Electrification underway at Cbus Property’s 720 Bourke Street, Melbourne

NOVEMBER 2025

One of Australia’s largest electrification projects is underway at Cbus Property’s 20-level commercial office tower, 720 Bourke Street.

Delivered in 2014 and certified net zero carbon in operations since 2022, the building is now being fully electrified ahead of Coles relocating its national headquarters in 2027.

Coles’ 20-year lease for 30,000 square metres includes a clear requirement to remove gas from the commercial office component. This is an increasingly common demand among corporate tenants seeking accommodation that meets their sustainability goals.

“Every electrification project starts by eliminating gas but it doesn’t stop there,” Peter Bartucca, Cbus Property’s National Manager, Investment Operations, said.

“We are taking a holistic approach to electrification. Rather than simply ‘boiler out, heat pump in’, we have developed a building-by-building strategy that considers the full lifecycle of plant and equipment.

“At 720 Bourke Street, this means looking at how to optimise existing equipment, maximise solar capture and prepare for EV [electric vehicle] demand. It’s a considered approach that gives every asset a strategic plan for decarbonisation.”

720 Bourke Street’s decarbonisation journey at a glance: