Doors have opened to Les Mills’ spanking new club in Lambton Quay, Wellington, and promises to be the gym company’s greenest yet. 

The fit out, designed by architectural firm Warren and Mahoney, is awash with low-flow showerheads, recycled floors and walls, dual-flushing toilets, and LED lighting. Recycled materials form the feature walls.  

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Along with energy-saving products, project consultants were asked to source locally-manufactured furniture, says Joanna Ealand, National Facility and Sustainability Manager at Les Mills New Zealand.

“[And] as an alternative to bamboo for our feature walls, we utilised recycled Tawa, which was formerly a squash court flooring removed from the gymnasium of local school Newlands College.”

At the start of the project, construction company Freear Phillip was tasked to complete the build with minimal effect on the environment – construction debris, whenever possible, was recycled with EnviroWaste; fuel-efficient, low-emission company vehicles were used to and from the site; all documentation was kept electronic; and a carpooling system was encouraged.

Fit-out materials were purchased from suppliers with established sustainability policies, including colour specialist Resene Paints, and were specified by leading environmental consultants.

And the paint was put to good use, with blocks of loud and playful colour delineating changing rooms, fitness areas, and group workout rooms. Glass walls were painted with a vibrant palette to represent “the transparency, vibrancy and energy of the Les Mills brand,” says Dominic Plume, of Warren and Mahoney.

He says working with the Les Mills team is always a fun time. “They’re agile, young and fresh. And they know exactly where they’re positioned in the market.

“They have a very strong brand identity.”