greater reuse and recycling. The Property Industry Foundation’s Furniture Fund is a great initiative that helps us do this, retaining the value of material and providing broader social and economic benefits.”
You can learn more about GPT’s approach to materials, waste and circular economy at our website or by reading our Sustainability Report, available at gpt.com.au.
