Solar Skin Installation Advances 435 Bourke Street Tower

The solar skin installation at 435 Bourke Street in Melbourne has been completed, marking a major construction milestone for the commercial office tower. The 2,679-square-metre building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system comprises 1,391 solar panels installed across the tower’s façade, crown and rooftop, with an installed peak capacity of 375 kilowatts (kWp).

In addition to generating renewable electricity, the system provides passive shading in selected areas of the façade. The installation incorporates energy generation into the building’s architectural design, giving the photovoltaic panels both an electricity-producing and shading function.

The work required coordination between the façade, structural and building services teams to integrate the technology into the building envelope while maintaining construction quality and the project programme.

Contractor Multiplex worked with developer Cbus Property, architect Bates Smart, engineering consultancy BG&E Engineers and other specialist project partners to deliver the installation.

Multiplex regional managing director for Victoria and South Australia Ross Snowball said installing the solar skin had been “one of the most challenging aspects of delivering the project”.

“It’s a great example of how early collaboration between project partners enables innovation to be embedded into the delivery of a project rather than bolted on at the end,” he said.

Photovoltaic Façade Combines Energy Generation and Shading

Bates Smart director Cian Davis said the solar skin demonstrated how photovoltaic technology could be incorporated into the architectural design of commercial buildings.

“The role of a tower façade has always been to protect the interior from the sun,” he said. “At 435 Bourke Street, it does that while also generating the building’s power, through one of Australia’s first solar skins, with solar ‘leaves’ that shade the workplace as they produce energy.”

Cbus Property chief executive officer Chris Kakoufas described the completed solar skin installation as an important milestone for sustainable commercial development in Australia. He said it demonstrated how innovation and sustainability could contribute to a building’s performance and architectural identity.

“Successfully installing 435 Bourke Street’s solar skin is a significant achievement for our project team and partners, not to mention a tangible demonstration of how innovation and sustainability can be embraced to enhance a building’s performance while contributing to its architectural identity,” he said.

Design modelling estimates that the system could generate up to 20% of the building’s forecast base building electricity requirements once commissioned. The remaining electricity requirements are expected to be supplied through an off-site renewable energy arrangement.

“This reduces operational costs for our tenant partners and emissions from grid electricity consumption, while creating a distinctive visual identity for the tower,” said Kakoufas.

435 Bourke Street Targets 6 Star Green Star Rating

The development is targeting a 6 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. The rating is part of the project’s sustainability objectives, alongside the integration of on-site solar electricity generation into the tower’s design.

Construction is progressing towards practical completion in late 2026. Once completed, the tower is set to provide approximately 62,000 square metres of office accommodation, hospitality offerings and hotel-style amenities.

The construction programme is expected to have created about 3,500 jobs. An average of 300 workers have been on site daily, with the workforce reaching up to 490 during peak construction periods.