Case Study
Sustainability in Operational Building Portfolios
BSE supports clients in improving the environmental performance of buildings across their operational life. Sustainability work is often most effective when it is embedded into day‑to‑day operations, informed by performance data, and delivered in a way that can be scaled across portfolios rather than treated as one‑off initiatives.
BSE’s sustainability services focus on reducing energy and resource use, supporting emissions reduction, and enabling clients to make informed decisions that align operational, commercial, and environmental objectives. The following examples illustrate how this approach is applied across different sectors and asset types.
Opal HealthCare
Opal HealthCare operates a large national portfolio of aged care facilities, where operational efficiency and reliability are essential to daily care outcomes. As part of Opal HealthCare’s broader sustainability objectives, BSE supported the rollout of solar photovoltaic systems across more than 70 facilities spanning New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia.
BSE’s role involved assessing the suitability of individual sites, identifying appropriate system sizes based on energy demand and roof configurations, and preparing site‑specific design documentation to support a coordinated rollout. Technical design briefs were developed to define system requirements, including panels, inverters, cabling, and monitoring systems, ensuring consistency in performance expectations across the portfolio.
Tendering formed a key part of the delivery approach, with BSE supporting contractor prequalification, preparation of tender documentation, and technical assessment of tender responses. This ensured proposed systems aligned with operational requirements, regulatory obligations, and long‑term performance objectives.
System sizes varied across the portfolio, ranging from smaller installations through to systems exceeding 250 kW at larger sites, requiring a flexible approach that balanced consistency with site‑specific constraints.
By approaching the rollout at a portfolio level, Opal HealthCare was able to implement renewable energy solutions consistently across diverse sites while maintaining flexibility to respond to individual facility conditions. The program supports reductions in energy consumption and improved operational efficiency across the portfolio.
Image courtesy of Sungrow.
Bunnings Geraldton
Large‑format retail buildings with extensive roof areas present significant opportunities for on‑site renewable energy generation. As national sustainability consultant for Bunnings, BSE designed and assessed photovoltaic systems across multiple pilot locations to inform a broader portfolio strategy.
At the Bunnings Geraldton warehouse, a rooftop photovoltaic system comprising 384 solar panels was installed as part of this programme. The system was designed to integrate with the site’s operational energy profile and take advantage of the region’s high solar availability. Micro-inverter technology was used to support panel-level performance and system resilience.
The Geraldton installation served as a key reference project, informing the technical approach and performance expectations for subsequent photovoltaic deployments across Bunnings sites nationally.
Image courtesy of Bunnings.
Sustainability Capability
These projects demonstrate BSE’s approach to sustainability across operational building portfolios. By combining technical assessment, performance analysis, and scalable delivery frameworks, BSE supports clients in embedding sustainability into everyday operations rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.
Across sectors such as health, retail, and commercial property, BSE works with clients to deliver sustainability outcomes that are practical, measurable, and aligned with long‑term operational needs.
