BHP Billiton has officially opened its new global head office at 171 Collins Street in Melbourne on Monday night, with BHP Billiton Chairman, Jac Nasser, and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Mackenzie, welcoming guests into their new home.
Image credit: flickr.com User: Jason Rhodes
Mr. Nasser reminded guests, which included Australian business leaders and community groups, that the opening coincided with the 130th anniversary of the discovery of lead, zinc and silver at Broken Hill in 1883 which led to the creation of BHP.
“We have progressed in many ways since then. One specific area is our focus on the environment and this building is a good example,” he said, quoted in a news release from the company.
“It has a range of environmental targets – including water usage, power consumption and waste generation – which will ensure it operates sustainably for the long term.”
The new building, developed by Charter Hall and Cbus Property, has achieved the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star 6 Star Office Design and targets 5 Star NABERS Energy (National Australian Built Environment Rating System), according to the release.
It features a ground floor business centre, an interactive history wall that traces BHP Billiton’s rich history, facilities for bike riders, ergonomic work stations, and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, among others.
Mr. Mackenzie said their history has taken them to many different areas all over the world, but they have maintained their roots in Australia and have become one of the country’s greatest success stories.
“Our new head office is a distinctive architectural statement, in the heart of the Australian business community. It is designed to help us collaborate and share ideas in an open and enjoyable way. This means we can work together to solve problems and generate the best ideas and best thinking.”
He also emphasized the importance of the resource industry to the national and global economy.
“Australia’s resources industry is one of Australia’s true competitive advantages and is a unique enabler of our broader relationship with Asia. That is why I cannot think of a better opportunity than right now to run a global resources company based in Australia – an Australia growing closer to Asia,” said Mr. Mackenzie.
