Small Specification Decisions Support Victoria Cross Tower’s Sustainability Goals

Victoria Cross Tower in North Sydney demonstrates how the performance ambitions of a high-rise commercial building extend beyond major systems and technologies, with considered specification decisions playing a role at every level of the project.

Designed by Bates Smart and developed and constructed by Lendlease, the 42-storey tower forms part of the Victoria Cross precinct above the Sydney Metro station.

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The $1.2 billion development officially opened in March 2026 and has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Design rating and Platinum WELL Shell and Core certification. The fully electric building is powered by renewable electricity and is targeting a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy rating.

Among the products specified for the project are Neoprene-X-Pansion Loc Strips and slip-resistant safety stair tread nosings from Australian manufacturer Latham Australia. While these products represent only a small component of the overall building specification, they demonstrate how durability, safety, material selection and installation can be considered alongside broader sustainability objectives.

The Neoprene-X-Pansion Loc Strip is designed to accommodate thermal movement within hard flooring systems, with a flexible neoprene control section allowing for expansion and contraction while maintaining a trafficable surface. The system can be used across applications including terrazzo, pavers and other hard flooring, with brass, zinc, stainless steel and rebonite side plate options available depending on the application.

Installation is also an important consideration for specifiers. Loc Strips are installed alongside the wet under-bed or adhesive, providing positive anchorage while helping establish the required paving thickness. Latham’s installation guidance specifies that the strips should finish level with the surrounding floor surface, supporting a flush transition designed to withstand regular pedestrian traffic.

For a project pursuing ambitious sustainability and wellness outcomes, material choices can also be considered through the lens of longevity and whole-of-life performance. Latham manufactures its products locally in Gladesville, Sydney, and identifies durability, embodied carbon, local sourcing and supply chain transparency as factors relevant to product selection under the Green Star framework.

Victoria Cross Tower’s broader sustainability strategy encompasses everything from its all-electric operation and renewable electricity supply to façade performance, water efficiency and workplace wellbeing. Its specification demonstrates that achieving high-performance outcomes is not necessarily about one defining product or technology, but the cumulative impact of decisions made throughout design and construction.

Images via VicX

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