UNSW’s new Health Translation Hub has achieved a global standard in sustainable building.
UNSW Sydney and Plenary Health have celebrated the achievement of 6 Stars under the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Buildings rating, for the UNSW Health Translation Hub (UNSW HTH), the first building in NSW to attain this level.
The rating represents ‘World Leadership’ in sustainable building design and construction and recognises the UNSW HTH’s environmental performance, its focus on occupant wellbeing and its role in advancing the future of health.
The 35,600-square-metre facility was developed by UNSW Sydney and Plenary and forms a cornerstone of the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct . It brings together researchers, clinicians, educators, students, industry partners and the community to accelerate the translation of research and education into better health outcomes.
A healthy building for a healthy future
The UNSW HTH was designed around three connected ambitions: a healthy building, healthy occupants and a healthy mission.
As a healthy building, it is fully electric and powered by 100% renewable electricity. It includes a 100-kilowatt rooftop solar photovoltaic system, a high-performance facade, rainwater harvesting and a non-potable water network.
The facade reduces the incidence of solar radiation by approximately 60% while maintaining natural light and views. The building also uses a 100% outside-air HVAC system and low-emission materials to support healthier indoor air quality.
The UNSW Health Translation Hub is a healthy building in every sense. It is designed to reduce its environmental impact, support the wellbeing of its occupants and help deliver healthier futures for communities.
As a place for healthy occupants, the UNSW HTH provides access to natural light, greenery, public open space and flexible environments that support learning, research, collaboration and wellbeing. Its design encourages people to move through and interact with the building, while the 2500-square-metre UNSW Plaza creates a welcoming space for the broader community.
As part of UNSW’s strategic pillar to enable healthy lives, the UNSW HTH brings health education, research, clinical practice, industry and community engagement together in one place, helping to translate discoveries into improved care and better health outcomes.
UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs said the achievement reflected the University’s commitment to creating infrastructure that supports both people and the planet.
“The UNSW Health Translation Hub is a healthy building in every sense. It is designed to reduce its environmental impact, support the wellbeing of its occupants and help deliver healthier futures for communities,” Professor Brungs said.
“By bringing research, education, health care and industry together, the UNSW HTH is helping to turn knowledge into action and shape the future of health.”
Plenary CEO Paul Crowe said the project demonstrated the value of long-term collaboration between the University, developer, builder, designers and investment partners.
“Achieving a 6-Star Green Star rating is a significant milestone for the UNSW Health Translation Hub and for the broader property and infrastructure sector,” Mr Crowe said.
“The building sets a new benchmark for sustainable health and education infrastructure while creating an environment that supports innovation, collaboration and community wellbeing.”
Connecting health, education and research
The UNSW HTH’s sustainability credentials complement its role as an integrated health, research and education facility.
UNSW occupies approximately two-thirds of the building under an initial 20-year commitment. The UNSW HTH includes education and research spaces, health clinics, a Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, community-facing event and exhibition spaces and is a home for like-minded industry partners.
Students can learn alongside researchers, industry partners and clinicians in simulated and real-world settings, while the building’s connections to the UNSW Kensington campus, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre support collaboration across the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct.
The UNSW Health Translation Hub was developed by Plenary in partnership with UNSW Sydney, with Hansen Yuncken as contractor and Architectus as lead architect, in collaboration with ASPECT Studios and Yerrabingin.
It officially opened in November 2025.
