The design of the new Sydney Fish Market addresses a number of environmental challenges related to the operation of a working industrial facility. The design helps to reduce potable water consumption, enhances recycling and minimizes energy consumption through mixed mode ventilation, increased daylight and integrated photovoltaic. All of the above are significant environmental impacts of a working fish market.

Sustainability is embedded throughout the design of the new Sydney Fish Market as an integral part of the form, not as add-on features. Every element performs multiple functions, delivering both environmental performance and an exceptional visitor experience.

The design achieves a 50% reduction in potable water usage through an integrated roof rainwater collection system and an on-site mechanical filtration system.

The roof’s south-facing cassettes, which allow indirect daylight into the market hall, reduce artificial lighting needs by 15%; seamlessly integrated solar panels generate 5% of the market’s energy without compromising architectural expression. Internally, the public circulation axis uses passive conditioning, such as canopy shading, natural ventilation and indirect daylight for the upper ground level.

These zones’ thermal environments create comfortable microclimates with minimal energy use. In addition, energy systems include absorption chillers that convert excess refrigeration heat into cooling, and the strategic use of leftover ice to pre-cool air for refrigerated areas. From the roof canopy’s design to the mechanical strategies, a 35% reduction in energy use is projected.

Beneath the upper ground, the public market hall forms the ground level, the industrial backbone of the new SFM operations, operating efficiently within its own climate-controlled environment.

The ground floor accommodates the essential wholesale infrastructure: delivery docks serving both land and sea, refrigerated processing areas, wholesale coolers and freezers, and a 14°C operations floor that utilises triple-glazed façade panels for visibility, and the heart of the operations: the auction hall.

This approach allows the retail floors above to maintain their open, naturally ventilated character while ensuring the efficiency and performance required of a high-volume industrial facility are maintained.

Through collecting, cleaning and reusing grey water for toilet flush, hosing down and irrigation, combined with more water-efficient fixtures, the new fish market is expected to deliver. 50% saving on potable water compared to the old fish market. Similarly, the project is expected to increase recycling rates by 35%, on items such as packaging and spoiled products, based on more efficient operations and other handling flows.

The new Sydney Fish Market is targeting a 5 Star Green Star-rated building under the Green Building Council Australia’s rating tool. It marks a significant step in achieving the NSW Government’s zero commitment by 2050.

Through site-wide integrated water management and Water Sensitive Urban design treatment, the project achieves a pollutants reduction of approx. 6,000 kg/yr that would have otherwise been discharged directly to Sydney Harbour.