Celebrating the completion of Auckland's most significant development in recent years, The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. John Key, today cut the ribbon to officially open the 21 level, 23,000 sqm Deloitte Centre at 80 Queen Street, Auckland.

The premium-grade office tower developed, built, owned and managed by Brookfield Multiplex and tenanted by BNZ and Deloitte is a contemporary masterpiece, standing tall over an entire city block with four street frontages, Queen Street, Shortland Street, Fort Street and Jean Batten Place - also integrating the heritage-listed Jean Batten Building.

The Deloitte Centre is Auckland's most advanced environmentally sustainable commercial building, the first high rise tower in New Zealand to achieve a 5 Star design rating with the New Zealand Green Building Council.

Tim Pope, Managing Director of Brookfield Multiplex Construction (NZ) Limited, said that the Deloitte Centre is a significant achievement for all participants, delivered on time and on budget and achieving lofty environmental expectations.

"Our objective with 80 Queen Street was to create a sustainable building, both in the business and environmental sense. We think that the result is an asset to Auckland and will stand the test of time," he said.

Brookfield Multiplex's integrated approach to sustainability in design, construction and whole of life management has produced some of Australasia's most recognised and sustainable buildings.

"Our buildings are designed with the future in mind for our clients, tenants and the environment," says Tim Pope. "Our tenants recognise us as a market leader in this regard. Besides developing buildings, we develop and build long term partnerships with our tenants," he said.

Australian architects Woods Bagot was engaged to create a design for the building that includes environmentally sustainable design elements such as a double ventilated faade, improved natural lighting to offices, low water usage fittings, extensive metering of energy and water usage and a rainwater harvesting system. Winter gardens and six levels of interconnecting voids animate the podium spaces to deliver a workplace that enables cultural change and improved productivity. Users of the building are encouraged to walk or cycle to work by the provision of showers and changing facilities in the basement.

Woods Bagot Design Director Earle Arney said from London that 80 Queen Street was an extraordinary project with a very long gestation that included consultation with Iwi, research into the history of the area and former uses of the site. "The result is a building that is very much part of New Zealand and makes a significant contribution to the city by acknowledging the cultural heritage of this important site," he said.

"Brookfield Multiplex's openness to partner with all stakeholders has seen them create the best outcome for Auckland while also setting arguably the benchmark for the best workplace in the country," he said.

Lower levels of the building include high value retail spaces that have attracted international brands including The North Face, Lacoste, Ben Sherman and Rockport. A new look BNZ bank features on the Queen Street frontage and espresso business Altezano takes pride of place in the triple-height entrance foyer to the offices on the QueenSt/Shortland Street corner.

"Brookfield Multiplex offers clients, tenants and investors the benefit of a fully integrated property capability and operate in commercial, retail and residential property development, construction and management services, as well as infrastructure," says Tim Pope.

"We have a reputation for quality, innovation and the successful delivery of major projects and this is a result we can all be proud of," he said.