GRIFFITH ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN 
with Majed Abuseif, Thomas Brady, Murray Brown, Ariel Hernadez, Natasha Maher 
A/Prof Karine Dupre and Dr Ruwan Fernando  13/12/2019 
 
CONTENT    
1-INTRODUCTION    AIM 3  LIMITATIONS 3  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3    2-SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT     OVERVIEW 5   REDUCING HEAT GAIN 6  DIVERSITY IN ENERGY SOURCES 7  WASTE MANAGEMENT 8  ACOUSTIC ISSUES 9  CROWD MANAGEMENT 10  EFFECTIVE USE OF OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE 11  THE NEW PRECINCT: PHASE ONE 12   
 
1-INTRODUCTION 
  2 
AIM 
Sea World has invited Griffith University Architecture to consult on the sustainable                        practices of their park and specifically the Phase One of their new ride precinct, New                              Atlantis. The new precinct includes landscaping and three amusement rides: Vortex,                      Leviathan and Trident.  Sea World is a theme park based on marine mammals, featuring animal exhibits and                            providing rides and other attractions. Sea World Research & Rescue Foundation also                        contributes to marine conservation and rehabilitation. 
LIMITATIONS 
This proposal is based on the documents kindly provided, one site visit and interviews                            with staff, beside previously undertaken visits as guests. However, as a student work,                          this report does not accept liability for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions. 
Usually, a sustainable assessment would address the social, economic and                    environmental aspects of one area. Yet due to the time constraint and very specific                            nature and function of the park, only some features of the environmental component                          were addressed. This is a clear limitation and a more extensive study, based on                            collected data, would provide a deeper insight into the assessment. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
We wish to thank Wayne Phillips and Cameron Crawford for the time they spent to                              unveil Sea World to us. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
This report investigates the potential for enhancing sustainable practices at Sea                      World under the context of the construction of its new precinct, New Atlantis. It is                              divided into three main sections that are Assessment, Precedents and Proposals. 
Due to the very specific nature and function of the park, six categories were selected                              for the assessment: reducing heat gain, diversity in energy sources, waste                      management, acoustic issues, crowd management and effective use of old                    infrastructure. It was analysed that each category is currently                  under-exploited, but also presents opportunities for enhancement. 
The Precedents section shows that many best-practices and innovative products are                      already available on the market, thus facilitating a sustainability strategy. Proposals                      also demonstrate that small-scale and larger scale projects can provide increased                      sustainability, at different costs but also different timeframes. 
For more information, please contact A/Prof. Karine Dupre at k.dupre@griffith.edu.au 
 
OVERVIEW       Methodologically, the analysis of the entire park was undertaken, prior to the specific                          analysis of the new precinct (Phase 1), thus allowing for a better comprehensive                          overview. The study was based on six selected categories assessing sustainability in                        regards to the activities being conducted in Sea World, as follows:    
1. Reducing heat gain  The amount of hard surfaces that modern development creates, causes a rise in                          temperature that harms the environment, raises energy costs and creates an overall                        negative effect on the experience.   
2. Diversity in Energy Sources   Different sources of energy can reduce the carbon footprint and can also become a                            selling-feature, when expressed creatively, allowing users to understand the                  infrastructure.   
3. Waste Management   Reducing the waste created as well the handling of waste has an effect on the amount                                of damage that is done to the environment. As with many other categories, the use of                                biodegradable materials can easily become part of the selling-point as a ‘green’                        theme park. 
  4. Acoustic Issues 
As with heat and waste pollution, noise pollution has an effect on the environment,                            particularly on marine life.    
5. Crowd Management  In this section, opportunities were sought between providing value to visitors as well                          as strengthening the ‘green’ brand.     
  6. Effective use of Older Infrastructure  
   
                               
 
 
REDUCING HEAT GAIN   Human thermal comfort in outdoor spaces contributes to the user’s satisfaction with                        the environment around them. It also brings positive associations with a place and                          increases the enjoyment of an activity. That is why in research, the field is analysed                              qualitatively as well as through psychrometrics. Discomfort is usually caused by                      exposure to solar radiation and can reduce the user’s ability to take part in an activity                                and may lead to sunstroke or more serious health problems such as skin cancer (note                              that Australia has the second highest rate of skin-cancer in the world). For young                            children or elderly visitors, the effect of even mild overheating can be dangerous.    From the site visit, it was rapidly noticed that guests are facing discomfort caused by                              heat stress. The reasons for this were the high amount of hard-surfaces as well as the                                high amount of solar exposure due to the lack of shading. With 300 sunny days                              (Tourist Australia, 2019) at the Gold Coast in a typical year, this issue is serious.                              Regarding the lack of shading, users face solar exposure while moving through the                          park. Most walkways have a very low albedo (the surface absorbs most of the light                              that hits it), due to their dark colour (asphalt), leading to an increase in the heat                                stress in the surrounding area. These factors lead to an increase in the sensible                            temperature for the spaces, which causes thermal discomfort.     Some solutions 
Shading : natural via vegetation, or created by adding structures that protect                      users from the solar exposure 
Increasing the albedo of the paved area: easily achieved by applying a                        reflective layer/coating to reflect the solar radiation, which will reduce the                      surface temperature to increase the thermal comfort.  
  There is no measurable payback period for these elements, however there would                        possibly be a reduction in the loads for air-conditioning with a cooler environment to                            draw air from. There is also an improvement in the users’ satisfaction by providing                            cooler spaces, which is highly desirable in a recreation-driven industry as well as                          making the park more usable on rainy days. In addition, it will help in providing a new                                  sustainable image for Sea World.  
  The car park also        plays a major role        in thermal    discomfort and can      dampen the user      experience, as the      majority of users      enter and exit Sea        World through it.      Besides the albedo      phenomenon, dark    surfaces, such as      asphalt, are the      cause of solar heat       
gain and in a large area they cause what is called the “heat island effect” (HIE). HIE is                                    when a large area absorbs and attracts heat which then gives off extra heat to                              surrounding buildings. This means that the surrounding buildings that are affected by                        the HIE require further artificial cooling. The lack of shading and large area that the                              car park takes up are the two main causes for the heat gain and if these two                                  problems were resolved the user experience through the carpark would be bettered.     Another major issue with the car park is that the asphalt is an impervious material                              which means that there is no opportunity for the ground to filter the toxic chemicals                              from the vehicles. These harsh chemicals then pollute the seaway as run-off and can                            have harsh ecological impacts.     A solution would be the creation of a multi-story car park  
There is of course a stigma attached to multi story car parks that are often                              reduced to large concrete slabs that block existing entrances, however a good                        design can provide alternative solutions and compliment the design and                    sustainability of Sea World. 
 
DIVERSITY IN ENERGY SOURCES     It is our understanding that Sea World currently has no on-site renewable energy                          sources.   Sea World has many rides and attractions that require large amounts of energy to be                              reliably provided. Connected to the grid allows for the consistency in the capacity of                            electricity needed to operate the park.   However, it was also noted that site conditions allows for some renewable energy                          generators. During the visit, it was stated that ‘Sea World always has a breeze’ and                              the Gold Coast on average has 300 days of sunny days per year (BOM, 2019).                              Additionally, it was noticed that Sea World is not currently taking any advantage of                            the heavy foot traffic circulation produced by the guests and staff, which could                          generate electricity (kinetic energy). Likewise, as a guest to the park, there is only                            one way in and out to the marine park precinct, the users would use the bridge along                                  the pelican area as a way of access. However, this bridge can be more utilised not                                only as a structure to provide passage through the entire park.    Some solutions 
Solar panels and wind turbines : could be added mostly to the                      administration and maintenance buildings, generating electricity directly to                these buildings. Depending on the type of renewable energy sources used, the                        park can reduce some costs by selling back to the grid 
       
  Figure 1: Diagram summarising the energy sources that could be further explored at Sea World 
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WASTE MANAGEMENT    Currently, Sea World mostly used disposable items (containers, cups, cutlery) for                      serving drinks and food in. Most are made from plastic because of its light, robust                              features and provide many types of shapes at low cost compared with other materials.                            However, using this material presents some issues in terms of sustainability, both                        from a global and local perspective. Plastic is not a renewable material and requires a                              lot of natural resources to be produced. Sea World puts a lot of effort in recollecting                                the scattered plastic items around the park. At the moment, there is only one                            recycling bottle container in the car park, none in the park itself.   It is also our understanding that Sea World gets some income from selling disposable                            items.    It should be mentioned that despite recycling in Australia is well established, research                          shows that only 14% is reused (Pickin and Randell, 2017), while the rest is managed                              by land fill and heavily affects the environment. This means that change of attitude                            and behaviour needs incentives or better education to reach higher efficiency.    Some solutions 
Using reusable items or motivate the users to recycle these                    products : for example charge an extra $2 for guests to use reusable items                          and refund the $2 when they bring them back 
Using edible, biodegradable, vegan disposable containers and              cutlery: ideal for high-waste management and fun, they are usually made                      out of a sustainable seaweed and comes in different flavours and colours. It                          would participate to the general marketing of a marine park, as well as                          environment-friendly park 
   
Figure 2: Diagram summarising the waste strategies that could be further explored at Sea World   
8 
   
ACOUSTIC ISSUES     Sounds participate to our sensory experience and even more while experiencing                      tourist attractions. Researchers have shown that there is a significant correlation                      between soundscape satisfaction and tourist satisfaction (Liu et al., 2017). A                      satisfactory soundscape also influences behavior, decreasing stress and aggressive                  attitudes.  In the same way, sounds affect wildlife and their behavior. Road noise, machinery,                          aircraft noise, loud music (greater than 55 decibels) to cite a few are usually coined                              as noise pollution (Shannon, 2019).    Typical of a theme park, Sea World’s soundscape includes a variety of areas with                            different acoustic characteristics. The same area can also alternatively be quiet and                        then become loud, depending if the show is on display or not, as for example in the                                  Thunder Lake or Seal area. Some other areas can remain permanently loud such as                            the one around the water filters stations and the eating area (high volume of music).                              As such, analysing the effects on animals and guests due to noises produced by the                              filter stations and eating area will indicate what is required to achieve the desired                            acoustic levels.     Proposal 
     
  Figure 3: Filtration system at Sea World as a source of noise pollution. 
Source: https://www.advanced-aquariums.com/global-projects/shark-bay-sea-world/     
 
CROWD MANAGEMENT    From the site visit, it was rapidly noticed that the access to some exhibits and                              attractions have been designed as a ‘bottleneck journey’: the guests go and return                          using the same way. Unlike a loop or a circuit, the bottlenecks favor congestion and                              irregular flow. Additionally, we were informed of how some animal exhibits, such as                          the penguin enclosure, were closed during maintenance periods, thus adding further                      pressure on the other exhibits by occasionally increasing crowd. From the initial                        briefing, it was also stated that queues at Sea World can be very long, getting up to 2                                    hour waiting periods for popular rides. It is our understanding that Sea World had                            been looking into methods for dealing with this by utilising apps and alerts                          coordinated through visitor’s smartphones.     As would be expected, many other public enterprises have similar issues with queuing                          and thus, there is much literature on the topic. Many strategies for theme parks such                              as Disney World have put resources into making the queuing more entertaining                        through costumed actors, atmospheric effects and other activities. Others have                    investigated the use of technology such as low energy Bluetooth location services                        (Mighali et al, 2015) to keep track of queues and visitor locations. The information is                              used to plan and configure the visitor’s paths and can also be used to provide more                                engagement during waiting times. Zejda (2014) states that museums initiate ‘quests,                      quizzes or staging performances’ to retain engagement. Higher flexibility is also                      described with visitors having choices about where to spend their time. Herger et al.                            (2009) propose the use of ‘interactive gaming platforms’ to be part of the queuing                            experience, which would shorten the perceived waiting time. A more formal way of                          analysing queues is given in Queuing Theory, with Albright and Winston analysing                        queuing through its structural features including waiting lines, servers, arrangements,                    arrival patterns and service priority (Daniels, 2017). 
Some solutions  Develop a crowd management strategy plan (CMSP) : it should identify                   
fast corridors and slow pace areas, as well as a variety of circuits to improve                              flow  
Within the CMSP, develop activities to reduce the perceived waiting                    time: for example, if a greater variety of small scale stand-alone exhibits are                          provided, they can reduce the perceived waiting time and provide alternative                      entertainment for when certain parts of Sea World are shutdown or queue is                          long. Advanced technology to augment the existing facilities (this includes                    holograms, virtual reality, augmented reality) can provide interesting                alternatives, as well as raising engagement by providing more content.                    Therefore a variety of small-scale exhibits around the themes of education,                      sustainability and marine ecology will be shown as precedents and in the proposal                          section of this document. 
  Figure 4: Diagram showing the difference between a traditional queue and a multi-exhibit system 
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EFFECTIVE USE OF OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE    During the visit to Sea World, it was found that there is an opportunity to reuse older                                  attractions. One is the Castle, currently used as a 3D theatre (G3 on Fig. 5). The other                                  is the monorail (main station on P1) which was discontinued and might be dismantled                            after construction is complete for the new Atlantis precinct. The attraction has been                          closed since October 26th, 2019 and Sea World has sought ways to repurpose the                            track. Re-using established infrastructure in urban design has many precedents, such                      as the popular New York Highline which turned a set of railway tracks into an                              elevated greenway. This issue has been raised elsewhere in Australia, such as for the                            Broadbeach Oasis Shopping Centre’s Monorail (Larkins, 2017) and the Sydney                    monorail, which is said to be repurposed into its own greenway which has also been                              named the “High-Lane” (Holmes, 2012).    The refurbishments for this type of infrastructure consist mostly of pathways and                        planting greenery on top or below the track. These efforts also add a layer of                              historical significance, preserving a character in the city’s story. Many cities share                        the initiative of preserving heritage structures as they hold cultural and historical                        value (Arnon, 2012). These structures can form as chapters for the place’s overall                          narrative, and provide opportunities for people to read and learn.    In other fields, existing infrastructure can serve to adapt to the problems of climate                            change by implementing flood control to susceptible areas. Cavanagh (2014) writes                      that elevated transits are increasingly advantageous for “evacuation routes and                    [transporting] supplies for emergency response situations”. These ideas will be                    elaborated on further in the precedent section of this report.    Proposal 
   
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12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  DIVERSITY IN ENERGY SOURCES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
Natural History Museum  Location: London, UK    Recording of Sir David Attenborough shown  as augmented reality exhibit.  Source:  https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/techno logy/2018/03/06/news/sky-vr-experience-w ill-allow-users-to-tour-london-museum-with- david-attenborough-1271832/ 
 
 
 
 
 
Conceptual design byu David Vrago for the  Sydney Monorail to be re-used as a walkway.    Source:  http://missmayblossom.blogspot.com/2012/ 04/post-monorail.html 
 
 
 
 
The New York highline is one of the most  successful examples of reusing old  infrastructure.     Source:  https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/arts /design/09highline-RO.html   
 
  Figure 6: Map identifying some areas where changes could be implemented 
20 
 
P1-REDUCING HEAT GAIN    Regarding the choice between natural vegetation for shading or artificial surfaces,                      there is no noticeable difference between shading type, and they both lead to a                            mitigation in heat stress. In this case, it is recommended to invest with an artificial                              shading for two main factors.     Firstly, the running cost would be less. For example, less maintenance is required, no                            need for irrigation and the problem of finding spaces for the plantation is not as                              difficult.   Secondly, artificial shading can be more sustainable. For instance, using photovoltaics                      with a light structure can provide shading and generate electricity, which can provide                          a payback for the structure in a few years, then it will then save a good share of the                                      electricity consumption for Sea World.    A good design can also be used to help to collect the rainwater effectively to reuse it                                  for irrigation or any other parts of the park.    The shading could be designed with the theme of the precinct thus adding value in the                                branding of the built environment. Therefore this, and any new construction can be                          conceived off under stronger umbrella of the identity of Sea World.   
  Figure 7: Examples of conceptual designs for a covered walkway, with rigid structure. 
P2-DIVERSITY IN ENERGY SOURCES    If a new multi-storey car park is to be built, this gives the opportunity to incorporate                                alternative energy sources into the design. The standard concrete framed carpark can                        easily be fitted with commercially available wind turbines or solar panels without any                          difficulty.  Strategic placement of solar panels can also let them double as shading devices, as                            shown in Fig. 8.  
  Figure 8: Conceptual design for placement of wind and solar panels on carpark building, with algae 
panels on the side. 
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    For the other buildings, as shown in the Precedents section, solar tiles could be                            retrofitted onto existing buildings without changing their design or aesthetic or                      layout. Of the existing buildings, it would most likely be easiest to start with                            retrofitting the administration ones which have lower energy needs before moving                      onto the structures that have specialised equipment such as cold storage and park                          rides. It is envisioned that renewable energy sources will only supplement power due                          to Sea World’s strict need for continuous power under all circumstances.    Showcasing the energy production in real time with interactive exhibits could make                        Sea World stand apart from other amusement parks as well as become another point                            of interaction with young people. This therefore takes on a greater role that simply                            the energy saved, and could be thought of as part of the marketing and identity                              strategy.    Kinetic tiles, which react to traffic are another way in which does not change the                              layout or running of the park, but also becomes a point for interaction, which itself                              has value. As with the section on crowd management, the strategy here is to provide                              as many small scale exhibits as possible, which when combined with crown control                          apps, become points of entertainment for visits while queuing for rides.  
  Figure 9: Conceptual design for interactive recycling hub (R) and seating made of recycled plastic (L) 
P3-WASTE MANAGEMENT    As seen in the Precedents section, plastic bottles and disposable cutlery could be                          replaced with edible/biodegradable counter parts with no effective change to the                      current workflow.    Recycling is currently under represented in Sea World’s configuration with the                      recycling bin placed in the carpark. While this has the advantage of providing a                            recycling node outside of park hours, an extension to this could be the use of                              interactive recycling nodes that add to the user experience (Fig. 9). The suggestion                          here is that all of the green features to be considered as part of the marketing                                strategy/identity and reflected in the built environment. The recycling hubs can be                        combined with new technologies such as virtual or augmented reality or gamification.                        Combined with apps and games, these become features and help with other issues                          such as queuing as there are more elements to occupy the visitors attention.     Other areas for improvement are in the use of local materials especially renewable                          ones such as timber. Future infrastructure should consider their use for architectural                        structures and cladding. As a carbon sink, timber has a much lower footprint that                            most structural materials and when locally sourced, the amount of energy spent on                          transportation is minimised. Recycled plastics have found use in the production of                        benches and other outdoor furnishings which could be used in an upgrade of current                            walkways (Fig. 9). This has the flexibility to be constructed towards a large range of                              designs, which can work with the marine theme that is part of the Sea World identity                                or the new Atlantis precinct which has its own aesthetic. Recycled materials can be                            used for other parts of the design such as for shading structures and exhibit stands.    A solution to the toxic run off from the car park would be to use a porous surface that can                                        filter the chemicals through the ground, or to collect the run-off to then be filtered and                                reused. 
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P4-ACOUSTIC ISSUES    There are three main methods to make spaces acoustically desirable, in order of                          effectiveness: isolation, deflection and absorption. Other methods are for optimising                    aesthetics of sounds such as managing reverberations.  Due to the established nature of Sea World areas, space isolation will not be                            considered as method. Naturals applications will require a landscape architect and                      acoustic engineer to design acoustic systems within the landscape. Natural                    applications would be out of the scope of the proposal, simply because acoustically                          engineered spaces require large budgets and time.     For the water filter stations , sound barrier walls, noise reduction fences and                        acoustic enclosures could be added. Sound barrier walls would deflect the noise away                          from guests and provide fencing around the water filter stations. Noise reduction                        fences are for partitioning specific parts of the site where both absorption and                          deflection are needed. Acoustic enclosures can be installed around the whole water                        filter stations and absorb the industrial noise pollution (Fig. 11).     For the ating areas , acoustic panels, feature walls and noise reduction fences could                          be added. Acoustic panels could be placed around and above the eating areas to                            reduce the echo and sound produced from the space. A feature wall could be placed                              between the eating area and the animal enclosures (to be determined by site plan).                            Noise reduction fences could placed around the landscaping for more deflection and                        absorption if required.    The combination of the proposed solutions may be needed to achieve the desired                          acoustic levels. The new/proposed acoustic report will determine the desired                    acoustics levels for the animals and Sea World guests.   
  Figure 10: Example of acoustic panel that can be custom designed for the different areas and form part 
of a cohesive theme for the park.   
  Figure 11: Conceptual design for the enclosure of a filtration plant. 
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Figure 13: Proposal for monorail redesign (top: bird views and section, bottom: before/after) 
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5-CONCLUSION     
                   
Acoustics  https://acousticalsolutions.com/soundproofing-and-noise-control-information/  https://acousticalsolutions.com/product/iac-acoustics-moduline-acoustic-enclosures/  https://acousticalsolutions.com/product/iac-acoustics-noishield-sound-barrier-walls/  https://acousticalsolutions.com/block-your-backyard-noise-with-a-noise-reduction-fence/  https://www.instyle.com.au/products/acoustic-panels/ecoustic-ceiling-flats-tile/  https://www.gikacoustics.com/product-category/acoustic-panels/    Kinetic tiles  https://pavegen.com/smart-cities/   https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pavement-pounders-at-paris-marathon-generate-power/  https://futurism.com/energy-generating-pavement-just-became-a-reality-in-london  https://theswitch.co.uk/technology/guides/energy/energy-harvesting-tiles  https://www.ovoenergy.com/blog/technology-and-innovation/kinetic-pavements-are-giving-    Virtual and Augmented Reality  Turnbull, Jessica, The Exhibition Stand Trends You Want To Know About  https://www.theexhibitcompany.com.au/exhibition-stand-trends-2019/  Coates, Charlotte, Virtual Reality is a big trend in museums, but what are the best examples of  museums using VR? https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-museums-are-using-virtual-reality/  Palmer, Annie, The 92-year-old Holocaust survivor set to be immortalized as an interactive hologram  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5997017/92-year-old-Holocaust-survivor-set-live-for ever-interactive-hologram-Ohio-museum.html  Marquis, Michael, Euclideon’s All-New Multi-User 3D Hologram Table  https://www.ireviews.com/news/2017/08/16/euclideon-3d-hologram-table 
Acknowledgement of Country   
Griffith University acknowledges the people who are the Traditional                  Custodians of the Land. The University pays respect to the Elders, past                        and present, and extends that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres                      Strait Islander Peoples. 
Report submitted 13/12/2019, main contact A/Prof. Karine Dupre at k.dupre@griffith.edu.au