McNab Wins Sustainability Award for Port of Brisbane Project

McNab has claimed top honours in the prestigious 2025 Australian Institute of Building Awards, taking out the Queensland Sustainability Award in the over $2 million category for the Electrolux Group Queensland Distribution and Experience Centre at the Port of Brisbane — positioning it as one of Queensland’s most sustainable buildings.

The accolade highlights the project’s standout environmental performance, as well as McNab and Port of Brisbane’s role in advancing sustainable construction practices, setting a new benchmark for future industrial developments across the country.

McNab CEO Kunjan Ganatra said it was an important win for the Queensland building sector, especially as the state gears up for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and a reflection of the strong relationships McNab enjoys with its clients and partners.

“This award is a testament to the strength of our partnership with long-term client Port of Brisbane and with the Electrolux Group,” Mr Ganatra said.  

“This was an ambitious and complex project, and from day one, every partner was committed to pushing the boundaries of what we could achieve. Early on, we were invited to join an international study tour to see world-class sustainability initiatives in action — an experience that helped shape our thinking and approach for this project.

“We drew on global perspectives, engaged with international experts and we collaboratively raised the bar on what’s possible in sustainable industrial design.

“Together, we’ve set a new standard for industrial developments across Australia. I couldn’t be prouder of the collective team that made this possible. This award reflects their commitment to innovation, their openness to new ideas and their willingness to challenge the status quo to deliver something truly exceptional.”

The project was designed and constructed by McNab and commissioned by the Port of Brisbane, on behalf of Electrolux Group — a global leader that sells more than 60 million household and professional products globally — delivering a key distribution hub for its operations across Queensland and beyond.

Port of Brisbane Head of Property Brett Wilson, praised the strong, collaborative partnership shared with McNab, spanning 18 projects over five years, noting it laid the foundation for the successful delivery of the Electrolux Group Queensland Distribution and Experience Centre.

“In the pursuit of a 6-Star GBCA rating, this was a project that pushed the delivery team, spear-headed and expertly coordinated by McNab, to work with industry to find innovative and practical solutions to complex problems, customer requirements and traditional building techniques,” Mr Wilson said.            

“It allowed us to implement sustainability initiatives that we’d previously trialled with McNab, on a broader scale and the partnership allowed us to jointly design and deliver our first mass-timber structure – in the process setting a global benchmark for Electrolux’s Experience Centres.”

The 21,255sqm facility is located on a 42,965sqm lot and features full-height vertical tilt panels for the main office, loading docks, a logistics and inventory warehouse, and repair workshop.

Designing to the 6-Star Green Star requirements was made possible through the integration of innovative sustainability features, including the use of low carbon concrete for all external elements, reducing CO2 emissions by 63 per cent.

The building is also equipped with an advanced Building Management System (BMS) that monitors water and electricity consumption in real-time. A 1.1MW roof solar system generates enough energy to power the building, while feeding excess energy back into the Port’s embedded network, and the water recycling system captures rainfall from the building, providing water for toilet flushing, urinals, internal planter boxes, supporting Electrolux Group’s operations and rigorous product testing processes.

“Another standout element for this project is the impressive Glu-Laminated & Cross-Laminated Timber (GLT/CLT) office and striking showroom structure — a unique design, rarely seen elsewhere in Australia,” Mr Ganatra said.             

“This material not only stores carbon rather than emitting it, reducing the building’s overall embodied carbon, but is also made from timber — a renewable resource from certified sustainable forests in Austria and Italy.”

The Experience Centre includes a purpose-built event space, demonstration kitchens and outdoor spaces and terraces designed to enhance employee wellbeing and customer engagement, taking advantage of the river-front setting.

McNab’s success with the Electrolux Group project reinforces its position as a leader in sustainable industrial construction across Queensland and Australia. The company continues to champion innovative, environmentally responsible building practices that support a greener future.

For more information about McNab and its award-winning projects, visit www.mcnab.net.au.