Acting accordingly: tenants at 60L have signed a most unusual occupancy agreement.

In years to come it is possible that one of the most significant contributions of 60L to sustainability in Australia will be its unique leasing arrangement. One of the greatest impediments to the sustainable operation of a building is the behaviour of the occupants; the people who flush water, create and dispose of waste, and turn on lights, computers and heaters.

The 60L Green Lease is probably the first lease of its kind in Australia. Terms encourage tenants to reduce consumption of energy, water and materials, to produce less waste and recycle as much as possible. Such actions described in the lease include choosing efficient lighting, turning off appliances, using photocopiers that reuse paper, and utilising the recycling facilities.

Prepared by Adam Bratt, Herbert Geer & Rundle Lawyers, in conjunction with the Green Building Partnership, the Green Lease is based on the principles of shared responsibility, sustainability and waste reduction. In tandem with the lease, each tenant is required to comply with the building's Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

ACF and the Green Building Partnership realised that most tenants may find it challenging to fit out their spaces using appropriate design and materials. Fit-out guidelines were therefore prepared for tenants by Sustainable Solutions, in conjunction with the Green Building Patnership through a grant from the City of Melbourne.

All tenants can access systems to separate and handle paper, beverage containers and residual materials (usually known as `waste') and gain feedback on their energy and the building's water use. There are bike parking facilities on the ground floor and water efficient showers on every level that make it easier for people to cycle to work.