Lend Lease break ground on Forte, Australia's first timber high-rise

The construction of the world’s tallest timber residential building is well underway, in

Lend Lease’s latest bid for environmentally sustainable living.

Due for completion in October this year,

Forté Living

is the most recent addition to Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour and is Australia’s first timber high-rise.

Featuring 10 levels and 23 boutique apartments,

Forté

will be constructed from

Cross Laminated Timber, a durable solid-wood building material that is sustainable and boasts great thermal regulation.

Forté’s contemporary use of CLT is also said to reduce carbon emissions by over 1,400 tonnes when compared to other conventional materials such as steel and concrete, which is equivalent to taking 345 cars off the road for a year.

Lend Lease Australia’s Head of Sustainability, Cate Harris, says the building’s use of CLT is an important step in the right direction for sustainable development and the reduction of carbon emissions.

“CLT is revolutionising the use of timber in construction by introducing a more efficient and environmentally-friendly construction process that has not been undertaken in Australia before, but has a proven track-record through Europe,” Ms Harris said.

“In 2001, we introduced the innovation of chilled beam technology to the Australian market, which has now become an industry norm. CLT is another example of how we are leading the way with innovations that will challenge and improve current building practises in the industry.”

Other sustainable features of the development include its use of energy efficient LED lights, rainwater capture and recycling, bike share facilities, individual veggie gardens, solar shading, as well as smart metering systems fitted in-home for residents to track their individual energy consumption.

With a target towards owner occupiers, the boutique offering features:

- one bedroom apartments from 69 to 87 square metres

- two bedroom apartments from 91 to 114 square metres