ESD Design Guide

FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

FEBRUARY 2006

ESD DESIGN GUIDEEDITION 2

ESD DESIGN GUIDE FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS02

The Department of the Environment and Heritage

Content written by Sustainable BuiltEnvironments and Centre for Designat RMIT University.

Prepared with reference to theManningham City Council DoncasterHill Sustainability Guidelines.

Graphic design by DesignIncMelbourne.

Video clips have been included inthe online guide to provide additionalcontent, context and experience(see: http://www.deh.gov.au/settlements/p // g / /publications/government/esd-designp /g / g //).Each is preceded by a short sectionof the clip transcribed and editedto a print readable form. We thank Mark Thomson, Stephen Webb, Mick Pearce, David Oppenheim, KerrynWilmott, Chris Barnett, Martin Osolnik,Tim Hurburgh, Paul Edwards, PaulBannister and Sean McArdle for theirparticipation.

ISBN 0642551316

© Commonwealth of Australia 2006This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permissionfrom the Commonwealth, available from the Department of the Environment and Heritage. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: Assistant Secretary Environment Protection Branch Department of the Environment and Heritage GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601.

DisclaimerThe views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Heritage.

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.

For more information contact:[email protected]@ g u

743 Ann Street, Brisbane, used with permission from TVS partnership

SES Headquarters, used with permission of H2o architects Melbourne

CH2 image used with permission of the City

2

of Melbourne and DesignInc Melbourne

ESD DESIGN GUIDE FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS 03

Introduction .................................. 04

Australia and Ecologically SustainableDevelopment .................................. 05

Principles of Environmentally Sustainable Building Design ...... 09

Summary of ESD opportunities in building .......................................... 11

Opportunity 1Integrated Design ........................ 12

Opportunity 2Social Sustainability and Occupant Satisfaction.................................... 14

Opportunity 3Optimising Indoor Environment Quality ............................................ 15

Opportunity 4Minimising Energy Use................ 17

Opportunity 5Minimising Transport Impact..................................................................... 24

Opportunity 6Minimising Ozone Layer Depletion......................................................... 25

Opportunity 7Choosing Materials.......................26

Opportunity 8Minimising Waste...........................28

Opportunity 9Water Conservation ..................... 30

Opportunity 10Land Use and Ecology ................ 34

Case Studies

8 Brindabella Circuit......................... 35

30 The Bond ................................... 38

CH2, Council House 2 ..................... 40

743 Ann Street................................. 42

SES Headquarters........................... 44

Waalitj Building: Murdoch University......................................................... 46

National Museum of Australia...........48

60L: 60 Leicester Street....................51

40 Albert Road..................................54

Galleries, Museums and Libraries .. 58

Glossary ........................................ 62

Attachment OneNABERS and ABGR......................... 67

Attachment TwoGBCA and Green Star...................... 68

Index .............................................. 69x

contents

contents

ESD: Ecologically Sustainable Development – ‘using, conserving and enhancing the community’s resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased’. (NSESD, DEH 1992)


The State of the Environment reportpublished in 2001 clearly puts intocontext that humans have had a largeimpact on the earth and that this is notsustainable. The study concludes:

“Existing pressures from human settlements are not consistent with a sustainable environment. Uneven distribution of wealth in our humansettlements means that somecommunities (e.g. Indigenous communities and small rural towns) do not always have the capacity to look after their environment. Most indicators of resource consumption continue to outpace population growth. An example is personal mobility, as measured by vehicle kilometres travelled, which is increasing in metropolitan areas.There is a high and increasing per capita energy usage in human settlements leading to increase in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly through electricity generation and transport usage.”1

Buildings contribute significantlyto this negative impact on ourenvironment consuming 32% of theworld’s resources, including 12% ofthe world’s fresh water and up to 40%of the world’s energy. Buildings alsoproduce 40% of waste going to landfilland 40% of air emissions.2 In Australia,commercial buildings produce 8.8%of the national greenhouse emissionsand have a major part to play inmeeting Australia’s internationalgreenhouse targets.3

The Australian Government wishesto show leadership in minimising theenvironmental impacts of its buildingsand operations, including leasedpremises. This guide provides anintroduction to the key environmentalissues relevant to office buildings andpublic buildings. It also outlines whatyou can do to address these issues inyour building project, supporting thiswith evidence from case studies ofleading buildings.

Relevant Australian buildings coveredby this guide are: Office buildings(Building Code of Australia – BCA class 5) and public buildings suchas libraries, art galleries, museumsand similar cultural institutions (BCA class 9b). This is not intended to referto schools, hospitals or correctionalfacilities (for information on these seethe various guides developed by statedepartments) although many of theconcepts and strategies outlined heremay be relevant to those facilities.

This guide gives a basic introductionto ecological sustainability issues andspecifically how the built environmentaffects them. It begins by outliningthe Australian position on EcologicallySustainable Development (ESD)and some key policies relevant tobuildings and ESD. The next sectionoutlines the tools that are available tohelp in achieving ESD in AustralianGovernment buildings, specificallyABGR, NABERS and Green Star.The bulk of this guide is an outline ofinitiatives that can be put in place tominimise the environmental and socialimpacts of buildings.

Several case studies are presentedto illustrate various approaches toachieving ESD in buildings:

1 DEH (2001) State of Environment SummaryBrochure. The Department of the Environment &Heritage: Canberra. www.deh.gov.au/soe/2001/key-findings/pubs/key-findings-2001.pdf.

2 OECD (2003) Environmentally SustainableBuildings: Challenges and Policies. A report by theOECD

3 DEH (2001) Australia State of the Environment report. The Department of the Environment &Heritage: Canberra.

introduction

introduction

• 8 Brindabella Circuit, Canberra, thefirst project to achieve 5 Star GreenStar - Office Design certified rating

• 30 The Bond, SydneyESD in a new building using a‘business as usual’ approach

• CH2, Melbourne, Australia’s first6 Star Green Star - Office Designproject

• 743 Ann Street – a refurbishment ofan office building in Brisbane

• Waalitj Building: MurdochUniversity – Perth building

• SES headquarters, Melbourne• National Museum of Australia,

Canberra, ESD initiatives in a highlysensitive display environment

• 60L, Melbourne, a refurbishment ofa warehouse to offices

• 40 Albert Road, Melbourne,integrating many Australian firsttechnologies and has achieved a6 Star Green Star - Office Designcertified rating

• Galleries, Museums and Librariesvarious ESD opportunities in publicbuildings

Figure 1. The earth, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.


(ESD) represents one of the greatestchallenges facing Australia’sgovernments, industry, business andcommunity in the coming years.4

In 1990, Australian Governmentsendorsed the following definition forESD in Australia:

‘....using, conserving and enhancing the community’s resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased’.5

ESD is development which aims tomeet the needs of Australians today,while conserving our ecosystems forthe benefit of future generations. Todo this, we need to develop ways ofusing those environmental resourcesthat form the basis of our economyin a way which maintains and, wherepossible, improves their range, varietyand quality. We also need to utilisethose resources to develop industryand generate employment.

The Australian Government hasdeveloped several strategies andpolicies in response to the needto ensure ecologically sustainabledevelopment. The National Strategyfor Ecologically SustainableDevelopment (NSESD) was launchedin 1992 after extensive consultationwith industry, the community,conservation groups, scientificorganisations and all levels ofGovernment. It identifies five keyprinciples of ESD:

• integrating economic andenvironmental goals in policies andactivities (the integration principle);

• ensuring that environmental assetsare properly valued (the valuationprinciple);

• providing for equity within

and between generations (theintergenerational principle);

• dealing cautiously with risk andirreversibility (the precautionaryprinciple); and

• recognising the global dimension.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the AustralianGovernment’s major piece ofenvironmental legislation. It protectsthe environment, particularlymatters of National EnvironmentalSignificance. It streamlines nationalenvironmental assessment andapprovals process, as well asprotecting Australian biodiversity andintegrating management of importantnatural and cultural places. It alsocontains requirements that AustralianGovernment agencies report on howthey are addressing the challenges ofESD. Section 516A of the EPBC Act requires Commonwealth organisationsto include in their Annual Reports asection detailing the environmentalperformance of the organisation andthe organisation’s contribution toESD.6

For existing buildings, the s516A part of their annual report can recordperformance on water use, energyuse (including greenhouse gasemissions), waste produced and anyinitiatives planned or in place tominimise ESD impacts. For newbuildings, this report can include arecord of the ESD elements taken intoaccount in the building requirements.This reporting should form part of thebroader Section 516A ESD report onthe organisation’s overall ESD reportas outlined in the document GenericESD and Environmental PerformanceIndicators for CommonwealthOrganisations (GPICO).7

The Australian Government has aspecific policy regarding governmentenergy use. This was originallyannounced in November 1997 aspart of a package of measures inSafeguarding the future: Australia’sresponse to climate change, with anupdated version currently underdevelopment. For AustralianGovernment buildings, this policyrequires reporting on the lightingenergy use, general energy use, thenumber of kilometres travelled and theamount of energy used per fuel type.

As part of this policy, specific portfoliotargets were adopted for governmentoffice buildings (not public buildings)as follows:• Tenant light and power - 10,000

MJ/person/annum• Central Services - 500 MJ/m2/

annum

New portfolio targets will beannounced in late 2005, these targetswill not be for individual buildings.

To achieve best practice of 4.5 starsABGR in new government officebuildings and major refurbishments, amaximum of 10 Watts/m2 for lightingand 9 Watts/m2 for general power(tenancy) should be considered.

4 DEH (1992) NSESD Prepared by the EcologicallySustainable Development Steering CommitteeEndorsed by the Council of AustralianGovernments December, 1992 ISBN 0 644 272538, Introduction.

5 ibid Introduction6 For more information of ESD reporting see www.

deh.gov.au/epbc/publications/esd-guidelines/pubs/esd-reporting-guidelines-2003.pdf.

7 For more information of ESD indicators see www.deh.gov.au/epbc/publications/esd-indicators/esd.html#legislation.

introduction

ecologically sustainable developmentAUSTRALIA AND


For Australian Government buildings,Australian ESD legislation and policiesprovide a clear direction for:• Planning buildings with a view to

the long term while being feasiblein the short term

• Using the precautionary principle inall decision making

• Taking a global approach toissues – for example approachinggreenhouse gas reduction throughenergy efficiency

• Input from users and communitieson building projects

• Avoiding the use of materialsthat have a negative effect onbiodiversity

• Ensuring healthy indoorenvironments

• Reporting on performance

For related policies see thePolicy Framework for Greening ofGovernment:www.deh.gov.au/settlements/government/purchasing/policy.html

THE USE OF RATING TOOLS TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCEA range of rating tools have beendeveloped internationally and inAustralia to measure various aspectsof the environmental performanceof buildings. There are two mainapproaches to ratings: (1) a design-based approach, which seeks topredict the performance of a buildingbased on an analysis of the designfeatures; and (2) an outcome-basedapproach, which measures theactual consumption of resources andenvironmental impacts of the buildingin operation. Both approachesprovide useful information to buildingowners, managers and tenants, andhave the potential to drive continuousimprovement of the building stock.

For assessing a range ofenvironmental aspects of commercialbuildings in Australia, Green Star - Office Design v2 assesses a project’sapproach while other Green Star toolsassess construction and procurementenvironmental initiatives or existingbuilding’s environmental assets.Green Star rating tools do not assessbuilding occupant’s behaviour.

The National Australian BuiltEnvironment Rating System (NABERS)uses an outcome-based approachto assess the environmentalperformance of existing buildings(commercial office or residentialhome). Ratings derived from asystem like NABERS that uses anoutcome-based approach will to adegree be influenced by the behaviourof occupants - i.e. by factors oftennot directly relevant to the buildinginfrastructure itself. The ABGR tool isused in both Green Star and NABERSto cover energy issues. For thatreason it is discussed first:

ABGRABGR is administered nationally by agroup of sustainable energy agencies(SEDO, SEAV, EPA and DEUS). Todate, more than 500 buildings havebeen officially rated.

ABGR has broad industry supportand is being used for energy rating,target development and designrequirements. The ABGR schemerates buildings from one to five starswith five stars representing exceptionalgreenhouse performance. ABGR canbe used for the base building (centralservices), individual tenancies or awhole building.

ABGR Homepagewww.abgr.com.au

introduction

ecologically sustainable developmentAUSTRALIA AND

Figure 2. 743 Ann Street interior, TVS Partnership.

Figure 3. 743 Ann Street interior, TVS Partnership.


GREEN STARGreen Star has been developed bythe Green Building Council of Australia(GBCA) with support from industryand some government agencies.Green Star rating tools relate to thevarious cycles of development eg.design, procurement, constructionand refurbishment. There arecurrently four Green Star rating toolsrelevant to office buildings.

What the Green Star tools rate: • Green Star - Office Design v2

evaluates the environmentalpotential of the design ofcommercial office buildings(base building construction orrefurbishment). That is, it is arating of the design potential of thebuilding before it is built.

• Green Star - Office As Built v2evaluates the same designinitiatives as Green Star - OfficeDesign but the validationdocumentation differs in that itis retrospective and thereforeevaluates those initiatives that arerelevant to the construction of thebuilding and are the responsibilityof the contractor. That is, itis a rating of the contractor’sperformance once the building hasbeen built.

• Green Star - Office Interiors v1evaluates the environmentalinitiatives and/or the potentialenvironmental impact of class5 office tenancy fitout. It wasdeveloped primarily to assessan office tenancy fitout onceconstruction is complete, howeverit should also be used duringthe tenancy fitout design phaseto ensure green initiatives areincorporated at the earliestpossible stage.

• Green Star - Office Asset (pilot)rates the environmental attributes

of existing office buildings thathave been constructed andhanded over not less than 24months prior to an applicationfor a Green Star certified rating.The tool assigns a Green Starrating to the physical building andits services independent of thetenants’ operation or behaviour. That is, it is a rating of the assetwhich is over 24 months old, anduses the ABGR tool to measurepotential energy use and not actualconsumption.

Green Building Council AustraliaFor case studies on Green Staraccredited buildings see Attachment 2and www.gbcaus.org/greenstar

NABERSNABERS was developed by theAustralian Government and iscurrently being commercialised bythe NSW Department of Energy,Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS), theadministrators of ABGR.

NABERS measures environmentalperformance against a comprehensiveset of key impact categories. Therelevance of these impact categoriesin a NABERS assessment willdepend on whether the rating isfor a Commercial Office Building,Commercial Office Tenancy, orResidential Home.

introduction

“The client came to us with Green Star - Office Design v1 after documentation …so we developed two A4 pages …ofESD initiatives that we could take on for free.”

environmental performanceRATING TOOLS AND

5 Star, Green Star - Office Design v1 imple-mentation at BrindabellaMartin Osolnik, Associate, Daryl JacksonAlastair Swayn

Figure 4. Queenscliff Ecocentre, DPI Victoria.

NABERS is structured this way toallow recognition of the differentrealms of accountability andresponsibility for commercial buildingowners, commercial tenants, or homeowners.

National Australian BuiltEnvironmental Rating Systemwww.nabers.com.au


Information required for Green Star - Office Design v28

Green Star category

NABERScategory

Information required for NABERS

Commissioning documentationWaste and environmentalmanagement plans

Management

Predicted ventilation, light, views, usercontrol, VOCs, noise and asbestos

IEQ Indoor Air Quality Levels of dust, CO, CO2, Ozone, VOCs, bacteria, fungi and mould

OccupantSatisfaction

Actual satisfaction – noise, temp,light and health aspects such asheadaches, nausea etc.

ABGR rating with a minimum of 4stars, metering, peak offset, zoning

Energy Energy use andGreenhouseEmissions

Enter ABGR score 0-5 stars,

Proximity to public transport and carparking minimisation

Transport Transport Transport type, engine size, km andnumber of trips

Planned appliances and fixtures,metering, cooling tower, irrigation,water collection and reuse

Water Water Use Actual m3 of water used

(see water) StormwaterRunoff

Rainwater captured and used,permeable and non permeablesurfaces, rainfall, evaporation

(see emissions) Sewage OutfallVolume

Actual m3 of water sent to sewer andreused

Reuse, recycled content, PVCminimisation, timber

Materials Toxic Materials Presence, storage and disposal pertype

Existing building system (façade/ structure) reuse

(see materials) Waste Total waste and waste to landfill

Soil reuse, adding ecological valueand quality through remediation toland

Land use LandscapeDiversity

Landscape types and m2

Refrigerant capture, water pollutionminimisation, sewage minimisation,light pollution, cooling tower, insulationblowing agent

Emissions StormwaterPollution

Actual m2 of different surfaces onwhich storm water falls e.g. garden withfertilizer

(see emissions) Refrigerant use(GWP and ODP)

Type, amount and actual leakage (bytop up required)

New untried technologies, techniquesand approaches

Innovation

introduction

Table 1. Comparison of the information required by Green Star and NABERS

environmental performanceRATING TOOLS AND

8 Green Star - Office Design v2 www.gbcaus.org9 NABERS www.deh.gov.au/industry/construction/nabers


CLIENT COMMITMENTThe single most important principle forachieving an ecologically sustainablebuilding design is client commitment.As shown above the Australiangovernment is committed to ESD andhas developed some specific targetsin the area of energy, with others tofollow in the near future. In developing

Figure 5. Life cycle of a building.

environmentally sustainable building designPRINCIPLES OF

sustainable building design

the new or existing building brief,ESD needs to be built in along withfunctional and technical requirements.A base building brief being developedby the Australian Governmentwill support the development ofthis commitment into an effectivefunctional brief.

WHOLE OF LIFE THINKINGBuildings are complex and havemany impacts. It is important whenaddressing these impacts that eachproject team member does not work in isolation, without consideringthe consequences of any otherparticular initiative. One of the mainways of looking at a building’simpact is to think about the life cycleof the building; that is, its design,construction, use, refurbishment anddemolition. (See Figure 5).

DESIGN INFLUENCEAs many projects have shown, itis at the design stage that many ofthe impacts of a building are lockedin. (See Figure 7). The greatestchance to reduce the environmentalimpact of a building is to tackle theminimisation of impacts at the designstage, through good guidance witha building brief that clearly outlinestargets and ESD requirements. Itis also recommended to use anintegrated design process to minimisesilo initiatives and unintendedconsequences. For example, forimproved Indoor Environment Quality(IEQ) levels, it is good to have higherlevels of ventilation than is requiredunder Australian Standards, butthis can have an adverse effect ofincreasing the energy used by thebuilding for heating and/or cooling thisair.

“ it is important to develop… an ‘environmental brief’ to … share the vision with the client of what is possible, …show them… that they can achieve quite a lot more which is beneficial to them in the long term in terms of operational savings…”

Client commitment743 Ann StreetMark Thomson, Director, TVS Partnership

Figure 6. Trees, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.


sustainable building design

environmentally sustainable building designPRINCIPLES OF

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTBuilding owners already try todetermine the costs and benefitsover the life of their assets(sometimes referred to as the totalcost of ownership), balancing theupfront capital costs with the ongoing operating expenses. Similarapproaches exist for evaluating theoverall environmental performanceof a building. One of the maintechniques for determining the relativemerit of any one initiative is throughLife Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is the assessment of the whole oflife impact of various initiatives onthe environment (including all of theimpacts listed in this report). LCA methodology uses actual figures,such as for energy use, emissions tothe environment, and materials usedrather than predicted figures.

Currently LCAs are mainly usedin commercial buildings to makedecisions concerning various optionsfor particular elements (i.e. woolcarpet versus nylon carpet) rather

“Everyone was brought on board at least 3 years prior to Bond

being built. We had a blue sky workshop with our staff before

we started the process. Then we took on a taskforce approach

with about 8 different taskforces. Those taskforces pretty much

wrote the brief.”

Engaging stakeholders in the creation process30 the BondPaul Edwards, General Manager, Environment Sustainability Initiatives, Lend Lease Australia Pacific

Online Resources

LCA

Department of the Environment and Heritagewww.deh.gov.au/industry/corporate/lca

Greening the Building Life Cyclebuildlca.rmit.edu.auprovides case studies, links to LCA tools and a guide to LCA use for building design

Canadian Architectwww.canadianarchitect.com/asf/perspec-

tives_sustainibility/measures_of_sustainablity

LCAidwww.projectweb.gov.com.au/dataweb/lcaid/

Figure 7. Ability to influence green innovation in design.

than the entire building, since theuse of LCA is both time and resourceintensive. There are, however, toolsbeing developed currently to makethis more streamlined, such as LCAid(CSIRO), but these are yet to betested in the market place.


Table 2. Whole of life opportunities in Government buildings. Adapted from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines, City of Manningham, Victoria 2004

pppp

esd opportunities in buildingSUMMARY OF

esd opportunities in building

OPPORTUNITIES PRE DESIGN DESIGN CONSTRUCTIONDOCUMENTATION

CONSTRUCTION OCCUPANCY

1. INTEGRATEDDESIGN &PROCESS MANAGEMENT

Establish designvalues of project.

g

Set environmentalp j

performance targets.Consider collaborativep gp g

design workshops.

Consider thermalmodelling.Assess design

gg

against benchmarksgg

and targets.g

Considerg

environmental cost-benefit analysis.

Peer reviews to confirminnovative technology.

Use environmentalperformance ratings,on-site monitoring andp g

user feedback.

2. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND OCCUPANT SATISFACTION

Consider the broaderurban environment.

Design for accessand mobility

gg

Maintain sitey

biodiversity

Minimise disturbanceto offsite areas.

3. INDOORENVIRONMENTQUALITY

Set criteria for IndoorAir and EnvironmentQuality (IAQ and IEQ).

Consider total indoorenvironment – light,fresh air, views,materials, radiantand convectivetemperature,landscape and user

pp

control.

Provide safeguardsand performance

g

indicators inpp

specifications topromote appropriatep

material selection andp pp ppp

substitution. Protectfrom respiratoryimpacts.

Monitor air quality.

4. ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Consider renewableenergy options.Consider engaging

gy pgy

specialistenvironmentalp

engineer.

Integrate into theBuilding Management

gg

System (BMS) a g gg

process for reviewy ( )( )

and improvement ofp

energy performance.p

Explore multiplegy pgy p

benefit solutions thatp pp

solve more than oneproblem.Use passive designpp

T5 lighting.pp

Flat screen monitors.g g

Specify energy efficientappliances.

p y

Specify adequatepppp

insulation.p yp y

Provide sufficient detailof draught proofing.Specify provision

g pg p

of separate energyp y pp

meters.p

Encourage buildersto use green power

g

during construction.g pg p

Ensure builders havegg

an energy componentto their Environmental

gy pgy p

Management Plan.

Carry out regularmetering, reporting

y gg

and adjustmentg p

for improvedjj

performance.p

Look for energypp

efficiency opportunitiesgy

at refurbishment.y ppy

COMMISSIONING & OPERATIONS

Consider an independentcommissioning agent.

pRequire the provisionof operating and

q pq p

maintenancep g

instructions andmanuals.

Commission buildingsystems.Carry out buildingyy

manager and usery g

training.g

Provide building usegg

manuals.

Make environmentalperformanceindicators visible.pp

Undertake post-occupancy evaluation.

p

Periodic re-p yp

commissioning.

5. TRANSPORT Consider locationin relation to use.Are there alternativetransport options tothe site?

pp

Include shower andlocker facilities andadequate bicycleparking.

qq

Consider car parkingspaces that are

p

adaptable for otherpp

uses.

Make parkingprovisions for

p gp

contractors.p

Occupant education topromote use of public

p

transport, cycling andp pp

walking.p

6. OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Specify use ofrefrigerants with a zero

p yp y

ODP and a maximum gg

of 10 GWP.

Audit regularly forleaks, minimise where

g yg

possible.

7. CHOOSING MATERIALS (incl. minimising toxicity)

((Use material selectionrules of thumb.Choose materialswhich minimise toxicity.

Further researchinformation on materialmaintenance, reuseand recycling.Environmental criteria

y g

included in finalspecifications.

Review materialcertification andinstallation.Provide method forcontractors to use inmaterial substitution.

Building use materialselection guideline,

gg

particularly forgg

cleaning.p

8. WASTE MINIMISATION

Design building forflexibility and future

g gg g

disassembly.yy

Contact local wastey

contractors for siteaccess advice.Design-in wastecollection areas.

gg

Specification to call forwaste management

p

plan from builder.gg

Detail for easypp

modification ofyy

services.

On-site waste separation andrecycling .

p

Allow for materialy gy

salvage in demolition.Regular reporting and

gg

auditing.gg

Occupant educationon waste recycling.

p

9. WATER USEREDUCTION

Contact localwater authority (reapprovals).

Investigate site watercollection and re-use

gg

options.Investigate waste

pp

water treatmentg

options.

Specify minimum AAA rated fittings.

p yy

Specify use of waterg

wise landscaping.p yp y

Ensure stormwaterrunoff is contained andsediment removedprior to leaving site.

Occupant educationon water saving.

p



integrated designOPPORTUNITY 1

An integrated design process bringstogether all of the parties that will workon a building at the beginning of theproject – clients, consultants,financiers, builders, tenants etc. Onetechnique to support the integrateddesign process is to run a charrette.The benefit of this is that after a periodof between say 2 days to 2 weeks(depending on the size of the project)the entire design team can resolvemost of the building design elementsand optimise how the buildingsystems can work together.

IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATED DESIGNThe best way to reduce all ofthe environmental impacts of acommercial building is to ensure thatdecisions are made holistically. Inany project where a new building orrefurbishment is being considered, itis best achieved through an integrateddesign process that includesenvironmental management inconstruction and during operation.

OPTIMISING INTEGRATED DESIGNA charrette type workshop is aneffective method for beginning thentegrated design process. Oneoption for structuring the charrette iso use Green Star as the framework or decision-making. This gives a

coherent way to think through thedesign.

In general, within the integrateddesign process described above,the best way to start the processthat minimises a building’s impacton the environment is to ensure thatthe design responds to the climate inwhich it will be built. Completing thedesign and documentation processrequires that the ESD opportunitiesidentified in the charrette be carriedthrough and documented.

“try to make each element of the design work more than once

…such as external blinds for glare and solar control and our atrium for exhaust relief air path as well as a buffer zone and an amenity

for people.”

Figure 9. CH2 charette, City of Melbourne

Use of integrated design30 the BondPaul Edwards, General Manager, Environment Sustainability Initiatives, Lend Lease Australia Pacific

The Council House 2 project (CH2) used a charrette process. This was run over 2 weeks, with the consultants and project team sitting together every morning and going away in the afternoons to carry out specific research on elements discussed in the morning, in order to return the next day to report. This process ensured that in a short period, around 80% of all the building design and systems were resolved in an integrated holistic fashion. All the consultants understood the systems and why they were in place. Further, there was a sense of trust that had been built up, resulting in a shorter design period to the point that a guaranteed bill of quantities was produced in 9 months, (even accounting for a change of site in the 3rd month).

Figure 8. CH2 construction image, vaulted ceilings from inside looking out, City of Melbourne. (6 Star, Green Star - Office Design v1)


OPPORTUNITY 1integrated design

Online Resources

Integrated DesignCity of Fort Collinswww.fcgov.com/utilities/powertosave/indesign.php

Environmental Management System (EMS)DEH EMSwww.deh.gov.au/settlements/government/ems

Property Council of Australiawww.propertyoz.com.au/vic/EMS/home.htm

Vic EPAVictorian Government EMSwww.epa.vic.gov.au/Government/EMS

SEAVModule 4 Developing an Energy Management Systemwww.sea.vic.gov.au/advice/business/EGMToolkit.asp

Green LeasingFreehills Commercial Lawyerswww.freehills.com.au/publications/publications_2243.asp


The construction phase is alsocrucial for the successful completionof a building aiming to reduce itsimpacts on the environment. The mainconstruction impacts are related towaste and pollution. These can beminimised by a good EnvironmentalManagement Plan (EMP) and WasteManagement Plan (WMP). AnEnvironmental Management System(EMS) can be certified to ISO14001and tends to be written at a companylevel, while the EMP and WMP areoften site specific.

After construction, and during thehandover period, there should be athorough commissioning stage toprove that the building has been builtas designed and is functioning asintended. Depending on the size ofthe building the following steps needto be taken during this process:• Step 1 – ensure that the

construction documentationincludes requirements for pre-commissioning, commissioningand quality processes;

• Step 2 – ensure that knowledgetransfer is facilitated bydocumenting the design intent andoutcomes and communicatingthese with the design andconstruction teams and the client;

• Step 3 – ensure that a user manualis written – both for tenants and forthe owner/building manager;

• Step 4 – plan for a 12 monthcommissioning period to ensurethat there is time for fine-tuning

and assessment of performanceover the differing seasons; and,

• Step 5 – for those larger projectsor those trying to attain the highestGreen Star - Office Design rating,plan for the appointment of anindependent commissioningagent to support the contractorcommissioning process and toaudit the process and outcomes.

In addition, reduction of theenvironmental impacts of the buildingin operation can be further achievedby a thorough building managementsystem (including an EMS) thathas regular audits and a policy ofcontinual improvement for areassuch as water use, energy use andwaste production. To a certain extent,purchasing and transport policies alsohave an impact, and it is beneficial ifthese are also addressed.

Another tool that can be used in theholistic building management strategyis to have tenant initiatives such asgreen leases and tenant building usermanuals. These can be supportedby regular meetings between keyparties, such as through a buildingmanagement committee.

Figure 11. Integrated design process, DesignInc Melbourne.

Figure 10. Clouds, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council



A building can make a contribution tosocial sustainability in how it respondsto its surroundings (does it fit in,address and if possible enhance thesurrounding contexts?) and how itmeets the social needs of the peoplewho will be using the building (accessand usability).

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND OCCUPANT SATISFACTIONThis is important because buildingsare social spaces driven by the needsof organisations that work in them. Ifa green building does not provide thefunctionality that the users need, orlooks out of place with its context, itwill either be removed or significantlyrenovated, which is not sustainable.

OPTIMISING SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND OCCUPANT SATISFACTIONThough this guide is mainly anintroduction to the potential tominimise the environmental impactof buildings, it is important to outlinethe social opportunities of a newbuilding or refurbishment. Some socialconsiderations include:• Accessibility – ensuring that the

building can be accessed by all ofthe community particularly the lessable.

• Usability – ensuring that inputfrom the building users into thedesign and choices of systemsin the building meets their socialand functional needs (includingencouraging the kinds ofcollegiality and team-buildingdesired).

• Education – ensuring thatGovernment buildings, particularlypublic buildings, can have aneducative role. Thus, for anybuildings that have embracedsustainability, resources should

social sustainability and occupant satisfactionOPPORTUNITY 2

Online Resources

Social Sustainability and Occupant Satisfaction

Disability Discrimination Actwww.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/dda1992264/

Royal Australian Institute of Architects ESD award checklistwww.architecture.com.au/i-cms_file?page=2993/esd_checklist.pdf

Occupant satisfaction measure NABERSwww.deh.gov.au/industry/construction/nabers

Occupant satisfaction probe studieswww.usablebuildings.co.uk/

Figure 12.Queenscliff Ecocentre - courtyard, DPI Victoria.

Figure 13. AGO southside of courtyard, DEH.

“Most of the comments on the NAB and the Bond is what a good space it is, not about how much energy saving it is. In terms of getting that culture shift in organisations, I think that the healthy aspect is what is driving it. In CH2, the idea of100% fresh air, the access to landscape, has been far more upfront than the energy side of things.” Stephen Webb.

be factored into the budget todemonstrate these features –information kiosks, signage, onlinefact sheets, ongoing monitoringand reporting.

• Indigenous cultural input– ensuring that indigenous culturaland spiritual aspects of sites areconsidered in the construction ofany new buildings, as places oftenhave meanings that should beacknowledged and, if possible, bepart of the design inspiration.

• Public Space – ensuring that theoutdoor public spaces of thebuilding are designed and locatedas functional areas, with access tosunlight, able to support activitiesand considerate of adjoiningproperties.

• Context – ensuring that thebuilding fits into its context (suchas the urban fabric) within whichit is being built. This may includecultural heritage considerations.

Apart from the above generalconsiderations, there are alsoseparate requirements for accessibilitythat should be consulted, for examplethe Disability Discrimination Act(DDA).



optimising indoor environment qualityOPPORTUNITY 3

Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ)is mainly assessed on by howthe environment in the building isperceived by it users, as well as someempirical measurements of air flowand temperature. It is made up ofvarious elements:• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), assessed

by the levels of pollutants in the air,odour etc.

• Ventilation,• Thermal comfort,• Lighting (including provision of

natural light),• Noise and• Visual amenity.

IMPORTANCE OF IEQIEQ is important because peoplespend around 90% of their timeindoors.10 Minimising the toxicity oftheir indoor environment is therefore apriority, particularly when indoor air isshown to be more toxic than outdoorair.11 The US EPA estimates that 20 to35 percent of all workers in modernmechanically ventilated buildings mayexperience negative air-quality relatedsigns and symptoms.12 Furthermore,it declares that indoor pollution isestimated to cause thousands ofcancer deaths and hundreds of

10 Wargocki, P., Wyon, D.P., Baik, Y.K., Clausen, G.and Fanger, P.O. (1999) Perceived air quality,Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms andproductivity in an office with two different pollutionloads. Indoor Air, p 9, 165–179 andFisk, W.J. and Rosenfeld, A.H. (1997), ‘Estimatesof Improved Productivity and Health from BetterIndoor Environments’, Indoor Air, vol. 7 (3), pp.158-172

11 Patrick K (2004) ‘IEQ : Coming To A BuildingNear You’, Property Australia, Property Council ofAustralia: Sydney, p. 8

12 ibid p. 813 ibid p. 814 ibid p. 915 ibid p. 1016 Edwards L. and P. Torcellini (2002) A Literature

Review of the Effects of Natural Light on BuildingOccupants, National Renewable Energy Laboratoryp. 11 www.ornl.gov/sci/hybridlighting/pdfs/NREL_TP_550_30769.pdf

17 ibid p. 1018 Fisk, W.J. and Rosenfeld, A.H. (1997) ‘Estimates

of Improved Productivity and Health from BetterIndoor Environments’, Indoor Air, vol. 7 (3), pp.158-172.

“…Indoor Environment Quality… in the past few years it has probably been the single biggest thing that has come up and has got these buildings over the line…”

Importance of IEQCH2 (6 Star Green Star - Office Design v1) Stephen Webb, Director, DesignIncMelbourne

PROJECT PRODUCTIVITYINCREASES

REASON

ING bank (Netherlands)14 15% IEQ

San Fran SustainableDevelopment Committee studies (US)15

3% to 15% IEQ

Nevada Post office (US)16 6% Better lighting and use of naturallight.

Verifone Corporation (US)17 45% decrease inabsenteeism

Daylighting, air filtration and lowtoxicity material specification.

Twelve Public Offices (US)18 Mechanically ventilated buildingshad significantly more peoplewith symptoms of sick buildingsyndrome than occupants ofnaturally ventilated buildings,after adjustment for confoundingfactors.

Table 3. Summaries of several productivity studies.

thousands of respiratory healthproblems each year.

A 1984 World Health OrganizationCommittee report suggested that upto 30 percent of new and remodelledbuildings worldwide may be thesubject of complaints related to indoorair quality.13

Several studies have established linksbetween increased productivity andimproved IEQ. Some of these studiesare shown in Table 3.



optimising indoor environment qualityOPPORTUNITY 3

OPTIMISING IEQDesign strategies for optimising IEQare:LightOptimise the amount of natural lightentering the working environmentwhile minimising glare, ensuringemployees have access to views.Provide adequate artificial lightingfor the tasks building users need toperform.

VentilationOptimise the amount of ventilationand fresh air provision to ensure airchange effectiveness (no sectionsof the building to have stale air buildup because of inadequate air flow).AS1668.2-1991 sets a minimum rate(dependent on the project) between5 and 10 litres per second per person(l/s/person). The Australian Instituteof Refrigeration, Heating and AirConditioning (AIRAH) recommends10l/s/person and CH2 is aimingfor 22.5l/s/person. Another usefultool is CO2 sensors that controlventilation systems to only turn onwhen required. In addition ensurethat air supply ductwork is maintainedto avoid/eliminate mould and othercontaminants developing.

Thermal ComfortAvoid the simplistic ‘air temperature’definition of acceptable comfort.Rather, consider the conceptof ‘adaptive comfort’ that usesholistic measures including radianttemperature, symmetry, internal airtemperature ranges related to externalambient conditions, air movement,activity levels and occupant clothing.Carry out thermal modelling todesign for appropriate comfort levels(see Figure 14 showing thermalmodelling of night purge thermal masscooling). Provide individual controlsto allow building users to tailor theenvironmental conditions of their

working space. International standardfor thermal comfort is ISO 7730.

NoiseEnsure noise levels are kept atappropriate levels. For example inGreen Star – Office Design v2 definesappropriate levels as:• “the design of building services

building services noise meetsthe recommended design soundlevels provided in Table 1 ofASINZS 2107:2000”

• “design sound level between 40-45 dB LAeqT (decibels equivalentsound levels – a complicatedacoustic logarithmic formulae)in general offices and 35-40dBLAeqT in private offices”19

PollutantsMaterial selectionEnsure asbestos and other mineralfibres are eliminated from theoccupied space. Minimise materialsthat emit volatile organic compounds(VOCs) and have formaldehydeemissions. Ensure that spacescontaining equipment such as printersand photocopiers are isolated andwell ventilated. Ensure combustionplant is maintained to minimisepollution and greenhouse gasemissions. Ensure cooling plant ismaintained to eliminate water borneatmospheric pathogens and thatthe plant refrigerant has zero OzoneDepleting Potential (ODP) and aGlobal Warming Potential (GWP) ofbelow 10.20

IEQ and constructionTo protect the health of constructionworkers ensure that the cutting ofMDF is avoided or minimised withappropriate safety equipment, ensurethe removal of Asbestos and minimiseemissions from Volatile OrganicCompounds.

19 Green Star – Office Design v2 Indoor EnvironmentQuality credit IEQ-12 ‘Internal Noise Levels’ www.gbcaus.org

20 Green Star – Office Design v2 Emissions creditsEm-1 ‘Refrigerant ODP’ www.gbcaus.org

Figure 14. CH2 Modelling velocity (blue) and pressure (red) of air distribution through room (AEC, City of Melbourne report).

Online Resources

IEQDepartment of the Environment and Heritagewww.deh.gov.au/soe/2001/settlements

Building Greenwww.buildinggreen.com/menus/subtopics.

cfm?TopicID=5

US EPAIAQ for large buildingswww.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/index.html


The use of energy from non-renewablesources, such as coal and gas, isnot sustainable because of the finiteamount of these sources as well asthe environmental impacts created bytheir use for energy production.

IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY USE MINIMISATIONThe reason that greenhouse gasemissions are an environmentalproblem is that their build up in theatmosphere will lead to the enhancedgreenhouse effect and a change inthe earth’s climate (this is also referredto as climate change or globalwarming). The consequences of arise in the earth’s temperature, whichis predicted to be between 1.4 to 5.8degrees within the next century21,includes a rise in sea levels due toice caps melting and complicatedchanges to weather patterns.Commercial buildings are said tocontribute 8.8% of the total Australiangreenhouse emissions.22

Greenhouse gasses are measured bygreenhouse gas equivalents relatingto Global Warming Potential (GWP).CO2 is set as a GWP of 1. All othergasses are given a relative score – egif a gas has twice the global warmingpotential when compared to CO2, itgets a GWP of 2.23

OPTIMISING ENERGY USE MINIMISATIONOne approach to achievinggreenhouse targets is to ensure thatbuildings use minimal amounts of‘fossil based’ energy. The energyconsumption of a building is largelydetermined at the design stage. Itis here that energy efficient featuresaffecting air conditioning and lighting(the main contributors to energyconsumption) can be incorporated.

Having integrated as many of theenergy efficiency opportunities aspossible in the design stage, considercarrying out an ABGR commitmentrating. A minimum of 4.5 starsABGR should be required, as this isquite achievable in a well-designedbuilding without significant cost. At thedesign stage, the ABGR will requiremodelling of the building’s energyperformance.24

During operation energy use canbe minimised through buildingmanagement techniques such asprovision of a Building User Guideand encouraging the purchase bytenants of energy efficient equipmentand appliances (guides at differinglevels of complexity should bedeveloped for the users, owners andbuilding managers).

The main techniques for theminimisation of energy consumption inthe design stage are:• Passive Design – use of thermal

mass, natural light, natural coolingand heating potential

• Appropriate sizing of lighting,heating and cooling systems byworking with the engineers

• Appropriate zoning and sensors• Appropriate building management

including equipment purchasing• Use of renewable energy• Minimising embodied energy in

materials

PASSIVE DESIGNPassive design is the name given toany design technique that requiresno active (energy using) intervention.For example, the use of thermal mass(e.g. a large slab of concrete) toabsorb heat generated in a buildingduring the day and then using nightpurging to cool the thermal mass isan example of passive design (see

image of concrete ceilings used atCH2 above).

The following are a few otherexamples of passive designtechniques that can be used:

OrientationIn areas where the sun can be usedeffectively for space heating thebuilding should be designed withwindows facing north, with care takento ensure overheating and glare willnot occur.

Figure 15. CH2 during construction photo of high thermal mass wavy ceilings, City ofMelbourne.(6 Star Green Star - Office Design v1)

minimising energy useOPPORTUNITY 4

21 AGO. (2003) Global Warming – Cool it!, - factsheet, Australian Greenhouse Office: Canberra.

22 DEH (2001) Australian State of the Environment report. The Department of the Environment &Heritage: Canberra.

23 Emissions credits Emi-1 Emissions ‘RefrigerantODP’ and Emi-2 ‘Refrigerant GWP’ www.gbcaus.org

24 Simulation package must either: have passedthe BESTEST validation test; be certified inaccordance with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2001:“Standard Method of Test for Evaluation ofBuilding Energy Analysis Computer Programs”or European Union draft standard EN13791 July2000.



Thermal cooling Thermal mass can be used to absorbexcessive day time air temperature.This excessive heat can be “strippedout” at night time by passing coolnight air over it in order to coolthe mass so it is ready for use thenext day. Types of thermal massapproaches are the use of exposedconcrete, stone, labyrinths, water(for energy storage) and rock stores.This only works if there is a significantdifference between day and nighttemperatures.

Thermal heating Thermal mass will absorb heat fromany source, for example the sun, andthen radiate that into a space if the airin that space is cooler than the mass.This is a particularly good techniquewhere a lot of heating is needed.

Thermal resistanceThermal resistance is the R value of amaterial, how well it keeps heat fromtransferring through it. The higher theR value the better the insulator.

Night purge Night purge is where cool night air isused to cool a space. This will onlywork if the night-time air temperatureis significantly less than during the day(this is referred to as the diurnal range)and this is generally preferred to beabout 15oC. Issues to be consideredare the diurnal range, security(windows open at night may not bethe best solution in some areas) anddesign of spaces to allow air to movefreely through the space.

Natural ventilation Natural ventilation is the use ofwindows and the natural conditionsaround the building, to ventilate thebuilding. This requires knowledge ofthe beneficial and detrimental winds

in the area, temperature ranges,humidity and the function of thebuilding. Usually buildings will requiresome kind of additional heating andcooling, as well as natural ventilation.(See figures 16 and 17 for how tocapture natural ventilation).

Natural lighting - effective glazinguse (including use of atria)Glazing is an integral part of a greenerbuilding. It allows in natural light aswell as access to outside views.Both those are important for userhealth and effectiveness. A balanceneeds to be struck between the sizeof the windows and the benefits andadditional heat loads they create.The mechanical ESD engineerscan help with this. Consider glazingtypes, reflective films, shading, andparticularly rationalising the amountof glazing required. In Victoria forexample, a 50% glazing ratio has beenshown to be most effective for officebuildings (this will differ State to State).

Minimisation of infiltrationThis issue offers significant costreductions and is easily integratedinto the building process by gooddetailing and construction. Considergood seals, effective airlocks, effectiveHVAC ductwork installation and goodquality facades.

Effective external shadingExternal shading is very important ifglazing is being used. It is importantbecause it can reduce heat load whileproviding natural light and views.

Effective use of insulationUse appropriate insulation for theclimate and building type. Ensureducts and pipes are well insulated ifrequired.


Figure 16. Floorplate with enclosed circulation.

Figure 17. Floorplate with open circulation.


prevailing winds

apartments with no natural ventilation options

prevailing winds


Effective use of thermal stacksA thermal stack is a large chimneylike structure that draws hot air out ofthe building by means of the naturalbuoyancy of air. This can be aidedby using dark colours at the topof the stack, or using fans, and/orwind turbines if the conditions arefavourable.

Design of office floor platesIf passive design is being used, thenthe design of the office floor plates iscrucial. Natural ventilation needs tobe able to travel through the buildingand if closed offices are beingproposed they need to be plannedto allow air to flow in and flow out. Ingeneral partitions should be limitedto 1200mm in height, or if full heightto be located perpendicular to the airflow (refer figures 19 and 20).

Due to the increased solar loadon northern facades, it can beadvantageous to have the density ofpersons on the north façade lowerthan that of the south façade.Heavily polluting equipment should beput in rooms with mechanical extracton the east or west facades where

Figure 19 + 20. Plan partitions so as to not block flow of air through the building.

rtificialentilation

N



Figure 18. Australian climate zones, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines, Manningham City Council

solar gain is hard to control (referfigure 19).

Climatic DesignPassive Design techniques varyaccording to different climate zones.What works in a temperate climatelike Sydney, may not work in a morehumid environment like Darwin. Inorder to carry out effective passivedesign, ensure that the project has athorough site analysis that ensuresthat there is information on:• site;• solar access;• wind direction and speed over an

entire year; and• climate type.

This will help the designers to choosewhich passive design techniques areused.

Most commercial buildings in Australiawill not be able to be completelypassively designed and will needsome mechanical heating andcooling. Notwithstanding this, usingappropriate passive techniqueswill minimise any additional energyneeded.

subtropical (Warm & Humid)

hot & drywarm dry temperatetemperatecool temperate


Radiant cooling/heatingRadiant cooling/heating is thefeeling of heat or ‘coolth’ radiatingfrom a nearby element (such asbrick wall that has been in sun). A large percentage of an individual’ssensation of thermal comfort is fromradiant heat.

Mechanical plant sizeTaking passive design elements intoaccount means that in many casesthe size of the mechanical plant canbe reduced. Setting realistic buildingenergy needs is also important. Thisrequires an understanding of howthe building will be used, how manypeople will be using it, and for howmany hours.

For example the energy needs fora 24 hour building that houses acall centre, with their people andequipment intensive workspaces,will be different to a nine-to-fiveoffice housing maintenance staff forCanberra parks. They may only be intheir office half of the time and spendmost of their time in the field.

LightingLighting needs to be optimised forthe tasks that will be performed. Thesimplest ways of minimising energyconsumption from lighting are toconsider:• energy efficiency fluorescent tubes

(T5 or T8 depending on sitting anduse of light)

• use of natural light• use of electronic ballasts (7% more

efficient)• user controls.

APPROPRIATE SIZING OF LIGHTING, HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMSSeveral concepts need to beunderstood, and considered, whenchoosing heating and cooling plant:

Natural ventilation Uses external air and air movement toventilate a building.

Mechanical ventilationUses machines to move the air – fans,air conditioners etc.

Mixed mode ventilationUses a mixture of natural andmechanical systems.

Refrigerant cooling Uses ‘refrigerants’ in heat pumpsystems (such as a fridge) to moveheat from one place (such as insidethe fridge) to another place (such asthe back or bottom of the fridge).

Evaporative cooling Uses the latent energy of waterevaporation to remove heat.

ComfortA measure of the perception of peoplen a space. The Predicted Mean Vote(PMV ISO 7730-1984) and Adaptive Comfort (ASHRAE-5525) systems provide appropriate measures ofcomfort. Together they both consideractors such as radiant temperature,

humidity, radiant symmetry, airmovement, occupant clothing andactivity levels and external ambienttemperatures.

Adaptive comfort Adaptive comfort assessmentmethods allows the designer toproduce a more efficient and smallerHVAC system.

25 ANSI / ASHRAE Standard 55-2004, ThermalEnvironmental Conditions for Human Occupancy.

“One of the problems with air based systems is that they

don’t turn down very well. And when they get to this low load situation… they perform badly

and get into all sorts of problems … yet this is the situation for 80%

of the year.”



Appropriate sizing of building systemsDr Paul Bannister, Managing Director,Exergy Australia


The Council House 2 project (CH2) carried out an assessment of all of its systems to determine the risks and opportunities for lowering energy use. This was done to assist in the sizing of the chilled water panels, the sizing of the chillers and the sizing of the phase change material plant. Below is an example of the analysis and its implications on cooling load for one section of CH2. This was repeated to optimise the entire building.

Note: The result of this analysis showed that a 95% coverage of cooling loads would reduce load by 42% saving around $600,000 in plant. Figure 21. Risk assessment CH2 for cooling load (AEC, City of Melbourne report).

The assessment above wasonly possible through the activecollaboration of the whole designteam, including the engineers, fromthe beginning of the design process.Where a process such as this is notpossible, then it is important to ensurethat the engineers understand therelative loads of the building (howmany people, what hours, how muchequipment, glazing, orientation etc.)and that they use this knowledge towork effectively with the designersand the client to optimise comfort andminimise cost.

EFFECTIVE ZONING, SENSORS AND CONTROLSZoningEffective zoning means that heating,cooling and lighting are providedonly when and where needed. Thisshould form part of the mechanicalengineer’s brief, though it needs inputfrom the design team, as effectivezoning requires accurate informationon internal layout and fit-out. Sensors

can also be effectively used with anintegrated building managementsystem in order to turn off or adjustlights, ventilation, heating and cooling.

SensorsLight lux level sensorsAdjust lighting to compensate for theamount of natural light entering thespace. These sensors are also calledphotoelectric sensors.

TimersSwitch off lights and other systems atcertain times.

Movement sensorsTurn on lighting and ventilationsystems when movement is detected.

Carbon Dioxide sensorsAdjust ventilation rates so that enoughfresh air is supplied.

Temperature sensorsAdjust ventilation, heating and coolingsystems to maintain comfort in the air.



“The mechanical system was something very easy to do. The lighting and lighting controls as well....we can find out if there is a leak in the system, or if something is not working, they’re all alarmed so we set our alarms to any slight variations, which immediately draws attention.”

Metering, lighting and building managementBrindabella Park’s central plantMartin Osolnik, Associate, Daryl JacksonAlastair Swayn


ControlLike comfort, a decision needs tobe made at an early stage as tothe amount of control individualswill have. Studies have shown thathaving control over light, ventilation,heating and cooling will improve aperson’s perception of comfort, butthese needs to be weighed againstthe increased use of energy if oneperson is turning up the heat whilethe other is turning it down. Anexample of a compromise designapproach (which aims for maximumcontrol and efficiency) is to havestandard background lighting, heatingand cooling levels, while allowingndividuals to control ventilationdirection and providing a task light.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASINGt is often said that ‘if you can’tmeasure it you can’t manage it’,this holds true for buildings also.Measuring energy performanceusing sub meters on separate floorsand high energy usage areas suchas server room, allows for the early

Figure 22. Comparable energy savings between monitor types and client, CH2 (AEC, City of Melbourne report).

Liquid Crystalline Display (LCD) computer monitors are expected to consume 77% less energy than older cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors. The adoption of the LCD monitors and the thin client technology for the computing requirements will reduce the internal heat load and therefore, the amount of cooling which needs to be provided. The thin client eliminates the need for a Central Processing Unit (CPU) using 85 Watts at each desk. Combined with a LCD screen, at 30W, instead of the 80Watt CRT screen, this saves 127 watts per desk.

Note: savings may vary with equipment, design of the offices and the type of cooling provided.



detection of problems and theoptimisation of performance.

The greatest life-time energy impactof a building is its operational energyconsumption and therefore havinga good building managementsystem, with periodic auditingand improvement, will optimiseperformance. Having said this, themore complex a building and itssystems the more difficult it is tomanage. As a general rule try to keepa building and its systems as simpleas possible to carry out the functions itis required to do.

Another tool for minimising energyconsumption during operation is tohave tenant initiatives such as tenantEMS, green leases and tenant buildinguser manuals. This can ensure thatthe building tenants know how to usethe building effectively and energyefficiently. Tenant specific lighting andenvironmental controls and meteringare particularly effective in supportingthis strategy.

Efficient office equipment specification

“we adopted realistic accommodation sizing, which

reduced the capital cost of the plant by $35,000. We adopted

realistic lighting power densities, which reduced the capital cost of the plant by $30,000 and we

adopted realistic plug-in load density and that saved $70,000.”

AGO capital cost reductionsDavid Oppenheim, Director, SustainableBuilt Environments


Effectiveness of hot water and PV systems

Domestic hot watercost payback: 6-7 years26

embodied energy payback: 0.5-2 yrs27

Domestic and commercial photovoltaic systemscost payback: Greater than 10 years28

embodied energy payback: 2.5-3 yrs29

26 SEAV (2005) Personal Conversation SustainableEnergy Authority Victoria 9/3/2005.

27 Crawford R.H. and Treloar G.J. (2004) Net energyanalysis of solar and conventional domestichot water systems in Melbourne, Australia Solar Energy, vol. 76 (1-3), January-March 2004, pp.159-163.

28 Going Solar 2005, Conversation 9/03/05.29 E. A. Alsema and E. Nieuwlaar Energy viability of

photovoltaic systems Energy Policy, Volume 28,Issue 14, November 2000, Pages 999-1010.

Online Resources

Passive Design TechniquesSquare One www.squ1.com

Sustainable Building Sourcebookwww.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/PassiveSol

Renewable EnergyGreenpowerwww.greenpower.com.au/

Solar PowerATA (Alternative Technology Association)www.ata.org.au/

National Renewable Energy Laboratorywww.nrel.gov/solar/

Energy Efficient Fittings & EquipmentAustralian Greenhouse OfficeToolkit for local Governmentwww.greenhouse.gov.au/lgmodules

Department of the Environment and HeritageEnvironmental Purchasing Guidewww.deh.gov.au/settlements/government/purchasing

Green Office Guide www.deh.gov.au/settlements/government/purchasing/pubs/



(i.e. for photocopiers, computers,etc.) is one method to minimiseoperational energy use. This guidedoes not provide detailed advice inthis area, but an effective purchasingpolicy, energy saving settings andperiodic review of equipment settings(people often turn efficiency settingsoff when they don’t understand theirfunction) are initiatives to consider. Formore information see the DEH GreenOffice Guide and DEH’s voluntaryenvironmental purchasing tools (referto online resources).

RENEWABLE ENERGYGreen Power, Solar Hot Water and Photovoltaic systemsOne main technique for minimisingthe greenhouse intensity of the energyused in a building is to use greenpower (electricity which comes fromwind, water or solar sources) and/or to

use a cogeneration system.

Using solar energy for the provisionof hot water is another method forusing renewable energy and reducingthe greenhouse impact of a building.Solar hot water systems involvepumping water through pipes thatare laid on an absorber plate. Both ofthose are coated with heat absorbingmaterial. The pipes and plate aremounted in the sun’s direction tomaximise heat absorbance. The waterabsorbs heat and transfers this heatto a storage tank where it is collectedand ready for use when required.

A photovoltaic system (PV) usessolar energy to generate electricity.PV panels are made with a positiveand a negative layer of silicon. Whenlight falls on these layers, it producesa potential difference (photovoltage)between the layers by causingelectrons within the layers to move.If an external circuit is present, thisvoltage can drive a current through it.This current is then converted to ACcurrent (the type of current used in theoffice) via an inverter. This can thenpower normal office appliances andlights. If the office is connected to themains electricity, excess energy canbe redirected to the grid and the meterturned backwards.

EMBODIED ENERGY MINIMISATIONEmbodied energy is discussed inopportunity 7 choosing materials.

Figure 24. Integrated amorphous photovoltaic tiles, image sourced fromDoncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.

Figure 23. Photovoltaic curtain wall, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines, Manningham City Council.


Buildings have a role to play inthe minimisation of environmentalimpact caused by transport. If thereis a choice of locations, choosethe site with the best access topublic transport (refer Figure 19)and amenities such as child care,shops, etc. This will minimise car use.Smaller cars can also be encouragedby designing in car parking spacesthat are 2.3 x 5m. Day to day travelby individuals in cars can also bereduced by supporting car pooling,integrating green travel plans andproviding adequate numbers ofcycling facilities. If cycling is to beencouraged, the building designneeds to include enough space forsecure bicycle parking (refer Figure20), clothes storage, changingfacilities and showers (a provision for5% of the staff is common practice).30

In addition, by choosing localmaterials you will minimise thetransport impact of bringing thesematerials to the building, duringboth its construction and operationalphases.

minimising transport impactOPPORTUNITY 5

30 The Bond, the Bovis Lend Lease headquarters building in Sydney included infrastructure for their staff for cycling and changing. Another tenant that has moved into the building saw this and was inspired to convert car parking into 13 bicycle parks and install showers in their tenancy.

The Council House 2 project (CH2)has planned to include bicycle parking and changing facilities, but on asking the staff how many


Online Resources

Minimising Transport Impacts

Travel Smart Australiawww.travelsmart.gov.au

GreenFleetwww.greenfleet.com.au

Bicycles, images freefoto.

Figure 25. Public transport, image DesignInc.

people would be making use of the facilities they found that they needed much more space for change rooms and lockers than they had initially anticipated. For this reason a hierarchy of lockers has been devised depending on whether people needed the lockers as part of their day-to-day activities such as parking inspectors or were just using the facilities occasionally.

Figure 27. Runners, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.

30 Green Star - Office Design transport credit Tra-3‘Cyclist Facilities’ www.gbcaus.org

HFCs are not genuinely ozone friendly. The production of HFCs uses the very same halogenated CFCs and HCFCs, which they were intended to replace, as emissions during the manufacturing process are inevitable. Better options include using ammonia and hydrocarbon refrigerants.


IMPORTANCE OF MINIMISING OZONE LAYER DEPLETIONThe ozone layer is a layer of ozone(O3) situated far above the build upof greenhouse gases that protectsthe earth from harmful (to humans)solar radiation. Research has showna thinning of the ozone layer all overthe globe. However due to specificmeteorological conditions the mostdramatic depletion is over Antarctica.Its absence results in increasedexposure to solar radiation and itsdetrimental effects – such as skincancer, cataracts, disruption of normalfunctions of micro-organisms, andmelting of the ice caps.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),halons, methyl chloroform,carbon tetrachloride, HCFCs,hydrobromofluorocarbons and methylbromide are responsible for the ozonelayer depletion. The impact on theozone layer is measured by the OzoneDepletion Potential with CFC-11 set as

minimising ozone layer depletionOPPORTUNITY 6

Australian Government building responsibilities are invoked because Australia is a signatory to the Montreal protocol. The manufacture, import, and export of CFCs, halon, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride has been controlled in Australia since 1989. These activities were banned for halon from 31 December 1992, one year ahead of the Montreal Protocol requirements. For the other chemicals, these activities have been banned since 1 January 1996, except for a

1 and all other gasses given a relativescore.

Ozone depleting substances used inbuildings include chemical refrigerantsused in air-conditioning systems andfridges, and expanded materials suchas polystyrene.

OPTIMISING MINIMISATION OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETIONMinimising emissions that affect theozone layer can be done by choosingnon-ozone depleting refrigerants(such as water, air, CO2, ammoniumand hydrocarbons) and ensuring thereare systems in place to minimise oreliminate refrigerant leaks.31

Refrigerant leaks can be up to 15%of the volume of refrigerants per year.This not only affects the ozone layer,but also adds to the greenhouseeffect. The global warming causedby cooling system refrigerant leakagecan be as much as that causedby the electricity consumed by thecooling plant. As an example, GreenStar – Office Design v2 specifiesthat to achieve the relevant credits,refrigerants need to have an OzoneDepleting Potential (ODP) of zero anda Global Warming Potential (GWP) often or less.

Online Resources

Ozone Layer Depletion

Montreal Protocolwww.unep.org/ozone/Montreal-Protocol/Montreal-Protocol2000.shtml

Department of the Environment and Heritagewww.deh.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/

US EPAwww.epa.gov/ozone/ods.htmla list of class 1 ozone depleting substances

CSIROwww.dar.csiro.au/publications/holper_2001a.html

Bureau of Meteorologywww.bom.gov.au/lam/Students_Teachers/ozanim/ozoanim.shtmlprovides an animation on the chemistry behind ozone layer depletion

Standards Australia - (HB 40.1-2001): Appendix 3 & 4 summarise OPD potential for most common types of refrigerantswww.standards.com.au

AIRAHRefrigerant Selection Guide 2003 www.airah.org.au/downloads/AIRAH_RSG2003.pdf


small range of essential uses. Australia banned importation and manufacture of CFCs from 31 December 1995.HCFCs are ozone depleting, but have a much lower ozone depletion potential than CFCs, and are considered a transitional chemical to assist in the phasing out of CFCs. They are commonly used as refrigerants, solvents, and blowing agents for plastic foam manufacture, and are scheduled to be phased out by 2020.

To minimise impact on the ozone layer during the maintenance and top-up of refrigerants, use an automatic pump-down to either a seperate storage tank or into the heat exchanger with isolation valves fitted to contain refrigerant once fully pumped down.

31 Green Star - Office Design v2 Emissions creditsEm-1 ‘Refrigerant ODP’ and Emi-2 ‘RefrigerantGWP’ www.gbcaus.org


IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING MATERIALSThe choice of materials in a new orrefurbished building has an impact onthe environment. This impact is not aslarge as that of the operation of thebuilding, but it is still considerable.Materials impact the environment inthe following ways (they are discussedin more detail below):

• consuming energy in manufactureand transport (embodied energy)

• potentially having an impact ontoxicity in manufacture and in use

• using water in manufacture(called embodied water)

• consuming other materials thathave their own impacts (e.g.mining, land clearing, etc.)

OPTIMISING MATERIAL SELECTIONChoose materials that have a minimalimpact and ensure that they are usedfor the maximum amount of time andare not wasted (waste is discussedelsewhere).

Choosing a material with minimalimpact is difficult. Often you arecomparing completely differentproducts and impacts; for example,timber (biodiversity impacts, energyefficiency and high maintenance)versus aluminium windows(high embodied energy and lowmaintenance). The best methodologyfor comparing materials holisticallyis to use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).The problem though is that materialdecisions tend to be made quicklyand may not be able to wait for anLCA, and there are also many otherfactors that need to be considered:costs, functionality, aesthetics, etc.For this reason, simplified methods,guides and rules of thumb are oftenused for choosing materials.

For example, choose materials:• with a high recycled content,• with low toxic emissions,• with low embodied energy and

embodied water,• with an ability to be easily recycled,• independently certified by a

third party – the AustralianEnvironmental LabellingAssociation etc.

Embodied EnergyEmbodied energy is a term usedto describe the inherent amount ofenergy in all the materials used tomake a building. This is the sumof energy expended to make thebricks, windows, steel beams etc.To minimise embodied energy, lessenergy intensive products that performthe same function should be chosen.One way of minimising the embodiedenergy in products is to use productsthat have recycled content. Manyproducts use much less energy tobe recycled than to make them in thefirst place; for example, only 10% ofthe energy used to make aluminium isneeded to make recycled aluminium.Embodied energy impacts can bejustified in a building designed forlongevity.

Toxicity in Manufacture and UseToxicity is the release of substancesinto the environment (water, air,soil, etc.) that are detrimental to itsnormal functioning. Its effects areoften talked about in human life yearequivalents (i.e. the number of yearsearly the average person will diebecause of an emission) or humandisability equivalents (the amountof impairment to normal functionbecause of an emission). Toxicity hasa much broader impact to animalsand plants. This is too broad a topicto be fully explained in this Guide butthe strategies for minimising human

choosing materialsOPPORTUNITY 7


Figure 28. Materials, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.


Online Resources

Materials

Ecospecifierwww.ecospecifier.org

LCAidwww.projectweb.gov.com.au/dataweb/lcaid/

Australian Environmental Labelling Associationwww.aela.org.au

Embodied Energy

Canadian Architectwww.canadianarchitect.com/asf/perspectives_sustainibility/measures_of_sustainablity/measures_of_sustainablity_embodied.htm

CSIROwww.cmit.csiro.au/brochures/tech/embodied/

National Pollutant Inventory www.npi.gov.au/

toxicity are linked to reduction in othertoxic impacts.

Toxicity, as it pertains to a Governmentbuilding, falls into two areas: the first istoxicity to the users of the building; thesecond is toxicity to the environmentthrough the production of materialsand electricity.

Toxicity to building users is coveredunder Indoor Environment Quality(IEQ) section and the guide to volatileorganic compounds (VOC) limits inGreen Star - Office Design.32 VOC emissions are a problem becausesome (such as formaldehyde) havebeen shown to be carcinogenic.33

VOC’s also have an impact onconcentration and cause (to a varyingdegree) headaches, nausea etc. insensitive people.

Minimising the impact on theenvironment from the production ofparticular materials can be achievedby specifying substances that avoidor minimise toxicity. Toxic substancesare listed in the National Pollutantinventory (NPI). Minimising the impactof the production of pollution frompower stations can be achieved byusing green power.

Embodied WaterLike embodied energy, embodiedwater is the amount of water needed


to produce a product. Currentlythere are no Australian guides anddatabases on embodied water,though these are being developedby organisations such as DeakinUniversity.

Knock-on Impacts (e.g. in mining, land clearing, etc.)This refers to being efficient withmaterials use and careful in thechoice of materials that may effect theenvironment and biodiversity. Thereare two elements to minimising theseimpacts: firstly, choose materialswith high recycled content and whichcan be recycled at the end of life;secondly, choose materials that havethird party certification indicating thatsustainable management strategiesare in place.

choosing materialsOPPORTUNITY 7

33 Formaldehyde classified as human carcinogenInternational Agency for Research on Cancer,part of the World Health Organization, releasedinformation 06/15/04 www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/pr153a.html

Figure 32. Roof garden with use of recycled glass mulch, Reservoir Civic Centre, Darebin City Council.

Figure 30. Timber, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.

Figure 31. EcoCore doors, plantation veneers, New Age veneers.

Figure 29. Materials and finishes selection,DesignInc.

32 Green Star - Office Design v2 Indoor EnvironmentQuality credits IEQ-13 ‘Volatile OrganicCompounds’ www.gbcaus.org


OPPORTUNITY 8minimising waste

IMPORTANCE OF MINIMISING WASTEWaste is a major environmental issuein the built environment with morethan 40% of landfill resulting frombuilding-related waste. One of themajor imperatives of sustainabledesign is to use the waste hierarchyof avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle.That is, do not order it if you do notneed it; plan use so as to optimisematerial efficiency (design height forplasterboard size); put aside cut offsfor later reuse; etc. (see figure 33).

OPTIMISING WASTE MINIMISATIONWaste minimisation involves adiligent approach to documentationand project management in orderto minimise the amount of wasteproduced on site during demolitionand construction. It also recognisesthe potential of some materials tobe reused or recycled rather thanallowing them to contribute to wastevolumes going to landfill; the focusbeing a more efficient use of finiteresources.

Figure 33: waste management in construction, DEH.

The environmental opportunitiesof waste management includethe reduction of demolition andconstruction waste streams, as wellas those resulting from ongoingoperational waste during the life-cycleof the building. The key when thinkingabout minimising waste is to gothrough each decision using the wasteminimisation hierarchy noted above.

Design StageThe design stage produces verylittle waste comparatively. Yet this isthe stage where many of the wasteopportunities can be optimised.Some strategies are outlined below:

Design formaterialsand designfor standardsizes

Design ceiling dimensions to make best use of materials – for example if plasterboard comes in 1200mm don’t design ceiling heights to be2700mm, since 2400mm would make better use of the material and minimise waste.

Design forflexibility

Design spaces and systems that can easily adapted to changes in management and company structures.

Design ofassemblyanddisassembly

More and more systems are being developed that allow buildings to bebuilt in a way that allows them to be disassembled and reused. This is not mainstream in Australia yet but the trend in Europe is towards this type of construction.

Design usingprefabricatedcomponents

Linked to the above, use systems that can be prefabricated off site andthen assembled on site saving waste and time.

Design forease ofrecycling

Design waste areaswith easy access and spaces on each floor that encourage staff to recycle.

Documentation StageIn preparing the specification andcontracts for a new building orrefurbishment, ensure that there arerequirements for waste minimisation.Require a waste management planwith periodic reporting, set minimumperformance targets, ensure aneffective induction programme hasbeen planned for people workingon site, and negotiate with thecontractors that they minimise over-ordering.

Construction StageConstruction and demolition wastemakes up 33% of the landfill spacein Australia. This can be reduced inmany cases by 80-90% through betterwaste management procedures. Youcan encourage contractors to havea plan of what waste they expect tobe generated by the project, howthey will divert it from landfill, andwhere it will be sent for reuse orrecycling. One method for ensuringthat the contractor has the basicunderstanding of waste minimisationrequirements is to ask for ISO 14001certification. This certification is forall environmental impact, not justwaste. It provides assurance that thecontractor understands how to carryout an environmental plan and itsassociated waste management plan.Having an ISO 14001 accreditationis not enough to ensure performancethough; it just demonstrates theyunderstand the procedures. It is stillimportant to have regular reports andreviews on performance.

Operation StageDuring the life of the building,waste minimisation is a buildingmanagement and tenancy issue.There is a real opportunity for



savings by implementing a wasteand recycling reporting, auditing andmanagement program as part of theeveryday management of the building(see PCA’s building EMS). Particularlyimportant is measuring the actualwaste leaving the building and whereit is taken – recycling, landfill, etc. asit allows for active management of thewaste streams.

Tenant management is another areaof opportunity for waste reduction.There is an opportunity to influencetenant behaviour by ensuringeasy access to recycling facilities,describing what happens to therecycling and waste streams from thebuilding and including reports to thetenants on performance. This canalso be integrated, from the tenant’sperspective, into a green leaserequiring the building owner to providereporting of waste and facilities forrecycling.

End-of-life StageAt the end of a building’s useful lifethere are several choices: reuse thebuilding, reuse part of the building,recycle the building, or demolishand send the materials to landfill.The first thing to consider is if it ispossible to reuse the building. Thiswill require a series of inspectionsand assessments of the potentialof the building. It may be also thatjust the structure can be reused andeverything else needs to be replaced.This is still environmentally preferablein most cases to complete demolition.When recycling the building, carry outan existing building audit and planwhat will happen to all of the materials– who will take them, where theywill be used etc. It is useful to notethat about one half of the embodiedenergy in a building is contained in thestructure and the roof.

One government agency recently carried out an audit of the waste being taken away by a contractor over the period of two weeks. They were paying on the basis of a service (not mass charging) arrangement. They found that the contractor’s guess about the amount going to landfill was 16 times more than their direct audit. The audit also found that they could reduce their waste to landfill by 75% by simply getting all staff to use the recycling facilities already available.

Online Resources

Waste

EcoRecycle VictoriaDesigning in Waste Minimisation design guidewww.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au/asset/1/upload/Designing_in_Waste_Minimisation_(1998).pdf

Clauses which can be used in waste management contractswww.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au/asset/1/upload/Model_Contract_Clauses.pdf

Clean Up Australiawww.cleanup.com.au

Construction & Demolition

EcoRecycle VictoriaBuilding Construction & Demolition Waste resourceswww.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au/www/default.asp?casid=2636

Resource NSWConstruction & Demolition Sectionwww.resource.nsw.gov.au/cd2.html

Department of the Environment and Heritagewww.deh.gov.au/industry/construction/wastewise/pubs


OPPORTUNITY 8minimising waste

Figure 35: Old building demolition for reuse,Reservoir Civic Centre, Darebin City Council.

Figure 34: Old building demolition for reuse,Reservoir Civic Centre, Darebin City Council.

Figure 36: Waste, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.


OPPORTUNITY 9water conservation

There are two topics covered here:potable water use reduction and stormwater management.

IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATIONWater scarcity is a major issue forAustralia. While buildings, includingresidential ones, only consume 8 to10% of water in Australia (the majorusers being agriculture at 70% andmanufacturing at 20% )34, it is easy toget 20-50% reductions in building usethrough simple measures.

The main driver for water efficiencyin Australian Government buildingscomes from restrictions that arebeing placed on water usage. Theserestrictions are in place in citiesbecause of the limited supply ofwater. The main uses of water in acommercial building are toilet flushing,cooling towers (if present), leakage,sprinkler testing37 (if present) andirrigation (if present).

“In Sydney, the commercial building sector in Sydney Water’s area of operations uses around 100 million litres of water daily and cooling towers account for around 30 per cent of this.”38

Figure 37: Breakdown of end use in a typical commercial building (US data35 ).

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WATER USEData collected from a desktop study,and from site assessments of avariety of government buildings, hasallowed the Institute for SustainableFutures at the University of Technologyin Sydney39 to formulate a model toestimate the total water consumptionin Australian Government buildingsand operations.

The results of the model indicatethat total Australian Governmentwater consumption is approximately19,100 ML/year (equivalent to 73,000Australian households).

NATIONAL WATER INTENSITY BENCHMARKSNational benchmarks for waterconsumption in office buildings haverecently been developed based onABGR methodology. As indicatedin the table below, a score of 2.5 isAustralian average practice, with ascore of 5 representing possible bestpractice.

OPTIMISING WATER CONSERVATIONPotable Water Reduction OpportunitiesThere are many opportunities that canbe implemented quickly and cheaplyto reduce water consumption.

Figure 38: Breakdown of Australian Government Water use by Building Type excluding defence.36

…studies show that reductions of up to approximately 80% of scheme water demand and 90% of sewage discharge can be achieved in a sustainable commercial building compared to a conventional building, through the integration of innovative water efficiency measures, rainfall capture and use, treated effluent reuse and evapotranspiration through roof gardens.40

ABS (May 2000), Water Account for Australiareleased by the ABS, for the year 1996-97.

35 California Urban Water Conservation Council(2001), BMP 9 Handbook: A guide to implementingcommercial, industrial, institutional conservationprograms, California Urban Water ConservationCouncil, California.

36 Chanan, V., White, S., Jha, M., & Howe, C. 2003,‘Sustainable Water Management in CommercialOffice Buildings’ Innovations in Water: Ozwater Convention & Exhibition, Perth, 6-10 April 2003.

37 Research done for the CH2 building showed thatsprinkler water testing uses about 10KL of waterper week for the average 10 storey building,this is potable water that can be used for otherpurposes.

38 Hennessy, S. (2004) Where Every DropCounts. Engage the Technical Bulletin of AHAManagement, vol. 5 (1). www.aha.com.au/engage_v5_no1.htm

39 www.isf.uts.edu.au/publications/VC_SW_CH_MJ_2003.pdf



Offices36%

Star Rating Water Consumption(kl/m2/year)

1 1.50

2 1.25

2.5 1.125

3 1.0

4 0.75

5 0.5

Source: www.deh.gov.au/settlements/govern-

ment/water


AA recent study by the Institute forSustainable Futures showed that an80% reduction of potable water and90% of sewage was possible in acommercial building

Opportunities for water reduction areas follows (these are discussed ingreater detail below):• management and monitoring,• leak avoidance,• efficient fixtures and fittings,• water sensitive landscaping and• source substitution.

Management and monitoringRegular monitoring of metersand sub-meters, either manuallyor by connection to the BuildingManagement System. This isparticularly useful in establishingbase flow rates and then identifyingleaks when water use exceeds normalvariability ranges.

Leak avoidance• Report of leaks to building

management - building occupantsshould be made aware of whereand to whom they can report anyleaks. It is important to promptly fixany reported leakages for positivefeedback.

• Regular inspections of toilets,urinals, taps and showers.

A dual flush toilet replacing a single flush unit in an office building will save approximately360 litres each working day (90 kL per year) in a female toilet, an annual financial saving from potable water alone of about $90 or more. For a male toilet the saving will be about 40kL/year. For the Edmund Barton building, with approximately 2,800 staff, this would mean an annual saving of more than 9 ML, or $11,000 for a

Efficient fixtures and fittingsWater efficiency labels are beingintroduced for many water-usingappliances. Specification of efficientfixtures and fittings (as noted below)can reduce water wastage.

Toilets and urinals• Toilet and urinal adjustment – adjust floater to use minimal water• 3/ 4.5L dual flush toilets• Urinal flush controls – sensors• Waterless Urinals

Showers• Flow regulators – need good advice

on type as some may result in aninadequate shower

• AAA or AAAA showerheads – madeto increase pressure so as to stillhave a good shower

Taps• Flow restrictors for taps and tap

aerators• Automatic cut-off and sensor

operated taps

Figure 39: Water reduction methods42, ISF.



41 Berry T., Edgerton N., Milne G., Jha M. and WhiteS. (2004) Feasibility Study for a Policy on Water inGovernment Operations, ISF, Sydney, July 2004.) p. 41-42.


43 Berry T., Edgerton N., Milne G., Jha, M. and WhiteS. 2004, Feasibility Study for a Policy on Water inGovernment Operations, ISF, Sydney, July 2004.)

Government Buildings – Possible Water Savings‘The potential savings available from Australian Government buildings and operations are between 4,296 and 7,405 ML/year. This is based on savings assumptions by building type developed through the desktop study and site assessments. Achieving these savings would cost between $8.2 and $14.6 million based on cost assumptions derived from empirical case studies in the literature.’43

of under four years.’ ‘In a busy public building, the saving from a dual flush toilet retrofit could be more than 1 kL per day per toilet, or about 400 kL/year for a building open every day of the year. The cost of retrofitting dual flush toilets depends upon the plumbing changes and redecorating that would be required. It can range from $250 to $500 or more per toilet.’41

Figure 40: Water image, stock.XCHNG.


‘Stormwater recycling can be encouraged at minimum cost to Government. Rainwater tanks connected to roofs provide a valuable source of water for gardens, toilet flushing, washing and hot water. Stormwater storage underground, which could form part of an on-site stormwater retention/detention system, can also be incorporated into buildings’.44

current technology but requiresappropriate permits and a thoroughsystem of maintenance andmonitoring. There are two types ofrecycling – biological (using bacteriaand worms) and mechanical (usingfilters). Some examples include the60L building in Melbourne that usesa biological system and CH2 that isplanning to use a mechanical system.

STORMWATERStormwater is the rainwater that runsoff surfaces such as roads and roofsinto the stormwater system. This wateris a potential resource, but currentlyit is mainly collected and run off intorivers, lakes and the ocean.

Stormwater Opportunities For government buildings the mainissues with stormwater (adaptedfrom DEH stormwater guidelines seelink below) are stormwater effectivelandscaping, on-site retention, roofgardens and aquifer storage.

Stormwater effective landscaping• Using landscaping to absorb

stormwater runoff from paths• Using semipermeable surfaces

Water Sensitive Landscaping (Xeriscape)• Using native and indigenous plants

for the garden as they require lesswater compared to exotic varieties.

• Using mulch in the landscape tominimise the loss of water from thesoil by evaporation.

• Scheduling the irrigation time usingtimer controls so that irrigation isdone after sunset, to minimise lossof water to evaporation.

• Installing soil moisture sensors

Source SubstitutionOther than water efficiency measures,there are three additional options forreducing water use from mains: thefirst is to collect and use rainwater, thesecond to reuse grey water and thelast to recycle all waste water.

RainwaterWater collected off the roof of abuilding. It is dependent on collectionarea, rainfall and amount of spaceavailable for water storage tanks.

Grey waterWater from showers, clothes washingand non-kitchen sinks. For mostcommercial and other Governmentbuildings the amount of grey wateris not significant since there is littlewater generated from these sources.Local regulations will need to beinvestigated to see the classificationof grey water. In some States treatedgrey water is seen as waste (or black)water and therefore such systemsneed the appropriate authorities toapprove its reuse. In Canberra, theJohn Gordon building has beenrecycling grey water since the late1990s.

Waste or Black waterWater from kitchens and toilets.Recycling this water is possible with

44 EA (2002) Introduction to Urban Stormwater Management in Australia, Environment Australia,Canberra. p. 50. www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/stormwater

Figure 41. Reservoir Civic Centre car park designed to collect rainwater into treed areas, Darebin City Council.

Cooling towers• Making sure float valves are

correctly set.• Installing a conductivity meter and

automating the blow-down systemto a pre-set conductivity level (TotalDissolved Solids concentration) ofthe re-circulating water.

• Implementing ‘performance-based’maintenance.

• Reducing heat loads by improvingthe energy efficiency of the buildingand energy services, which willalso reduce the heat load onchillers and cooling towers.

• Improving the overall efficiency ofchillers through plant upgrades orwaste heat recovery.

Further options for improvingefficiency in cooling towers canbe found in Sydney Water’s “BestPractice Guidelines for Cooling Towersin Commercial Buildings”(www.sydneywater.com.au/html/wcr/pdf/business/Sydney_Water_Best_Practive_Guidelines_Cooling_Towers_v6.pdf)

Sprinkler water testing• Ensure sprinkler testing water can

be captured for reuse• Preferably, use captured water for

potable uses




Online Resources

Water

Stormwaterhttp://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/stormwater/pubs/stormwater.pdf

Savewater.com.auhttp://www.savewater.com.au

City of Calgary – water conservation ideashttp://content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Business+Units/Waterworks/Commercial

Clearwaterhttp://www.clearwater.asn.au/

Water Efficiency Labellingwww.deh.gov.au/water/urban/scheme.html

Water Saving Gardens

Yarra Valley Waterhttp://www.yvw.com.au/environment/water-saving-plants.html

On-site stormwater detention (OSD)45

Best practice on-site stormwaterdetention involves:• Increasing the quality of the water

captured by separation of first-flushes from later flows. First-flushwater can be contaminated by duston roofs, oil on roads and otherpollutants. These can be diverted tolandscaping or can be treated.

• Using screened outlets to closelycontrol flow rates and capture litter,debris and sediment.

• Using frequency-staged storagesystems that employ ‘storage’in lawns and garden soils,depressions in public open spaces,and open and covered pavementssuch as car parks, but designedin a staged fashion, so that eachstorage comes into operation onlywhen the preceding one is full.

• Using tailwater compensation tocontrol discharge when the bed ofthe water storage facility lies belowthe water surface in the receivingdrain.

• Using pump discharge regulationfor controlling pumping frombasement tanks in buildings.

The benefits of OSD are:• It can be funded immediately

(i.e. by the developer) anddoes not require capital outlaysfrom stormwater managementauthorities.

• It protects downstream propertiesagainst increases in floodingresulting from new developments.

Roof gardensIn Cities, roofs cover 40-80% of builtareas leading to problems includinghigher volumes of stormwater runoff.A number of countries in Europe haveacknowledged this problem and havelegislated that all public buildings

should be covered with a roof garden.The German Government contributes50% to the cost of building a roofgarden on either private or publicbuildings. Roof gardens absorb about76 litres of water per square metre ofgarden space. Super-imposed loadson the roof structure, plus retainedrainwater, means that the roof needsto be designed for the extra loading.46

Green roofs are an example of oneinitiative that minimises severalimpacts – stormwater run off,insulation of the roof, and importantlyreduction of the urban heat islandeffect (the significant increase in airtemperature in built up areas).

Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR)These involve the harvesting ofsurplus stormwater from a varietyof sources. Stormwater can betemporarily stored in a suitableaquifer, and then retrieved for potable,irrigation or industrial applications andpumping it underground.47

45 Ribbons, S., Warwick, M. & Knight, G. (1995).Section 94 contributions or on-site detention:Council’s dilemma. In Preprints of papers: thesecond international symposium on urbanstormwater management 1995: Integrated management of urban environments, p. 27.

46 Urriola, Humberto (1999). Roof gardens: anenvironmental asset. In Wood, J.A. (ed.) (1999).Water sensitive design & stormwater re-use:seminar proceedings, 31 March 1999. StormwaterIndustry Association: Sydney, p. 1.

47 Gerges, N.Z. Aquifer storage and recovery: typeand selection of aquifer. Primary Industry andResources, Canberra.





OPPORTUNITY 10land use and ecology

IMPORTANCE OF LAND USE AND PROTECTION OF ECOLOGYThe main issues with the choice ofland to be used for a building are toconsider if it is an efficient use of theland and if it protects biodiversity.Biodiversity is the richness of animalsand plants that live in an area. Thevalue of considering biodiversity isthat over 40% of nationally listedthreatened ecological communities48,and more than 50% of threatenedspecies, occur in urban fringe areas.49

The impact of the loss of biodiversityranges from not having that animalor plant present, to systemic chainreactions that go beyond the scopeof this Guide to explain. Preservingand enhancing levels of biodiversity isone of the three key objectives of theNSESD.

OPTIMISING LAND USE AND PROTECTION OF ECOLOGYThe main issue for AustralianGovernment buildings is in the landchosen for a new building and in thematerials chosen for that building.The main way of minimising thisimpact is by choosing a site whichis a ‘brownfield’ site, that has hadbuildings or other industrial uses

on it before. This is opposed to a‘greenfield’ site, which is land that haspreviously been undeveloped – park,farm, bush, etc. The second way toensure that the ecological value ofthe site is maintained or increased isto choose native landscaping and toremediate land if possible.

Green Star and NABERS criteria canbe used for minimising these impacts:• NABERS looks at the percentage

of native plant cover and thecomplexity of that cover.

• Green Star - Office Design looksat whether the site is a brownfieldor contaminated site, and whetherthe ecological value of the site hasbeen increased by the use of nativeplants, wetlands, etc. The GreenStar - Office Design technicalmanual is a good resource for thisarea of decision making.50Online Resources

Land use and Ecology

Department of the Environment and Heritagewww.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/toolbox

Australian Museumwww.austmus.gov.au/biodiversity/

The DPI Queenscliff research facility in Victoria minimised its impact by providing for regeneration, provision of habitat and minimal site disturbance.This involved the remediation of the site and the construction of wetlands.

48 Newman et al. (2001) Human Settlements Theme,Australia State of the Environment Report 2001. An independent report to the Commonwealth Ministerfor Environment, Department of Environment,Sport and Territories. CSIRO Publishing,Melbourne.

49 Yencken D. and Wilkinson D. (2000) Resettingthe Compass: Australia’s Journey TowardsSustainability. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

50 Green Star - Office Design v2 Land use andEcology (Eco) set of credits www.gbcaus.org



Figure 44. Native grasses use in the Reservoir Civic Centre, Darebin City Council.


case studies

Figure 45. Image used with permission of Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn Pty Ltd. 5 Star, Green Star - Office Design v1

8 Brindabella Circuit

BUILDING TYPE New

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Canberra, ACT

CLIENT Canberra International Airport

PROJECT MANAGER Construction Control

ARCHITECTS Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn Pty Ltd

ENGINEERS Rudds Consulting Engineers, Cardno Youngs

SIZE 4313m2 net lettable area

Energy 610mWh per year(141 kWh/m2)

Water 775 kL per year

GreenhouseGas Emissions

552 Tonnes CO2(128kgCO2/m2)

Capital cost 12% above conventional office building

Savings $30,103 per year on energy costs

Payback Figure not yet available

BUILDING OUTPUTS

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• Active Chilled Beams used to

circulate air inside the building.• Energy efficient light ballasts and

zoned lighting used to reduceenergy consumption, includingan advanced control system thatautomatically dims the luminairesaround the perimeter of thebuilding when daylight is sufficient.

• Extensive research was undertakento ensure that all materials usedhave either no or extremely low

Council of Australia and some haveprogressed to become AccreditedGreen Star Professionals. All workersare inducted in green constructiontechniques, including material(particularly adhesives and solvents)selection and recycling. All airportmanagement and staff have alsoundergone green management,safety, and emergency spill training.

An independent commissioningagent appointed to the project willreturn to 8 Brindabella Circuit everythree months for one year to ensureabsolute compliance with Green Starspecifications. This ensures systemscontinue to run as specified and re-tunes the system to provide ongoingenergy savings.

A Building User Guide has beenprepared to help the building managerand occupants understand theinnovative systems installed in thebuilding, which ensures the systemsare used efficiently.

Solvents used in the cleaning of allBusiness Park buildings have beentested for any impact they may haveon the environment. Occupants andcleaning staff are required to separaterecyclable and non-recyclable waste.

Eight Brindabella Circuit has achieveda 5 Star Green Star - Office Design v1certified rating. Brindabella BusinessPark has been designed and builtincorporating sustainable principles.

VOC levels.• High levels of recycled content was

achieved in concrete, steel andtimber.

• Solar Hot Water Panels preheat100% of all hot water, and provideapproximately 70% of the total heatenergy.

PROJECT BACKGROUND8 Brindabella Circuit was designed asa speculative office building with someretail spaces. The client was keen toachieve a 5 star Green Star buildingto provide a “green” alternative in themarket, which was also commerciallyviable. The building forms part of theBrindabella Office Park and reflectsthe progression of various initiativesintroduced to the suite of buildingswithin the park.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTThis building was constructed inaccordance with a site specificenvironmental management plan,which exceeds both best practiceNSW Environment ManagementSystem Guidelines (1998), and bestpractice Australian Governmentguidelines.

All the key decision makers involvedin the design phase have undergonetraining by the Green Building


case studies

ENERGYCooling, heating and supplementaryair conditioning water is reticulatedfrom a Central Services Building,which in turn serves all the newbuildings in the Brindabella BusinessPark. This means the building is moreenergy efficient than a building ofsimilar size. These economies of scaleallow considerable redundant capacityto be provided, ensuring a consistentsupply of conditioned air and heatedwater to the building.

The building uses active chilledbeams to circulate and control the airtemperature. This significantly reducesthe quantity of air moved from theplantroom, reducing fanpower andenergy consumption. The buildingalso features passive in-slab heatingand cooling around its perimeter,ensuring efficient and more constanttemperatures across the tenancy toimprove occupant comfort.

Every substantive energy use withinthe building and in the plantroomis individually monitored and isconnected to a Building ManagementSystem, centrally monitored andcontrolled across the park. This allowsdetailed analysis of the energy useof each of the key users of electricityand, hence, provide for future energysavings through proper management.Similarly, sub metering is provided forlighting and small power uses in eachof the tenancies, and individual tenantmeters can be connected to theBuilding Management System.

Artificial light is supplied by high-efficiency single tube 54 watt T5fittings for all tenant lighting, reducingthe lighting load to approximately 9watts/m2 (ordinarily 15 watts/m2 in aconventionally lit commercial building).The building’s perimeter lightingfeatures a system that automatically

senses when it can dim the lights tooptimise use of the daylight, whilemotion sensors turn lights off whennobody is around.

Lighting zone flexibility ensures thatonly occupied areas are lit. Thisflexibility is achieved by separateswitches for individual and enclosedspaces with the size of individuallyswitched zones not exceeding 100 m2

and clearly labelled.

Roof top solar hot water panelspreheat 100% of the hot water supplyto the building, cutting energy use forhot water by two-thirds.

WATERThis building saves 687,000 litresof water a year compared with astandard building of similar size. Thewater efficient devices employedlead to a 43% reduction in waterconsumption. An additional 10% issaved by rainwater collection.To achieve this saving, the buildinguses a number of systems:

• Water-free urinals: Water-freeurinals utilise a biodegradableblocking fluid rather than theconventional flush of water tocontain odours.

• Hands free taps: Infra-red tapsreduce both water and energyconsumption. Water is onlyreleased when hands are under theinfra-red beam below the tap spout.

• 3/6L Dual-.flush toilets: on averageuse 4 litres per flush.

• 5A rated shower heads: Showerheads also achieve a 60%reduction in water usage.

In addition to the water consumptionsavings, the water efficient devicesemployed lead to a 36% reduction inemissions to the sewer.Water sub meters featuring leak


detection systems are installedon all water uses in the building,including cooling towers. In non-monitored buildings, water leakagestypically account for 25% of waterconsumption.

All water used for irrigation atBrindabella Business Park and theentire airport precinct is recycled,rainwater or is non-potablegroundwater. Since switching to thissystem, Canberra International Airporthas not had to draw on the ACT’spotable water supply for irrigation. Inaddition, a low water use/high efficientsystem has been designed. Thisconsists of local drippers and in-soilwetting blankets.

IEQExtensive research was undertakento ensure that all materials used haveeither no or extremely low VOC levels.In addition, a general exhaust riser isavailable for tenants to connect to sothat emissions from photocopying andprinting equipment can be collected atthe source and exhausted.

“The beauty of 8 Brindabella is its understated greenness

at a reasonable cost to the client, no gimmicks, no fuss,

just application of sound green principles.”

James Andrews, Associate Architect, Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn


case studies

The office space is continuallysupplied with 100% outside air,and exceeds the requirementsof AS1668.2 (1991) by 185%.This ensures continuous fresh airand no accumulation of airbornecontaminants or objectionable odoursin the building.

The T5 high frequency ballasts usedfor artificial lighting minimise the‘flicker’ typical of fluorescent lights.Flicker, whether it is consciously orunconsciously detected, can havesevere effects on workers leading toeyestrain and headaches.

The building has been certified by anacoustics consultant to ensure it isof a low noise level, with the buildingservices contributing less than 5dBto the noise within the space. This isachieved through the use of doubleglazing and thick insulation, ensuringthat noise from external sources isvirtually eliminated.

The active chilled beam system allowsconditions in the local area to bemaintained by adjusting the supplytemperature from each unit. Theseunits service a much smaller areathan is typical for office buildings withzone sizes reduced from 100m2 in astandard building to 35m2. This leadsto improved occupant satisfactionwithin the space.

External shading on the outside ofthe building has been designed tominimise glare and heat. The shadingdevices have been modelled to ensuremaximum passive design savings.Internal blinds are also included sothat occupants can manually adjustthe level of light entering the building.

MATERIALSOver 30% of the cement used in most

of the concrete has been replacedwith an industrial waste product. Thisincreases the strength of the concretewhile also using a significant quantityof what would otherwise go to landfill.

Ninety percent of the steel used thebuilding is either recycled or reused.It reuses a significant amount ofsteel from demolished buildings,reducing waste to landfill and meaningthat less energy is required duringmanufacture, because the steel doesnot have to be re-melted. For all themajor steel uses such as steel beams,used beams were obtained andre-worked. The result has been lessenergy usage in the rejuvenation thanin the recycling process.

The timber used is almost entirelysourced from recycled timber(Blackbutt-Eucalyptus Pilularis)obtained from demolished buildings.

WASTEOver 80% of the waste created by theconstruction of 8 Brindabella Circuitis collected and sorted for re-use/recycling.

Office waste is sorted for recycling.There is a central recycling storagearea in the Park to collect allrecyclables. All workstations in thePark have separate recyclable andnon-recyclable bins. Organic wastefrom landscaping is either recycled orused as fertiliser for local farmers.

EMISSIONS / TRANSPORTAll of the refrigerants used havean Ozone Depletion Potential ofzero. Insulation products have alsobeen carefully selected to ensure allsubstances used in its manufacturehave an ODP of zero.

Canberra Airport provides and

subsidises a regular bus service.Buses travel regularly to and fromthe airport connecting to the city andRussell within 15 minutes at just $3.10for airport tenants.

Optimum levels of car parking areprovided to encourage the use ofalternative transport. In addition, anumber of small car and motorbikeparking spaces have been providednear the entrance to the buildingto encourage the use of more fuelefficient small cars and mopeds/motorbikes.

Secure enclosed bicycle storageis provided for staff, with showers,change rooms and lockers availableadjacent to the bike store.

REFERENCESCanberra International Airportwww.canberraairport.com.au/5greenstar.htm


“We used waterless urinals and all the A grade fittings and they’re

all hands free activation on all the taps in the bathrooms etc.

so it’s a sort of measured dose, and also auto flush cycles on all the toilets so it takes the chance of someone leaving a tap on or

something running out of the equation.”

Brindabella’s central plantMartin Osolnik, Associate, Daryl JacksonAlastair Swayn


case studies

30 The Bond

BUILDING TYPE

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Millers Point, Sydney

CLIENT Deutsche Office Trust

ARCHITECTS Lend Lease Design, PTW Architects, AEC

ENGINEERS Bovis Lend Lease, Arup, Lincolne Scott

SIZE 19,700 m2 net lettable area

Energy 1243 mWh per year(63kWh/m2)

Water Figure not yetavailable

GreenhouseGasEmissions

1,162,300kg CO2 peryear (59kg CO2/m2)

Capital cost $112 million

Savings $157,000 per year (compared to 3 star AGBR building)

Payback No additional costs

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• The building features a 5 star ABGR

energy rating, the first office buildingin Australia to sign a commitmentagreement.

• Features the first use of chilledbeams.

• Plants used as a natural air filtration

system.• High amount of recycled timber

used in the fitout.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe site of the building is within theformer Australian Gas Light (AGL)gasworks plant established in 1871to provide lighting to the surroundingarea. A four storey sandstone wall,originally hewn by convicts, remainsas a main feature of the atrium.

Lend Lease staff gave a large amountof input into the design and fitout ofthe building. Staff identified three keyissues to address in the design of thebuilding: greenhouse gas emissions,indoor environment quality and socialaspects.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTThe management have takenthorough steps to ensure the ESDinitiatives incorporated into the designhave been maintained during thecrucial stage of the building’s lifecycle: operation.

Before moving into the premises,the staff were given presentationsabout the sustainability initiativesincorporated in the building, how thebuilding works and ways to maintainthe sustainability of the building.They have also conducted half-yearlypresentations to staff regarding

the results of their pre and post-occupancy evaluations of the building.

An internal website is updatedeach month with waste, water andenergy results so staff can track theirprogress. Another website availableis an A-Z users’ guide, so staff havedetailed information on a variety oftopics from the chilled beams towintergardens, at their fingertips.

ENERGYA chilled beam air conditioningsystem is the major contributor to thereduction in energy consumption.Chilled beams operate by pumpingchilled water through cooling elementsin the ceiling. Hot air created byoccupants and equipment (such ascomputers and lights) is cooled bythe chilled beams and falls, creating anatural convection process of hot airrising and cold air falling. Additionalradiant cooling from the chilled beamssupports the convection process.

In addition to the chilled beams,fresh air is continually provided to theworkplace and exhausted out of thebuilding without being recirculated.This significantly increases the airquality within the office space andconsiderably reduces the risk of sick building syndrome.

30 The Bond is an A Grade officebuilding located in Millers Point,Sydney and is currently theheadquarters for Lend Lease. Thebuilding is part of a complex onHickson Road which also includesheritage buildings, a residentialbuilding and a public plaza. “TheBond” committed to a 5 star energyrating (AGBR(( ), resulting in 30% lowergreenhouse emissions than a typicaloffice building.

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Figure 46. 30 The Bond, Bovis Lend Lease.


case studies

Naturally ventilated sunrooms on eachfloor can operate comfortably for up to60 percent of the year.

The long front elevation of the buildingfaces desirable views to the west,overlooking wharves. Overheatingthrough the expansive glazing isavoided through use of individuallyoperated external shades. As workerstilt the shades to block glare and heat,they also affect the appearance of acontinuously changing, lively facadeas seen from the street.

WATERThe roof top garden has beenplanted with native fauna and adrip soil system with moisturedetection installed to reduce waterconsumption. Low flow water fittingsand fixtures have been installedthroughout.

IEQStaff identified indoor environmentquality as one of the important issuesthey wished to address.

Fresh air is constantly suppliedthroughout the building. Broad leafplants placed around offices helpoxygenate the air.

Low VOC materials were chosenwhere possible.

A roof garden, featuring mainly nativeflora, acts as a social hub for thetenants.

MATERIALSBamboo flooring and products areused extensively throughout the

building. Other timbers used haveeither been recycled or harvested fromsustainable plantations.

Low VOC products, including cork (arenewable resource), were used forinterior walls. Sourcing also includedgoat’s hair carpets.

Ninety-six percent of the componentsof office chairs can be reused, andcontain 42% recycled material.

WASTEThe site’s former life as home toAGL’s first gas manufacturing plant inSydney meant residual contamination,including tarry waste, remainedbeneath the ground. Remediationworks were carried out which includedinstalling permanent groundwaterbarrier walls (secant piles), excavationof tar and applying odour suppressingtechniques to the removed tarrywaste. The project team also appliednew on-site mixing techniques whichproved successful in turning thesemi-liquid tar into a more stable,manageable material for removal,transportation and treatment offsite.

EMISSIONS / TRANSPORTBike racks, lockers and showers havebeen provided for 5% of the staff. A tenant has purchased a car parkingspace to add a further 14 bike spacesand has installed showers and lockerson their floor.

Public transport is readily available,with the building located 500m fromtwo railway stations, two ferry stationsand a bus.

30 The Bond

“In terms of artificial components on energy efficiency, we have

T5 lighting…We’re achieving 6.7 watts per square metre....”

REFERENCESEco friendly building 2004, radiobroadcast, Earthbeat - ABC RadioNational, Sydney, 24/02/05. Transcriptavailable: www.abc.net.au/rn/science/earth// / / /stories/s1124840.htm/

Architecture Week. 2003, SustainingSydney Spaces, Architecture Week,www.architectureweek.com/2004/0714/design_/ / / g1-1.html

Edwards, P. 2003, Developers viewpointon a sustainable approach, Bovis LendLease.

Lend Lease. 2003, Lend Lease UnveilsAustralia’s First Five Star GreenhouseOffice Building, Lend Lease,www.lendlease.com.au/llweb/llc/main.nsf/all// / / / /news_20030430

Energy efficiency30 the BondPaul Edwards, General Manager,Environment Sustainability Initiatives, LendLease Australia Pacific


case studies

CH2, Council House 2

BUILDING TYPE

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Melbourne, Victoria

CLIENT City of Melbourne

PROJECT MANAGER City of Melbourne

ARCHITECTS Mick Pearce (CoM) and DesignInc

ENGINEERS Lincolne Scott, AEC, Bonacci Group

SIZE 9,373m2 net lettable area

Energy 515.5 mWh per year(55 kWh/m2)

Water 100kL mined per day, 72% reduction in potable water use


562 Tonnes CO2 per year (60kgCO2/m2)

Capital cost $51 million for the building excluding fitout

Savings $1.2 million per year

Payback Around 10 years

Note: This building is still in construction stage. Figures given are estimates of final performance.

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• 6 star Green Star rating.• Features shower towers, phase

change materials and chilled ceilingbeams as the air conditioningsystem.

• Water mining plant that recyclesblack water from city’s sewers fornon-potable reuse.

• Vertical garden on the north façadeto minimise glare and increaseambience.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe Melbourne City Council isknown for its role as a leading greenorganisation and wanted the designof their new council building toreflect their position. They desireda lighthouse project that woulddemonstrate what a green building,integrated into an urban environment,could achieve. In addition to theprojected energy and water savings,the key driver of the project was tocreate an environment that promotedstaff well-being, retention andeffectiveness.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTAn Environmental Management Planwas required at tender stage. Thecontractor was also required to becertified to ISO 14001 Standard.

A Building User’s Guide will be

developed and available to all buildingusers, occupiers and tenants topromote effective and efficient use ofthe building.

ENERGYChilled beams on the ceilings aid aircirculation and radiant cooling. Thisprocess allows significant energysavings. The heat from occupantsand equipment is absorbed into thethermal mass, circulating fluid passingthrough chilled beams.

The building is naturally cooled atnight. This process is called nightpurging. Windows on the north andsouth facades open to allow the airto flow through the space. The heatabsorbed by the high thermal massbuilding structure, during the day timeoperation, is released to the cool nightair as it flows through the building atnight.

There are five shower towers on theoutside of the building that conditionthe air on the ground floor and retailspace. The water is evaporativelycooled and used to remove heat fromthe Phase Change Material which, inturn, is use to cool the water that runsthrough the chilled beams.

The City of Melbourne’s CouncilHouse 2 (CH2) has achieved a 6Star Green Star - Office Design v1certified rating. Set in the heart ofMelbourne CBD, CH2 will house540 council employees as well asincorporate retail outlets on the lowerfloors. Sustainable principles havebeen incorporated every detail ofthe design. Significant reductions ingreenhouse gas emissions have beenachieved – in this case, 87% lessthan the existing council house nextdoor. This project is expected to be

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Figure 47. CH2 Swanston Street view, City of Melbourne. 6 Star, Green Star - Office Design v1


case studies

Photovoltaic cells on the roof generate3.5kW of energy, enough to powerthe wooden louvres on the westernfaçade. Electrical heat and energy isalso supplied by a micro-turbine co-generation system.

General light levels are kept low. Officelighting is zoned into areas no largerthan 100m2. They use high frequencyT5 ballasts that achieve lighting powerdensity of less than 2.5 Watts/m2 per100 lux. Task lighting is provided toemployee work areas.

Highly energy efficient equipmentsuch as LCD monitors are used.

WATERA water mining plant in the basementdraws 100,000 litres per day of black water from the city’s sewer system forrecycling. This purified water is usedfor purposes such as plant wateringand toilet flushing. Surplus amountsare used in fountains, street cleaningand plant irrigation around the city ofMelbourne.

Rainwater is collected and used withthe recycled water to irrigate theplants.

All fittings are AAAA rated. Thiscomprises low-flow shower heads,dual-flush toilets and sensor-triggeredflushing for the urinals.

Solar Hot Water Panels on theroof provide 60% of the hot watersupply normally supplied by the co-generation plant.

IEQOne hundred percent fresh air isfunnelled down vertical turbine shaftsthat supply air to the office space viavents in the floor. These vents canbe adjusted by the users for comfort.

C02 levels in the air are constantlymonitored and fresh air suppliedaccordingly.

Natural light is provided wherepossible. The lower levels, whichare exposed to less light than upperlevels, have larger windows. Tominimise glare and heat, louvresare positioned on the east and westfaçades, made up respectively ofperforated steel and recycled timber. The northern façade also featuresa vertical garden, which providesshading as well as a micro climate forthe balcony areas.

Light shelves inside and outsidereflect light onto the ceiling, providingdiffused lighting. Light levels arekept to 320 lux. Task lighting will beprovided for individuals.

Plants are specifically selected fortheir ability to filter toxins for the air areplaced around the office space.

The council expects between a oneand five percent increase in staffeffectiveness due to the increasedambience and air quality.

MATERIALSSixty percent recycled steel was usedfor structural components. This had tobe sourced from outside Australia toguarantee the recycled content.

Low VOC products are used, wherepossible, to replace high VOCproducts in paint finishes, laminatesand woods.

Ninety percent of the timber used isrecycled or sustainably harvested.

PVC use in hydraulics and electricalcomponents has been eliminated.

CH2, Council House 2

“We use natural ventilation for night flushing. This cools the

concrete ceiling down, and we expose as much thermal mass to

the space, which works on the principle that we feel more radiant

cooling.”

WASTEDuring the construction period, CH2’scontractors will recycle 80% of theconstruction waste.

Recycling facilities to recycle all typesof office waste will be provided tostaff.

EMISSIONS / TRANSPORTCH2 is located in the heart ofMelbourne’s CBD, with convenientaccess to public transport. Keepingthis in mind, there are 80 bicyclestorage spaces (10% of staff) withshower facilities. There are visitorbike parking facilities near the frontentrance. Twenty two car parkingspaces have been provided in thebasement area.

REFERENCESCity of Melbournewww.ch2.com.au

Night flushingCH2Mick Pearce, Design Manager, City ofMelbourne


case studies

743 Ann Street

BUILDING TYPE Existing - Refurbished

CLIMATE Warm - Humid

LOCATION Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

CLIENT PMM Group

ARCHITECTS TVS Partnership Architects

ENGINEERS Lincolne Scott

SIZE 1821.07m2 net lettable area

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Energy Figure not yet available

Water 1,138kL per year


Figure not yet available

Capital cost $4.4 million (including acquisition)

Savings Figure not yet available


The building is a completetransformation of an outdated 1980’soffice building into a commerciallyviable and sustainable development. Itcomprises of the headquarters of thePMM group, a town planning, urbandesign and surveying firm, and retailshops at street level.

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• Solar hot water panels provide hot

water to the tenants.• A thermosiphon wall reduces heat

load in the building.• Bio filter plants filter pollutants from

the air.• Where possible, materials were

recycled from the original building.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe aim of the building’s urbanrenewal was to develop an externalbuilt form with striking street

appeal, housing an attractive,healthy and functional workplacefor staff, showcasing a multitude ofsustainable, leading edge designmeasures.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTThe ESD elements of the buildinghave been promoted by management.By January 2005, over 1,000 visitors(including international groups) havetoured the building, hosted andguided by trained PMM managementand staff.

A Building User Guide was developedso that building users understandand know how to maintain the ESDfeatures in the building. There are alsomonitoring programs and educationaldisplays in the foyer of the buildingthat provide ongoing information onthe building’s performance in waterand energy consumption.

Staff actively and enthusiasticallyparticipate in a committee knownas “Team Green”, ensuringthe monitoring and ongoingimprovements of the building’senvironmental performance, includingenergy and water saving measures,transport initiatives and recyclingprograms.

ENERGYPassive thermal and solar designprinciples used in the building reducethe amount of energy it consumes.

The general air conditioning systemis turned off after hours to preventunnecessary cooling. Localised unitswere installed for tenants to use asrequired. All switches and timers areclearly identified to avoid unnecessaryuse

Skylights on the second (top) levelof the office provide natural light tothe occupants, reducing the need forartificial lighting.

Artificial lighting is provided by highfrequency T5 ballasts.

Solar hot water panels provide the hotwater demands and photovoltaic cellson the roof provide additional energy,supplementing the mains power. Thecells produce between 4-4.5 MWa year, which is enough to power aresidential house.

The building was fitted out with energyefficient appliances such as fridges,microwaves and dishwashers.

Heating and cooling is controlledthrough a digital system that is part ofthe security and timing switch system.

Figure 48. 743 Ann Street, TVS Partnership.


case studies

743 Ann Street

WATERStormwater is stored in a 11,000Lstorage tank and used to flush toiletsand irrigate xeriscaped gardens.

A heat trace system on the hot waterpipes makes hot water immediatelyavailable to users, saving on runningcold water out of taps prior to use.

Water efficient fixtures such as AAA rated shower roses, sink aerators anddual flush toilets were installed, as wellas waterless urinals.

IEQThe north-west wall of the buildingfeatures a thermosiphon wall thatregulates the heat load inside thebuilding by absorbing the sun’s heaton the wall, which causes hot air in thevent behind the wall to rise and exitfrom the top of the wall on hotter days.

The building’s atrium is naturallyventilated through the use ofthermostatic controlled vents.

Natural lighting has been maximisedthrough the use of skylights andsunshade structures over the frontpatio area that restrict heat frompenetrating the building. Double-glazed windows help restrict heat andnoise entering the building from AnnStreet.

A Biofilter planter system in the foyeruses potted plants and charcoal tofilter internal air and remove pollutants.

Low VOC finishes and products wereused throughout.

MATERIALSOne of the aims of the design wasto reuse as much of the existingbuilding materials as possible andto maximise recycling of demolished

waste materials. Ceiling tiles, ceilinggrid, glass and metal elements werereused.

Plantation pine rather than steel wasused for stud frames to partition wallsrather than steel.

The walls are painted in RockcoteEcoStyle paints which are odourless,without toxic fumes and low inhazardous chemicals and solvents.The Interface modular carpet is alsorecyclable.

The timber used for the patio isconstructed using Modwood, whichis made from sawdust and recycleddomestic plastics.

Modular workstations can easily berefigured, and are made from E1emission rated particleboard, recycledplastic edge strip, and recycledrubber/foam materials.

WASTEA waste management system wasimplemented by builder Multiplex,achieving the recycling of 80% ofdemolished materials.

Ongoing waste managementstrategies include organic wasterecycling, which is fed to avermiculture station (worm farm)adjacent to the staff cafeteria. Theresulting compost is used in thegardens. The building also has anextensive paper recycling scheme.

EMISSIONS / TRANSPORTThe PMM Group were conscious ofsite selection. The building is locatedclose to a train station and has busaccess at its door. Staff are activelyencouraged to car pool and utilisepublic transport in travelling to work.

Bicycle facilities including lockers andshowers have been provided andelectric bikes, smart and hybrid carshave been investigated to replacecompany vehicles.

REFERENCESCD Rom: 743 Ann St BrisbaneRedevelopment for the future, EPA Qld &PMM Group 2003.

“In Ann St, the major energy efficiency initiative we introduced

was a thermosiphon naturally ventilated system into the atrium of the building… other important

features included energy efficient T5 lighting, carefully considered

zoning related to occupant layouts and maximum daylight

usage. We established a system where it is hard for people to turn on excess lights… and… simple things like clear identification on

the switches…”

Energy efficiency initiatives743 Ann StreetMark Thomson, Director, TVS Partnership


case studies

SES Headquarters

BUILDING TYPE New

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Melbourne, Victoria

CLIENT Victorian State Emergency Services

ARCHITECTS H2o Architects

ENGINEERS AHW

SIZE 1700 m2 net lettable area

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Energy 510 mWh per year (300 kWh/m2)

Water Figure not yet available



Capital cost $3.5 million construction costs, $6.5 million total end costs



The new Victorian State EmergencyServices headquarters are located inthe Melbourne CBD. The building haswon several awards for its approachto sustainable design and architectureand was a finalist in the “Leadership inSustainable Buildings” category in the2004 Banksia Awards.

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT

• Maximising use of natural lightingto reduce need for artificial lighting.

• Solar hot water panels providemost water heating requirements.

• Central ducted vacuum systemtakes dust and other pollutantsoutside into a collector located inthe car park, rather than allowingportions to escape into the air fromconventional vacuums.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe brief from the Department ofJustice was to design and constructa benchmark environmentallyresponsive building as a modelto the construction industry andother government departments.This outcome was achieved byincorporating:• A design with a shape and

form responding to sustainablerequirements;

• Passive and active venting andlighting solutions;

• Sustainable material selection; and• Promotion of sustainable

construction approaches.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSENERGYNatural lighting is an importantenergy saving feature in the designof the building. The main façadeis orientated towards a southerlydirection with minimal exposure tothe west and south. North facingclearstory windows provide most ofthe natural light needed for most ofthe year. Internal light shelves directand diffuse the light into the officespaces through the clerestory louvrewindows. External shading has beendesigned so that it limits the amountof sunlight and solar radiation in thesummer, whilst allowing both to enterin the winter period.

Artificial lighting is supplied by low-energy, high frequency T5 tubes.These uplights focus the light towardsthe curved ceilings, which are paintedwhite, to evenly distribute the lightover the workspace. They are alsodimmable and are programmed viaa central system that measures theamount of natural light present. A conscious effort made by the designteam was to provide only 200 luxto the working area when operatingat 100%. This level is below therecommended 320 lux. This was toencourage the use of task lightingwhen required. The task lights are alsowired so that they are turned off bythe central control system when out ofhours.

Passive cooling / heating is providedby a large concrete slab locatedunderneath the raised floor. Nightpurging using outdoor air coolsthe slab which stores coolth andthen releases it over a period,thereby reducing the instantaneouscooling load and reducing energyconsumption.

Figure 49. SES Headquarters, H2o architects.


case studies

WATEREight solar hot water panelsprovide most of the water heatingrequirements. However, the watersupply is linked to a central gasservice which boosts the supplyon cloudy days and when demandexceeds hot water supplied by thesolar panels.

IEQThe building uses a mixed modeventilation system combining naturalventilation from louvres located onthe south side (sea breezes) withan underfloor displacement airconditioning system. The intent ofthis design was to allow occupantsin each bay to choose the mode ofventilation desired. Floor vents arealso adjustable to suit individual userscomfort levels.

Air quality has been increased bythe installation of a central vacuumsystem which prevents the recycling ofdust from cleaning. The main storageunit and pump is located in the carpark area. Piping from the wall outletsto the main unit is located in the raisedfloor plenum.

Low VOC materials were used wherepossible, including paint selection,plywood for flooring and low-allergenicpolyester insulation.

MATERIALSWaste reduction methods wereemployed throughout construction. Toreduce wastage, as much as possibleof the ground-floor slab from theprevious building was used as the carpark base. Sorting for recycling wasalso employed

Recycled materials were also chosenin preference to new. This includedusing recycled bricks and formwork components.

Plantation harvested timbers wereused in structural flooring.

EVALUATIONFollowing occupation, the SESmanagement decided to operateon full air conditioning mode ratherthan natural ventilation. The buildingfunctioned well in natural ventilationmode; however they found that odoursarising from the building’s proximityto a highway tunnel were flowingtowards the building during certainclimatic conditions. Investigationsare underway to link the BuildingAutomation System to Citylink’s (thetunnel’s authority) monitoring stationsto control the ventilation.

REFERENCESArticles• Architect (Melbourne / Australia),t

October 2002, pages 20 – 21.• Steel Profile (Melbourne / Australia),

December 2002, cover and pages 30– 38.

• The Architectural Review (London / wUnited Kingdom), issue 1274, April2003, pages 52 – 55.

• Indesign (Sydney / Australia), issue 13,May 2003, pages 112 - 119

• Herald Sun (Melbourne / Australia), 9October 2003, page 38.

SES Headquarters

“Developing a building profile ... has allowed us to heat and cool

naturally for part of the year, to light the building naturally for as

much of the year as possible and ventilate the building naturally.

We did this by establishing a long narrow floor plate, by having

openable vents in the south façade, extracting the air through

a series of louvres on the north façade and minimising glazing

from east to west. This set-up an opportunity to minimise running

costs by not having to use artificial systems.“

Natural ventilation and lightingSES HeadquartersTim Hurburgh, Director + Principal, H2oarchitects


case studies

Waalitj Building: Murdoch University

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Energy Figure not yet available

Water 252 l/day



Capital cost $320,000



The Waalitj Environmental TechnologyCentre is a complex situated withinthe grounds of the Murdoch UniversityCampus in Perth. The site features anoffice area, research laboratories andan exhibition space.

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• Use of thermal mass walls made

of rammed earth and recycledmaterials to control heat.

• Solar heating and cooling system,and collection of solar energy.

• Sewerage treated then used toirrigate landscaping.

• High use of recycled materials inconstruction, preventing wastegoing to landfill.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe clients desired a “functionalsustainable building” that incorporatedsustainability principles into thebuilding development process. Theirtarget was a zero emission building.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTThe site of the technology centrewas chosen due to the fact that theland had been cleared some yearsprevious and it minimised the need forroadwork.

The Building Management Systemwas built with an internet server so thatit can provide information about theperformance of the building on simpleinternet pages.

ENERGYThe south wall of the officebuilding provides most of the lightrequirements. The designers wantedto use the diffuse uniform lightprovided from the south to preventexcess glare for those using computermonitors.

The building has 30cm thick thermalmass outer walls which helps keep theair temperature inside the buildingscool.

A Photovoltaic System on the roofgenerates 3kW and is used to powerlighting, fans and office equipment.Excess energy is pumped into themain grid.

Solar hot water panels are mountedon the roof and provide most of

the hot water needs. During cloudyperiods an electric booster is used tomeet the shortfall.

A roof plenum solar heating andcooling system has been installed.In winter, warm air from the officeinterior is drawn into the plenum wereit is warmed by heat generated fromsunlight hitting the roof panels. Thewarmed air is then blown into theoffice space by fans. In summer,warm air from the office rises and isexpelled from the plenum by fan to theoutside. A ceiling dampener is closedto prevent the roof’s warm air fromentering back into the office. At night,cool air from outside is drawn intothe room and the warm air is purged.The building management systemmonitors the temperature within theplenum and the office area so thatduring the winter, for example, it willpurge the warmer air from the plenuminto the office space.

An in-slab floor heating system usesa Phase Change Material (PCM)embedded within the concrete tocontrol the amount of heat released,which is done slowly, gently warmingthe air near the floor area.

BUILDING TYPE New

CLIMATE Hot dry, cold winter

LOCATION Perth, Western Australia

CLIENT Murdoch University, Environmental TechnologyCentre

ARCHITECTS Earth House, Marco Vittino

ENGINEERS Consortium Builders and Healey Engineering

SIZE 100m2 of office space plus lecture, gallery and teaching areas

Figure 50. Waalitj building, Murdoch University.


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WATERThe Waalitj building utilises stormwater and black water to minimiseuse of potable water. Rain waterfrom the roof of the building is usedto water the native garden and theremainder flows into an ephemeral,infiltration basin next to the car park,encouraging biodiversity throughwetland bio-mimicry. The waste waterfrom the kitchen and toilets is treatedby an aerobic treatment unit (ATU)before irrigating the courtyard lawnand gardens through drip irrigation.This provides a pleasant outdoor areafor staff and visitors.

A south facing colling pond,landscaped and fed by storm water(topped up by bore water) in front ofa low gable window takes advantageof prevailing summer winds to delivercool air to the building for summerheat relief.

Elsewhere on site there are rainwatertabks, waterless toilets, greywaterdiverters, a reverse osmosisdesalination unit, a flow form, dripirrigation and several ponds servingvarious purposes.

The average water use from the twotoilets and kitchen is 252L/day or92kL/year.

IEQOperable walls form part of thewall along the western edge of thecourtyard. These walls reflect andchannel winds into areas to aid crossventilation of the buildings. In thewinter, the walls are kept closed toprotect the buildings from cold wind.

Small north facing windows are usedto prevent excessive heat in summerand prevent glare on computerequipment. The architects decided

on large south facing windows tonaturally light the space.

Evaporative cooling ponds weredesigned into the office space. Theseponds cool the hot easterly breezethat enters the building in the summer.The pond sources its water from theexcess rainwater from the roof.

Many of the walls are left untreated,however, where plasterboard is used,it is painted with organic finishes.

Planting has been used extensivelybuildings to provide shade for thebuildings and for landscaping aroundthe complex. A mixture of low-wateruse plants as well as fruit trees andherbal gardens have been used.

MATERIALSA great amount of thought and effortwent into the choice of materials.Where possible, materials that wererecycled, or which incorporated wasteproducts, or have low embodiedenergy were used. The industrial by-products used were sourced locally.

Concrete for the floor slab is madeof crushed concrete waste, window-glass waste and coal fly ash. Thisreduces the cost of cement as well asreduces the amount of raw materialsused. It also diverts materials fromgoing to landfill.

The thermal mass walls are made of10% cement with stabilised buildingrubble made up mostly of recycledred brick. They are also are made ofstabilised, rammed recycled earth.

The courtyard pavers are cementmixed with 10-15% coal fly ash. Thisreduced the embodied energy andcost of the pavers.

The operable walls form part of the

Waalitj Building: Murdoch University

wall along the western edge of thecourtyard. These are made fromrecycled plastic panels.

EMISSIONS / TRANSPORTThe site is located within the MurdochUniversity Campus, approximately 15minutes walk from the main areas offthe campus. The centre has providedapproximately 100 bikes for freeuse as a means of commuting fromthe main campus to the technologycentre.

There are also public transportfacilities approximately 150m from thesite. The university also encouragescar pooling amongst staff.

REFERENCESMurdoch University Environmental Technology Centrewwwies.murdoch.edu.au/etc/pages/waalitj/wpages/backg.htm


case studies

National Museum of Australia

BUILDING TYPE New Museum

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Canberra, ACT

CLIENT Commonwealth and ACT Governments

ARCHITECTS An association of Ashton Raggatt McDougall and Robert Peck von Hartel Trethowan

BUILDING CONTRACTORS Lend Lease Projects

SERVICES CONTRACTORS Tyco International and Honeywell

EXHIBITION DESIGN Anway and Company Inc, Boston USA

SIZE 6600m2 of exhibition space

Figure 51. National Museum of Australia. Photo George Serras.

Australia’s new National Museumwas opened in 2001. It is a stunningbuilding and architecturally bold. Itis very much a modern building withobvious post modern influences.

As with any museum, there are certainlimitations inherent in protecting anddisplaying archival material. In termsof the elements of environmentallypreferable building constructionand maintenance, there are alwaysactions and choices that can bemade. Within these constraints, theNational Museum is continuing to findways of improving its environmentalperformance.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSNATURAL LIGHTThe National Museum uses filterednatural lighting in the ExhibitionGalleries in order to meet specific luxand UV levels set by conservationstandards. Generally lighting inexhibition cases is limited to 50 luxand around 200 lux for walkways andexternal case lighting.

In other public areas, particularly thespectacular Main Hall, large featurewindows and skylights maximise theuse of natural light.

ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTINGThe lighting control system installedby the National Museum ofAustralia is a Dynalite Direct DigitalLighting System. It controls alllighting throughout the Gallery andAdministration areas.

Over the past three years the NationalMuseum has worked with theirspecialist lighting contractors SoundAdvice to systematically reduce the luxlevels in exhibition cases to the levelsrequired by Conservation standards.This had to be balanced with ensuringthat signage is legible and objectdetails are still captured for the publicto see.

Also in the past three years theNational Museum has beenprogressively changingthe lamping configurations of theexhibition spaces. To date, theNational Museum has replacedaround 95% of the 50 watt, 10degree angle dichroic lamps with 35watt 24-38-60 degree lamps. Thishas dropped the light levels to anaverage of 50 lux but has increasedthe readability of exhibition text andsignage within the gallery spaces.Aside from the immediate 15 wattreduction in energy usage per lamp

the change has reduced condensedheat off the lamps and extended lamplife.

In addition to the re-lamping of theexhibition cases the National Museumhas undertaken to retrofit the singlechannel systems to multi-channeldimming controllers. This gives thecapacity to program individual lightsor sets of lights to specific lux levelsor set lights to highlight objects orsignage more clearly. A further benefitis more flexibility with design optionswithin the exhibition cases when notconstrained to having one lightinglevel.

In open exhibition and public areaswhere 500 watt lamps were utilised,we have re-lamped with 300 wattlamps, gaining a reduction in energyusage while maintaining lighting levelsin the concourse areas.

The Dynalite system allows us toutilise ‘soft starting’ procedures andspecific dimming settings of lights forcleaning, security patrols and generaloperations and exhibition timeframes.This has prolonged lamp lifesignificantly and reduced maintenancerequirements to the areas.


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THERMAL MASS & PASSIVE DESIGNThe actual National Museum buildingis of a modern design encompassingthe whole site so it has a largebuilding ‘footprint.’ The building’sthermal shell or envelope consistsof an anodised aluminium aestheticcovering, with an external rain shieldof galvanised iron sheeting. There areR4 rated insulation batts. There arealso concrete panels which increasethe thermal mass in one gallery areaand associated ‘back of house’ work areas.

There have been some issues inmaintaining positive air pressurewithin the gallery spaces particularly inscenarios with a failed air-conditioningplant.

Even with the use of double glazedwindows, the high and wide expanseof the glazed areas requiressignificant energy usage to maintainenvironmental conditions. Themajority of the National Museum plantoperates 24 hours a day, 365 days peryear.

Within the design of the Heatingand Ventilation and Air conditioning(HVAC) system, use of enthalpy orheat recovery wheels provides somepre-heating or pre-cooling of the airbrought into the building. This helpsto maintain environmental conditions,fresh air requirements and to maintainpressurisation within zoned areas.Additionally the HVAC system utilisesCarbon Dioxide (CO2) sensors to allowfor greater fresh air flow when CO2levels increase within specific zones.

MATERIALSThe architects have utilised modernmaterials to meet the modern layoutand aesthetics required for the design.

The structure is a combination ofpoured concrete, steel frame orprestressed prefabricated concretepanels. Anodised feature aluminiumpanels are a predominate aspectof the external building structure.Some areas have poured concretepanelling in some areas (fast erectiontimes, with reasonably good thermalefficiency). The internal fixings aremainly of plasterboard or similarmaterials.

WATER EFFICIENCYThe National Museum uses dual flushtoilets and auto flush urinal systems toreduce water consumption.

SAVINGSThe National Museum has addedPower Factor Correction to bettermanage load sharing across majorplant. The National Museum hasbeen supplemented by an EnergyMonitoring system in the last sixmonths. It is envisaged that energysaving trends will begin to emergeas a full annual operating cycle iscompleted.

PROJECT MANAGEMENTA special project management stylewas developed for the design andconstruction of the National Museum.In a world first for a major publicbuilding construction project of thissize, it was decided to join membersof the design and construction teamin an innovative ‘Project Alliance’which would deliver the new facilities.The Alliance partners agreed at thecommencement of the project to bejointly responsible for the total projectresults, pledging themselves to work cooperatively in an integrated team toachieve agreed cost, time and qualitytargets. The agreement providedfinancial incentives to encourage andreward outstanding performance, as

well as financial penalties if cost, timeor quality targets were not achieved.The Alliance agreement promoteda ‘no dispute’ culture, prohibitedlitigation except for wilful default, andavoided the adversarial approachassociated with many traditionalcontracts The result was the projectcame in on budget and on time andwith the private sector partners’ profitsintact.

PEOPLEThere is both responsibility andopportunities in the fact that these arepublic buildings. The responsibilityis to involve key stakeholderslike indigenous landholders andthe community in the process ofcreating the building. There are greatopportunities to educate the publicabout art, history and the environmentas well as sustainable design.

For the National Museum of Australia,the traditional owners of the ActonPeninsula were consulted aboutthe development of the site. Beforebuilding began a smoking ceremonywas performed by the Ngunnawalpeople to purify the site.

The National Museum has anongoing responsibility to protectculturally significant sites on the ActonPeninsula on which the NationalMuseum buildings are located.

“The National Museum has an ongoing responsibility to protect culturally significant sites on the Acton Peninsula on which the National Museum buildings are located.”


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During the development of the designand building, collaboration andcooperation was emphasised throughmembership on committees andmemoranda of understanding withneighbours, such as the AustralianInstitute of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Studies and the AustralianNational University.

The National Museum also integratesenvironmentally sustainabledevelopment information intoexhibitions when appropriate i.e.Tangled Destinies gallery.

Figure 52. National Museum of Australia, Interior of Main Hall. Photo John Gollings.

REFERENCESNational Museum of Australia,www.nma.gov.au

National Museum of Australia, 2004,National Museum of Australia Annual Report 2003-2004, National Museumof Australia Press, Canberra.

National Museum of Australia, 2003,Land Nation People: The Annual Report of National Museum of Australia2002-2003, National Museum ofAustralia Press, Canberra.

Weber, Therese (ed) 2003, LandNation People: Stories from theNational Museum of Australia, NationalMuseum of Australia Press, Canberra.


case studies

60L: 60 Leicester Street

BUILDING TYPE Part new and part existing – Refurbished

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION Carlton, Victoria

CLIENT The Green Building Partnership

ARCHITECTS Spowers

ENGINEERS AEC, John Mullen & Partners. Lincolne Scott

SIZE 3375m² lettable floor space

Figure 53. 60 Leicester Street, Carlton.

60 Leicester Street is located inCarlton, an inner suburb of Melbourne.Built in the late 1800’s the formerfactory building has had a newthird floor built and has been fullyrefurbished. The old section hasbeen integrated with a new building.Currently the building has 15 tenantsincluding the Australian ConservationFoundation.

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Energy Uses 30% of the average energy consumption of commercial officebuildings in Melbourne.

Water Reduced mains water consumption by over 80% compared to a conventional building.


Zero - purchases 100% new green power and istherefore considered“greenhouse neutral”.

Project cost $8 million.

Savings Figure not available.

Payback Figure not available.

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• Green Leasing ensures tenants

are supplied with informationand guidance on the building’soperations, helping maximise the

building’s sustainability.• Natural ventilation and lighting help

to reduce energy consumption to1/3 of a standard building of similarsize.

• Solar panels used to supplementmains energy supply. Green poweris sourced as mains supply.

• Three step water recycling systemsupplies potable and non-potablewater to tenants.

PROJECT BACKGROUND60L was designed to be a model ofsuperior environmental performancethat demonstrated the Green BuildingPartnership and ACF’s commitment toecologically sustainable development.They wanted to create a buildingthat was commercially viable andincorporated, as far as was practicalin the commercial context, sustainabledesign principles into every facet ofthe building.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTGreen Leasing - The performance ofthe building as a “green building” isdependent on the behaviour and theparticipation of the tenants. Tenantsare required to sign a “green lease”which informs tenants of GreenBuilding principles and rules, includesan Environmental Management

Plan (EMP) and places additionalobligations on tenants over and abovenormal commercial requirements.

The lease and EMP provide advicein sourcing office equipment andmaterials for fit out; practices fortenancy operation, tenancy fit outand the relocation of the tenant. Thebuilding manager provides additionalinformation and advice to tenants onsourcing the most environmentallyappropriate materials and adviseson issues such as office wastemanagement.

ENERGYBy optimising natural ventilation andnatural lighting in the design of thebuilding, 60L is able to use only aboutone-third of the energy of a similarsized conventional office building. Thisequates to approximately 250mWhper year. The building has achievedan 80% reduction in energy used forlighting a typical commercial buildingof similar size.

A large central atrium and six lightwells allow daylight to penetrate thebuilding with natural light. Thesefeatures have been placed so theyperform dual lighting and ventilationroles. The light wells allow air to flowacross all the tenancies and into thecentral atrium which vents the air


case studies


using four thermal chimneys. Tenantscan also adjust the windows andsome of the louvres in their spacesto control the flow of air, and haveaccess to domestic reverse cycleair conditioners should the naturalconditions be outside comfort levels.

The open plan design and the use oflight shelves help the light penetratefurther into the office spaces. Lightcoloured paint on ceilings helpmaximise the reflection of light.

High efficiency light fixtures weredesigned to reduce the installedlighting load to 7W/m² compared to20W/m² for office buildings. The lightfittings used are 36W single tube with(in most tenancies) non-dimmableelectronic ballast on nominal 2.4mspacing. The tubes are triphosphor,low mercury type in fixtures with semi-specular reflectors and 10 cell lowglare, louvres.

The common area lighting controlsystem is AUTO ‘OFF’ and MANUAL‘ON’. Building occupants turn thelights on when required. The systemincorporates a timer so that commonarea lights are turned off after 10minutes.

The building also uses solarpanels located on the roof to helpsupplement the power required foroperation of building systems. GreenPower, energy which is derived fromnon-fossil fuel and renewable sourcesis purchased as the building’s mainenergy supply.

Energy efficient appliances are usedin the public area of the buildingand tenants are also encouragedto purchase energy efficient officeequipment. Building management canadvise in the selection of equipment,

particularly in the fit-out stage oftenancy.

WATERThe water use at 60L is dealt with inthree ways:

Water efficient fixtures such as low-flow shower heads which discharge5L per minute and dual flush systemsthat can cope with grey water systemsare installed as well as waterlessurinals which contain an oil sealthat prevents odours. These fixturesreduce water usage by half comparedwith conventional items.

Rainwater is the principal source ofwater for use throughout the building.This is collected from the roof andstored in two 10,000 litre storagetanks on the ground floor. The water isfiltered and then sterilised to providea potable water supply for use bytenants in taps, showers and fordrinking.

The wastewater generated (greywater)and sewage is treated in the building’sown sewage treatment system. Thispurifies the water using biologicaltreatment that is free from chemicals.

The treated water is designed to beto be used for the reclaimed watertreatment plant which further purifiesthe water for use in flushing toilet pansand for irrigation of the landscapefeatures such as the rooftop garden.Surplus reclaimed water from thisstage is designed to flow out througha water feature in the atrium. Thisfeatures a succession of cascadingtanks containing aquatic plantsand organisms feeding on residualnutrients in the treated water.


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IEQThe indoor environment quality in60L is focussed on the individualcomfort levels of the tenants ratherthan the building as a whole. Tenantsare able to adjust (within limits) thelevels of light and air flow to meettheir individual needs by openinga window or adjusting louvres. Thebuilding operates within a 19-26ºCcomfort band in passive mode. Whenthe external ambient temperatureis outside this margin, tenants areable to use the reverse cycle airconditioners available in their space.

Low-emissive products were chosenwhere possible for paint and carpets,and to replace the use of glues,sealants, adhesives and paintswith high VOC (Volatile OrganicCompounds) levels. Smoking is notallowed in any area of the building.

MATERIALSThe original building was partiallydismantled and existing materialsre-used whenever practical includingtimber floor joists and planking, bricksand glazed partitions.

New concrete used in constructioncontained, on average, 60% recycledcontent, including crushed concretereclaimed from other buildings, and flyash extenders. All bricks used wereeither reused from the old building orrecycled bricks from dismantling ofother buildings. All reinforcing steelwas made from recycled steel.

Recycled materials were used in otherfixtures and structural componentswhenever possible. Recycledhardwood timber was used for theground floor, and all window and doorframes. The carpet contained approx.30% recycled content. Purchasedrecycled products such as bricks,

timber steel and copper were givenpreference over virgin materials.

Products with low levels of VOCemissions (including paints andcarpets) were chosen where possible,and the use of glues, sealants andpaints with high VOC (Volatile OrganicCompounds) levels minimised.

The use of PVC products waseliminated from all water andwastewater pipes as well as electricalconduits and most light fittings.

EMISSIONS/TRANSPORTParking facilities are not available onsite. Tenants are encouraged to utilisepublic transport services, which areconveniently located to the buildingor ride a bike. Facilities such as asecure bike parking and showers areavailable on site.

REFERENCES60L Green Building Website,The Green Building Partnership www.60lgreenbuilding.com/index.htm

Hes, D. Greening the Building LifeCycle: Life Cycle Assessment Toolsin Building and Construction 60LGreen Building, Environment Australia buildlca.rmit.edu.au/casestud/60l/60L.html

60 Leicester Street Carlton: Australia’sLeading Example of Commercial Building for a Sustainable Future,The Green Building Partnershipwww.60lgreenbuilding.com/genbrochure.pdf

Figure 54. Low VOC materials selection.

Figure 55. Cyclist, image sourced from Doncaster Hill Sustainability Guidelines,Manningham City Council.


case studies

40 Albert Road

BUILDING TYPE Retrofit of existing office block

CLIMATE Temperate

LOCATION South Melbourne, Victoria

CLIENT Szencorp

PROJECT MANAGER Lascorp

ARCHITECTS SJB Architects

ENGINEERS Connell Mott Macdonald, Energy ConservationSystems

SIZE 1,215m² net lettable area

Figure 56. 40 Albert Road, Szencorp.

40 Albert Road sets a new benchmark in office refurbishment achieving a6 Star Green Star - Office Designcertified rating, combining cuttingedge sustainable design with a high-end look and feel. This 1,200m2 officebuilding in South Melbourne is thenew headquarters of the Szencorpgroup of companies, who provideexpertise in sustainable business.The vision for 40 Albert Road was oneof “walking the walk”, with severalcutting edge sustainable technologiesand ‘firsts’ incorporated into therefurbishment.

BUILDING OUTPUTS

Energy (Gasand electricity)

163 MWh per year (134kWh/m2 electricity)

Water 61 kL per year


142 tonnes CO2 per year

Capital cost No applicable businessdecision

Savings No applicable businessdecision

Payback No applicable businessdecision

KEY AREAS OF ACHIEVEMENT• First occupied Australian building

and retrofit to have a 6 Star GreenStar - Office Design certified rating.

• Thought to have a worldfirst integrated sensor and

management system foroccupancy lighting, HVAC andsecurity control.

• Aiming to be the first buildingin Australia to produce zero netemissions.

• Australian first use of ceramic fuelcells to reduce electricity used fromthe grid.

• Australian first use of the DryKordry conditioning unit, whichdries and cools the office spacesimultaneously, using a desiccantto absorb the water vapour fromthe air.

• Australian first use of natural gasengine AC units.

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe initial approach to therefurbishment project was driven byPeter Szental, who owns the Szencorpgroup of companies. The designcombines original building featuresand fabric with an innovative programof alterations and additions to improveenvironmental performance andoccupant amenity.

The original building had a longconcrete tube with a stairwell at thefront, which restricted natural lightand ventilation. To address this, anew glazed stairwell was created inthe centre of the building with a glassatrium to provide a natural light core.

40 Albert Road has new floor-to-ceilingwindows with opening sections on theeastern façade to provide views, freshair and abundant natural light. Fromstreet level, the building presents avisually stunning mix of full lengthglass, stone, polished metal pillarsand full height ultra-modern metal netscreens.

ESD CONSIDERATIONSMANAGEMENTIn order to maintain the 5 star ABGRrating aimed for, auditing and buildingtuning will be performed over 10years. Extensive commissioning of thebuilding will also be undertaken.

A Building Users’ Guide will beavailable online and will providetenants with all necessary instructionson how to properly use the building’sfacilities. Performance will also bedisplayed online, linking the actualperformance with information on howto improve it.

The innovations at 40 Albert Road arebeing demonstrated to the buildingdevelopment and managementcommunity, and the wider public. Controlled free access to the buildingand its systems are providedfor educational and commercialpurposes. The roof layout providesaccess to the PV arrays, the gasengine AC units, the DryKor


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40 Albert Road

de-humidifier and the ceramic fuelcell. As well, there is a comprehensiveweather station and 59 individualmeters monitoring the various buildingsystems, including the PV arrays,DryKor unit, gas engine VRV, the fuelcell, rainwater/ grey water harvestingand re-use, natural ventilation, lighting,and occupancy. Energy ConservationSystems have provided many of theenergy conservation measures underan Energy Performance Contractwhich guarantees outcomes andeliminates technical and financialrisks.

ENERGYThe building is expected to consume163MWh of energy per year, madeup of 95 MWh of electric energyand 68MWh gas. The BuildingManagement System provides asingle interface for the passive andactive thermal control system, lightingcontrol system, security and otherautomated systems. Via a high levelinterface the BMS also integratesthe information from a weatherstation, for the control of the mixedmode ventilation, to ensure passiveopportunities are utilised to themaximum, and prevent cross windsfrom unbalancing internal air flows(drawing internal air to the outside,wasting energy).

Each floor is split into severalzones, where temperature, humidity,

daylight, lighting levels, air qualityand occupancy are monitored. Thesystem supplements passive thermal,ventilation and lighting systems withactive systems as necessary. Whena zone is unoccupied, active lightingand thermal systems are shut downto save energy. Electricity, gas andwater usage is remotely monitoredand SMS messaging is used to alertmaintenance personnel of abnormalsituations.

The Managed Lighting System (MLS)control system is a network of motionsensors that control lighting in officesin response to occupancy and dimslighting to compensate for naturallighting levels or lamp degradation.Energy efficiency is achieved bymaintaining lighting only in zonesthat are occupied. Lighting will switchon automatically upon entering azone and switch off when the zone isvacated after a delay. This functionalityis designed to be adjustable tosupport flexibility. Similarly, the zoningcan be adjusted to suit the officeenvironment.

The ventilation system is mixed mode,with natural ventilation suppliedby open windows and mechanicalventilation supplied by ceilingmounted fan coil units that have adamper to close off outside air. Theroof-mounted gas engine drivenair conditioning units are a first forVictoria. Using internal combustionengine technology, rather than electricmotor conditioning units, providesseveral benefits. First, avoiding gridelectricity use results in a lower overallcontribution to global climate changeemissions. Secondly, it reducesdemand on the electricity grid, whichcuts down on the need to upgradethe infrastructure. Thirdly, it cutselectricity demand at peak periods,thus reducing peak tariff usage.

Ceramic fuel cells will reduce thebuilding’s demand for grid electricity.This will be the first ceramic fuel cellin commercial operation in Australia.Fuel cells use chemical reactionsrather than combustion reactions toprovide electrical power. Reactantsare continually fed into the process toprovide ongoing power output. Thewaste heat generated during powerproduction will be used to providethe building with hot water. This hotwater system is supplemented by asolar hot water panel with gas boost.This will result in the building savingapproximately 12 MWh per annum byutilising solar energy to produce themajority of the domestic hot water.

A 1 MWh per annum amorphous PV array plus a 4.8 MWh per annumcrystalline Origin PV array, both gridconnected, will provide additionalelectricity to the building.

The central vacuum system savesenergy as it can be used duringoffice hours, so there is no need torun lighting and air conditioning outof hours for cleaning purposes. Also,cleaning with a central system is 40%faster than portable machines.

Significant energy savings are alsoachieved by linking the car park exhaust fans to the Building

“The aim of 40 Albert Rd is to demonstrate how to recycle a typical existing suburban office building into a leading edge building offering best practice performance in energy, greenhouse and sustainability.” Figure 57. 40 Albert Road, temperature

distribution by CMM, Szencorp.


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40 Albert Road

Management System. These fanswill only operate when the carbonmonoxide sensors in the car park indicate that vehicles are beingoperated.

WATERThe building features acomprehensive water managementsystem designed and built by thewater conservation group from withinEnergy Conservation Systems. Waterconsumption is minimised at eachend use point by using the latest incontrolled flow showerheads and tapsthroughout, some of them sensoractivated only. Toilets are an awardwinning dual flush design using only4.5/3 litres per flush. Urinals arewaterless.

Lightly polluted water gathered fromhand basins and showers (greywater)is collected, treated and reused fortoilet flushing. This is complementedwith a rainwater harvesting systemproviding 4,400 litres of rainwaterstorage, estimated to be enough for 3weeks of normal flushing.

The combination of these measuresis expected to reduce freshwaterconsumption from the building by 82%compared to the original design whiledischarge to sewer will be reduced by72%.

IEQThermal comfort is achieved bycombining natural ventilation withmechanical cooling and heating.Mechanically operated openingwindows and dampers allow freshair in and expel used air out. Naturalventilation is automated and isoptimised according to inside andoutside environmental conditions.Mechanical cooling or heating issupplied by ceiling mounted fan coilunits.

The DryKor dry conditioning unitdries and cools the office space

simultaneously, using a process ofnatural desiccant absorption of watervapour from the air. This technologyis non-toxic and non-hazardous, andthe humidity is ducted outdoors,eliminating the need for condensatepumps, pipes and drainage system.This addresses “Sick BuildingSyndrome” problems associatedwith poor indoor air quality as theprocess removes up to 94% of micro-organisms, as well 77% of particlesgreater than 5 microns.

Natural light is maximised by floor-to-ceiling high-performance double-glazing and is supplemented bythe atrium and glass in the centralstairwell. Further, there are skylightsabove the boardroom. Daylightmodelling shows that there will besignificant natural light at desk levelacross one third of the office space.This will also reduce energy use onartificial lighting, since the automatedlighting system will dim whenever andwherever daylight levels permit, tooptimise overall light levels. For themajority of the time, artificial lightingwill be dimmed up to eight metresaway from the windows.

“The project will achieve leading sustainable performance without compromising any conventional features - from the users perspective it will provide standard high end office accommodation.”

Figure 58. 40 Albert Road, Szencorp.


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40 Albert Road

Sunlight glare is controlled throughthe full length shading screens tothe east façade and the use of highperformance low glare glazing. Inaddition, manually operated internalblinds are provided to all windows, asare automated blinds to the skylightsand atrium.

A central vacuum cleaning systemis less noisy and more effective inreducing allergenic mould, dust andmoisture problems than portablevacuums. These reductions increaseoccupant health and wellbeing, andprolong the life of carpets.

All new materials introduced intothe building have been chosen withoffice air quality in mind. Volatileorganic compounds (VOCs) emissionlevels are minimised in the carpets,adhesives and sealants used, and95% of painted surfaces use low VOCpaints. All composite wood used inthe furniture is low in formaldehydeemissions, and a dedicated exhaustriser is provided to remove emissionsfrom printers and photocopiers.

MATERIALSMost of the reinforced concretestructure and 88% of the originalfaçade has been retained. Theadditional concrete required uses

“40 Albert Rd will demonstrate innovative strategies and outcomes for the built environment that are anticipated to become standard practice over the next decade. It has been designed as a live case study with ongoing real time monitoring and verification and an ongoing test bed for new products and services.”

recycled aggregate as well asincorporating industrial waste.

The material specification for therefurbishment timber (using the goodwood guide) and structural concreteincorporates strict sustainabilitycriteria.

WASTEAn environmental mangagementplan ensured that at least 80% of thewaste used in the construction of thebuilding is collected and sorted forrecycling.

During operation, onsite recyclingfacilities are provided to recycle paper,co-mingled plastic and glass. Thereare plans for recycling of organicwaste and toner cartridges.

EMISSIONS/TRANSPORTThe Drykor and AC units use noozone depleting refrigerants, andthe building, ductwork and pipework insulation is similarly free of allozone depleting substances. Kyotocompliant greenhouse credits willbe purchased to offset the residualimpact the building and its occupantshave on climate change usingstandard recognised greenhousecalculation and offset productscurrently available.

Figure 59. 40 Albert Road, initial plans, Szencorp.



Car parking is provided at groundand basement levels. Analysis ofprojected building user numbersallowed the overall number of carparking spaces to be reduced, andsmall spaces to be introduced intothe mix. Bicycle storage, lockersand shower facilities are provided toenable tenants and visitors to cycleto the building with convenience andsecurity.

REFERENCESThe Greening of 40 Albert Roadwww.ourgreenoffice.com/


case studies

Figure 62. National Gallery of Victoria, JohnGollings.

Galleries, libraries and museumsare special spaces with particularrequirements, such as high levels oflighting and strict temperature andhumidity control. This constrainsthe possibilities for use of somesustainable building practices

ESD CONSIDERATIONSNATURAL LIGHTThe use of natural light or daylightingcan have an aesthetic benefit as wellas achieve energy use reductions.The changes in natural lightconditions and intensity can createa less clinical ambience but it alsocreates challenges for conservators.For conservators the ideal situationinvolves no ultra violet light.

As the main purpose of galleries,museums and libraries is theprotection and public access todocuments, the conservationdepartment needs to be consultedfrom the earliest stages ofdevelopment or refurbishmentplanning. Consideration ofinternational standards for theprotection of archive material has tobe incorporated.

State Library of VictoriaGlass panels were reinstated in theDome over the La Trobe ReadingRoom. They had previously beencovered in 1959 to prevent waterseeping in. The glass panellingreduces the need for artificial lightingand includes UV filters. The naturallight reaches to the areas for thepublic to read from the library’s works.

The reading room is 35m highand circled by four levels. Daylight

conditions were found to beunpredictable, so a study of the lightin the space was commissioned.The aim was to make best use of thespaces without compromising thematerial.

Two of the four levels were convertedto exhibition spaces. There are eightsides to these galleries in the round,four of which have arches which allowdaylight into the whole area and theother four sides are sealed with noarches. Conservators and exhibitioncurators arrange material so that onlygraphic reproductions are displayedin the areas with daylight and theother areas display the material thatneeds fully controlled lighting. Inorder to meet the lux level standardsfor different material (i.e. max 50 luxfor natural fibres and max 200 luxfor paintings), the lighting strategyhas not changed but the exhibitionstrategy is designed around thelimitations of the space.

Future developments of the site willinclude the creation of courtyards thatview the Dome and which will haveglazed coverings.

National Gallery of Victoria InternationalThe National Gallery of Victoria(International) was refurbished in2004. It has since won national and

international awards for its design.In the refurbishment, two towerswere added to the Gallery’s basicrectangular structure and three squarecourtyards.

At the top of the courtyard, glasspanels arch to the skylights andbring light into the bottom of thecourtyards. There are also skylights inthe upper level galleries and glazingon the high side of the skylights.The skylights all have UV diffusers.This lighting condition in the uppergalleries creates a difficult situation forconservators and required a change inexhibition strategy. The modern piecestend to be displayed on these floors43.Often the skylights are closed off foran exhibition, so the predominant areaof daylighting impact is in the lightingof the courtyards.

Peckham Library (UK)The architects used daylight analysisto design the building in such a wayas to operate the building without useof artificial lighting for large amountsof the year. This saves energy andprovides visual comfort for users.There is bright glass on the north sideof the building which lets in a largeamount of daylight.

and requires greater innovation toincorporate sustainable measures.This case study looks at both thesimple and innovative measuresthat venues around Australia andoverseas have taken to be moreecologically sustainable.

43 Paul Walker, 2004, ‘New Interiors by Mario Belliniand Metier 3’, Architecture Australia, March/April2004.

Galleries, Museums and Libraries


case studies


Frederick R Weisman Art MuseumUniversity of MinnesotaDesigned by Frank Gehry, theWeisman Art Museum is a teachingmuseum for the University ofMinnesota and the community. Largepicture windows at the front of thebuilding enable views from the outsideof the Museum’s lobby and thegalleries beyond. The main daylightingfeature is the four sculptural skylightswhich light the east, west, north andsouth walls.

John Allen, the Director of VisitorServices explains the current andfuture policy about the skylights:

“It also creates some challenges with regard to protecting the artwork - especially photographs, prints, and other works on paper - from damage caused by light. We try to design our exhibitions with daylight in mind and, with the assistance of Frank O. Gehry Architects, we are exploring methods to diffuse the natural light from the skylights through the use of scrim, UV filters, and other materials.

“Regardless of the level of daylight in the galleries, most of the art on display is lit with artificial light sources so the savings on lighting costs there is negligible. There is likely some savings on the lighting costs in the administrative offices, meeting spaces, museum store and other non-gallery areas due to the presence of natural light from windows and skylights.”44

ENERGY EFFICIENCYEast Melbourne LibraryEnergy will be saved through the useof passive heating and cooling as well

as artificial light levels being regulatedby sensor readings.

The National Museum of AustraliaVarious actions were taken on the siteto reduce energy use. Some of theseincluded:

• Changing the wattage of lighting inthe Hall from 500 watts to 300 watts– this policy will be extended into allgalleries and operational areas.

• Exhibition lighting has beenchanged from 50 watt to 35 wattdichroic lighting which creates ahigher light output but reducedcolour fade45.

• Installation of energy monitoringsystem which will track usage andeffects of any policy changes

Mark Twain House Museum (USA)The overall energy efficiency of theHVAC system is nearly 30 percentgreater than a system designed tobuilding code. This is mainly fromthe use of geothermal wells whichwill meet the predominant heatingand cooling needs of the building.The building is underground, whichcontributes to significant reductions inthe heat gain and heat loss from thebuilding envelope. The monumentalstair case between the first to secondfloors allows the elimination of apassenger elevator. The building isdesigned to allow future additionssuch as photo–voltaic solar panelson the south wall and, potentially, fuelcells.

THERMAL MASS & PASSIVE DESIGNQueensland Art GalleryIn the planning and design of the newQueensland Art Gallery, modellingwas performed to plan the solarshading and thermal load on radiant

insulation. One of the main issueswas dealing with the humidity andweather conditions in such a way thatsteady internal temperatures could bemaintained and intermediary zonesmanaged.

Peckham Library (Battle McCarthyarchitects, UK)Passive design elements used in thePeckham Library in London include:natural ventilation using openingshigh in the roof and natural crossventilation. The building is cooled atnight. The windows are double glazedand lots of thermal insulation hasreduced the need for heating in winter.The building itself is built in a concreteL-shaped frame with a façade shadedby a cantilevered overhang. No airconditioning has been installed.

East Melbourne LibraryEast Melbourne Library is beingdemolished and will be replaced witha library that will incorporate passiveheating and cooling mechanismsusing natural ventilation and thermalmass.

44 J Allen [Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum] 2005,pers.comm., 23 March.

45 National Museum of Australia, 2003, Land NationPeople: The Annual Report of National Museum of Australia 2002-2003, National Museum of AustraliaPress, Canberra.

Figure 63. Reading room, use of natural light, State Library Victoria.


case studies


MATERIALSThere are two ways in which materialsare important considerations indesigning and running a library,museum or gallery. One is theselection of materials to reduce theenvironmental impact of the buildinggenerally and the other is the wayin which materials can impact theconservation of archived objects.

Mark Twain House (USA)This was the first American museumto receive LEED (Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design) certifica-tion. Some examples of the principlesused to select materials for the newMuseum at Mark Twain House are:• Local materials were sourced from

within a 500–mile radius.• Recycled material content

exceeds 25 percent throughoutthe project. Building materialshave been selected to minimise,if not eliminate, the negativeconsequences of VOCs.

• Wood products used in this projectwere from Forest StewardshipCouncil (FSC) certified sourcesthat confirm renewable andresponsible forestry practices.

ConservationIssues for storage of material includessealing of spaces to stop verminand infestation, air conditioning thatcan deal with extreme temperaturesas needed and maintain a stableenvironment for fragile artefacts,access to objects for monitoringand maintenance, appropriateenvironmental controls andmonitoring.

Some useful ideas are:• Cabinets made from wood with

formaldehyde content cannot beused. The formaldehyde can affectpaintings and objects stored in

them. Formaldehyde can also bean irritant to employees so it is bestspecify low or ‘zero’ formaldehydecontent board or use a wood whichhas not been glued.

• Minimise dust by having shelvinggoing to the ceiling rather thanhaving surfaces that collect dust.

• Good use of thermal mass canassist in maintaining a stableenvironment and reduce the needfor air conditioning.

• Cleaning materials used shouldmeet AS/NZ ISO 14001:1996‘Environmental ManagementSystems – specifications withguidance for use’ and AS/NZ14004:1996 ‘EnvironmentalManagement Systems - generalguidelines of principles, systemsand supporting techniques.’46

These systems specify goodpractice processes and systemsrather than specific productselection.

WATER EFFICIENCYEast Melbourne LibraryThe East Melbourne Library will collectrainwater from the roof and recycle itfor use in the facility and in the gardenwill also use recycled water.

Mark Twain House (USA)A closed-loop system eliminates waterlost to evaporation through the coolingtower in a conventional system.Parking has been minimized, therebyreducing storm water runoff andpollution impact. Native vegetationhas been selected to eliminate theneed for an irrigation system andincreased water use.

PEOPLEThere is both responsibility and

opportunities in the fact that these arepublic buildings. The responsibilityis to involve key stakeholderslike indigenous landholders andthe community in the process ofcreating the building. There are greatopportunities to educate the publicabout art, history and the environmentas well as sustainable design.

The National Museum of AustraliaThe traditional owners of the ActonPeninsula were consulted aboutthe development of the site. Beforebuilding began a smoking ceremonywas performed by the Ngunnawalpeople to purify the site.

The Museum has an ongoingresponsibility to protect culturallysignificant sites on the ActonPeninsula on which the Museumbuildings are located.

During the development of the designand building, collaboration andcooperation was emphasised throughmembership on committees andmemoranda of understanding withneighbours, such as the AustralianInstitute of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Studies and the AustralianNational University.

The Museum also integratesecologically sustainable developmentinformation into exhibitions ifappropriate, such as in the TangledDestinies gallery.

46 National Museum of Australia, 2004, NationalMuseum of Australia Annual Report 2003-2004,National Museum of Australia Press, Canberra.


case studies


PROJECT MANAGEMENT

A special project management stylewas developed for this building. Itbecame known as the Alliance Project,in which all parties shared the profitsand the risks of construction. Thiswas a first for a building developmentin Australia. There was one overallcontract and the result was that theproject came in on budget and ontime.

REFERENCESBattle McCarthy, 1999, Cultural: Project:Peckham Library, London, Battle McCarthyConsulting Engineers & LandscapeArchitects,www.battlemccarthy.com/projects/cultural/peckham.html

Energy Research Group, 1994, Daylightingin Buildings, School of Architecture,University College Dublin for the EuropeanCommission Directorate-General forEnergy, Dublin.

National Museum of Australia, 2003,Land Nation People: The Annual Report of National Museum of Australia 2002-2003,National Museum of Australia Press,Canberra.

National Museum of Australia, 2004,National Museum of Australia Annual Report 2003-2004, National Museum ofAustralia Press, Canberra.

Paul Walker, 2004, New Interiors by MarioBellini and Metier 3, Architecture Australia,March/April 2004.

Therese Weber (ed), 2004, Land NationPeople: Stories from the National Museumof Australia, National Museum of AustraliaPress, Canberra.

The National Museum of Australiawww.nma.gov.au

National Gallery of Victoria, Internationalwww.ngv.vic.gov.au/ngvinternational/

State Library of Victoriawww.slv.vic.gov.auFor information on the redevelopmentsee Department of Infrastructure, MajorProjects section, www.doi.vic.gov.au/web3/majorproj.nsf

East Melbourne LibraryFor information see the City of Melbourne’swebsite:www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=146&pg=1139

Peckham LibraryArchitectswww.alsoparchitects.com

Consulting Engineerswww.battlemccarthy.com

Mark Twain House Museumwww.marktwainhouse.org/themuseum/index.shtml

Frederick R Weisman Art Museum,University of MinnesotaFor the interactive learning site about thearchitecture of the building see:www.weisman.umn.edu/architecture/surprises/home.html

LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design – program andrating system administered by the U.S.Green Building Council)www.usgbc.org/

Figure 64. National Gallery of Victoria, JohnGollings.


AABGRABGR is the universally acceptedbenchmarking tool for energyconsumption of commercial buildings inAustralia, and it has been incorporatedin other rating systems to ensure aconsistent approach from industry to thisimportant issue. (DEUS, 2005).

Adaptive ComfortAdds Human behaviour to the comfortanalysis. It assumes that, if changesoccur in the thermal environment toproduce discomfort, then people willgenerally change their behaviour and actin a way that will restore their comfort.Such actions could include taking offclothing, reducing activity levels or evenopening a window. The main effect ofsuch models is to increase the range ofconditions that designers can consideras comfortable, especially in naturallyventilated buildings where the occupantshave a greater degree of control overtheir thermal environment. (Andrew MarshSquare one - http://www.squ1.com).

AdhesivesA substance capable of holding materialstogether by surface attachment.Adhesives are one source of off-gassing inindoor environments. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

AGOAustralian Greenhouse Office, now part ofthe Australian Government’s Departmentof the Environment and Heritage.

Air qualityTo do with the level of particulate, gases,vapours, pollens and micro-organismsin the air. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Alliance partnershipsA long-term commercial partneringarrangement that enhances projectteam innovation and avoids the cost oftendering for team formation on everynew project. This can assist integrateddelivery of sustainable design objectives.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

AquiferA geological formation that will yield waterto a well in sufficient quantities to makethe production of water from this formationfeasible for beneficial use; permeablelayers of underground rock or sand thathold or transmit groundwater below thewater table. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

BBase Building BriefWorking document which specifies atany point in time the relevant needs andaims, resources of the client and user, thecontext of the project and any appropriatedesign requirements within which allsubsequent briefing (when needed) anddesigning can take place. (Adapted fromdefinition of brief in ISO 9699).

BDPAustralian Council of Building DesignProfessionals – BPD has publisheda multi-volume Environment DesignGuide containing literature on how toreduce environmental impact of the builtenvironment. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

BCABuilding Code of Australia.

BiodegradableA material capable of being decomposedby bacteria or other living organisms asa result of the action of micro-organisms.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

BiodiversityThe variety of all life forms; the differentplants, animals and micro-organisms, thegenes they contain and the ecosystemsthey form. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Brownfield SiteLand within an urban area on whichdevelopment has previously taken place.(Corus Construction Centre glossary,http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

Building monitoring systems or Building Management System (BMS)Also referred to at times as the BuildingManagement System. A BuildingManagement System includes more ofthe systems and plans for review andimprovement while the Building MonitoringSystem is a computerised system thatmonitors the engineering services, securityand other building systems for the purposeof recording, reporting and operationalcontrol of the systems to maximize safety,security, operational performance and foroverall cost minimization and efficiency. (Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

CCarbon creditA term that refers to three types of units ofgreenhouse gas reductions defined under

the Kyoto Protocol:• emissions reduction units are

generated via joint implementationunder Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol,

• certified emission reduction units aregenerated and certified under theprovisions of Article 12 of the KyotoProtocol, the Clean DevelopmentMechanism, and

• verified emission reductions areverified reductions in greenhouse gasemissions below a pre-determinedbaseline.

(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

Carbon dioxide equivalent gasesGreenhouse gases that contribute tothe greenhouse effect are referred to ascarbon dioxide equivalent gases since thisis the most abundant greenhouse gas.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)Synthetic products which do not occurnaturally and contain chlorine and fluorine;commonly used in various industrialprocesses and as refrigerants and, priorto 1990, as a propellant gas for sprays.CFCs are a powerful greenhouse gas.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

CFCs are used as a refrigerant. They arethe worst ozone depleting product andthe most significant cause of ozone layerdepletion. CFCs are being phased out aspart of the Montreal Protocol. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

Client briefA project vision statement and sustainabledevelopment criteria provided to thedesign team. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

Climate Change LevyA tax on corporate energy use introducedby the government in 1999 aimed atreducing energy consumption. (CorusConstruction Centre glossary, http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

CogenerationGeneration of electricity combined withthe production of heat for commercial orindustrial use. Excess electricity producedcan be fed back into the power grid.Cogeneration is an energy efficient way ofusing fossil fuels. (National GreenhouseStrategy http://ngs.greenhouse.gov.au/glossary/).

glossary

glossary


Commercial buildingsTypically refers to any non-residentialbuilding such as a shopping center,office tower, business park, industrialproperty or tourism and leisure asset.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

ComminglesMaterials all mixed together, such asplastic bottles with glass and metalcontainers. Commingled recyclablematerials require sorting after collectionbefore they can be recycled. Currentcollections in the CBD are usually plasticsmarked 1, 2 and 3; glass beveragecontainers and aluminium and steelcans. Fully commingled collections alsoinclude paper. (Department of Treasuryand Finance, Reporting of Office-BasedEnvironmental Impacts by GovernmentDepartments: Guidance to FinancialReporting Direction FRD24, July 2003).

CommissioningThe start up phase of a new or renovatedbuilding which includes testing and fine-tuning of the HVAC, electrical, plumbingand other systems to assure properfunctioning and adherence to designcriteria. Commissioning also includespreparation of the systems operationsmanual and instruction of the buildingmaintenance personnel. (Property Councilof Australia, Sustainable DevelopmentGuide, 2001).

Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA)A powerful preservative most commonlyused to treat softwoods for external use toprovide protection against fungi, termitesand wood boring insects. Spills of CCA can leave short-term residues of arsenicand long-term residues of chromiumin affected soils, which have serioushealth and environmental implications.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

Cost benefit analysisA method of evaluating projects orinvestments by comparing the presentvalue or annual value of expected benefitsto costs. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

DDeconstructionA technique which is based on theold practice of dismantling buildingsto enable redundant materials to besalvaged for reuse and recycling. (CorusConstruction Centre glossary, http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

DemountableComponents or whole buildings which canbe dismantled and re-erected elsewhere.(Corus Construction Centre glossary,http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

DowncyclingThe mechanical recycling of end of lifeproducts which produces materials ofinferior quality. The secondary materialcannot substitute the virgin state, anexample being crushed concrete used asfill. (Corus Construction Centre glossary,http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

Dual pipe systemA system where one pipe feeds potableor drinking water, the second feedstreated water, typically for toilet flushingor irrigation – also called the purple orlilac pipe. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

EEmbodied EnergyThe non-renewable energy consumedin the acquisition of raw materials, theirprocessing, manufacture, transportationto site and the construction process. Alsothe non-renewable energy consumedto maintain, repair, restore, refurbish orreplace materials, components or systemsduring the lifetime of a building. (CorusConstruction Centre glossary, http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

EMPEnvironmental Management Plan – thisdocument outlines the environmentalrequirements and responsibilities (ofdevelopers and the Docklands Authorityfor the development of MelbourneDocklands). (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

EMSEnvironmental Management System – thisdocument outlines specific requirementsfor planning implementation, operation,checking and correct actions regardingenvironmental issues.

Environmental Management SystemA management system to identify, manageand reduce an organisation’s impact onthe environment. (Department of Treasuryand Finance, Reporting of Office-BasedEnvironmental Impacts by GovernmentDepartments: Guidance to FinancialReporting Direction FRD24, July 2003).

Environmentally preferable products/materialsProducts that embody one or severalpositive environmental attributes asa result of deliberately eliminating orreducing potential environmental impactsacross its life cycle. These products don’thave negative impacts on human healthand the environment when compared withcompeting products.

This comparison may consider rawmaterials acquisition, production,manufacturing, packaging, distribution,reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposalof the product. (EcoRecycle 2003).

EPBC ActEnvironment Protection and BiodiversityConservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is theAustralian Government’s major pieceof environmental legislation. It protectsthe environment, particularly matters ofNational Environmental Significance.

ESDEcologically Sustainable Development– development that does not compromisethe ability of future generations to enjoysimilar levels of development. This is doneby minimising the effect of developmenton the environment. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002) Alsodefined by the Australian Governmentas ‘using, conserving and enhancing thecommunity’s resources so that ecologicalprocesses, on which life depends, aremaintained, and the total quality of life,now and in the future, can be increased’.(NSESD, DEH 1992).

FFormaldehydesA resin used as an adhesive, surfacecoating, foam or in the manufactureof laminates and sandwich panels.Formaldehyde adhesives can presenta health hazard due to their off-gassingtendencies. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)An international organisation promotingresponsible forest management. FSChas developed principles for forestmanagement which may be used forverifying the management of forestholdings and a system of tracing, verifyingand labelling timber and wood productsthat originate from FSC certified forests.(Australian Paper www.australianpaper.com.au/environs/glossary.asp).

glossary

glossary


Fuel CellsUsed in electrical generation. This is anapparatus used for combining fuel andoxides to generate electricity. It is theconversion of chemicals to electricalenergy. (Energy Australia www.energy.com.au).

GGlobal warming potential (GWP)GWP is a measure of how much a givenmass of greenhouse gas is estimated tocontribute to global warming. It is a relativescale which compares the gas in questionto that of the same mass of carbon dioxidewhose GWP is one. An exact definitioncan be found at the IPCC web site.Examples of the GWP of gases are asfollows:• carbon dioxide has a GWP of exactly

1 (since it is the baseline unit towhich all other greenhouse gases arecompared.)

• methane has a GWP of 21• nitrogen dioxide has a GWP of 310• Some hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)

compounds have GWPs of severalthousands (HFC-23 is 11,700).

Greenfield Site Land on which no development haspreviously taken place. Usually on theperiphery of an existing built-up area.(Corus Construction Centre glossary,http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

Greenhouse gasesGases which contribute to global warmingby preventing the outward radiation ofheat from the Earth which increases theatmosphere’s absorption of sunlight(the greenhouse effect). Greenhousegases are measured in carbon dioxideequivalent units. Some greenhousegases are naturally occurring (watervapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrousoxide and ozone). Others result fromhuman activities, the most powerful ofwhich are: hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphurhexafluoride (SF6). (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

Green lease scheduleA lease schedule that sets out the mutualobligation for building owners, managersand tenants regarding environmentalperformance.

Green powerElectricity generated from clean renewablesources, such as the sun, wind, water andorganic matter. The electricity is bought

by energy suppliers on behalf of theircustomers. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Green StarGreen Star was developed and fundedby industry and government. GreenStar’s framework brings existing toolsand standards together under oneunified system. Green Star rating toolsare relevant to building type, phase ofdevelopment cycle and geographicallocation. Green Star awards points forbest practice initiatives and, as such,projects that receive a Green Star CertifiedRating have demonstrated leadership andare considered to be in the top quartile ofthe market. Green Star rating tools arebeing released for all building types (office,retail, education, health, residential etc.).

GroundwaterWater within the earth that supplieswells and springs; water in the zone ofsaturation where all openings in rocks andsoil are filled, the upper surface of whichforms the water table. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

HHydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)HCFCs were used as the originalreplacement for CFCs and are stillcommonly used. HCFCs, like CFCs,cause ozone depletion, but to a lesserextent. HCFCs are being phased outunder the Montreal Protocol. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

Hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs)Transitional replacements for CFCs, theyare also greenhouse gases. (PropertyCouncil of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

HVAC systemsThe equipment, distribution network andterminals that provide either collectivelyor individually the processes of heating,ventilation or air-conditioning to a building. (Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

IIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)The IPCC was established in 1988 by twoUnited Nations organizations, the WorldMeteorological Organization (WMO)and the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP) to assess the “risk of human-induced climate change”. ThePanel is open to all members of the WMOand UNEP.

Its reports are widely cited and havebeen highly influential in forming nationaland international responses to climatechange, yet some of the scientists whosework is summarized in these reports haveaccused the IPCC of bias.

Indoor air quality (IAQ)Includes the introduction and distributionof adequate ventilation air, control ofairborne contaminants and maintenanceof acceptable temperature and relativehumidity. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Indoor environment quality (IEQ)This factor describes the cumulativeeffects of indoor air quality, lightingand thermal conditions. Poor IEQ isresponsible for health problems in thework place. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

Integrated designA design process that mobilisesmultidisciplinary design input andcooperation, ideally to maximise andintegrate environmental and economiclife cycle benefits. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

ISO 14000International standards for EMS’ -ISO14001 and ISO14004 are internationalstandards concerning EnvironmentalManagement Systems, and includespecifications and guidelines. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

ISO 7730International standard for thermalcomfort – this standard is based on adetermination of the PMV (Predicted MeanVote) and PPD (Predicted PercentageDissatisfied) indices, and specificationof the conditions for thermal comfort.(Melbourne Docklands ESD Guide, Oct2002).

J

KKyoto ProtocolAn international agreement reached in1997 in Kyoto, Japan, which extendsthe commitment of the United NationsFramework Convention on ClimateChange. In particular, it sets targets forfuture emissions by each developedcountry over the first commitment periodand foreshadows further action over futurecommitment periods. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

glossary

glossary


An international agreement to limitgreenhouse gas emissions. The protocolwas adopted in 1997 and has been ratifiedby 54 countries, including most developedcountries. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

LLAeqThis scale measures the average energyof the noise level. It is the equivalentsteady state level of a fluctuating noiselevel. When considered over a period oftime T, this is represented by the scale dBLAeqT. ASINZS 1269.1:1998 sets out themethod for calculating this level. (GreenStar- Office Design v2).

Life cycle assessment (LCA)A technique for assessing theenvironmental aspects and potentialimpacts associated with a product orprocess, by compiling an inventory ofrelevant inputs and outputs, evaluatingthe potential environmental impactsassociated with those inputs and outputs,and interpreting the results of the inventoryanalysis and impact assessment phasesin relation to the objectives. (PropertyCouncil of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

Life cycle costing (LCC)A technique that enables a comparativecost assessment to be made for variousinvestment alternatives, over a specifiedperiod of time, taking into account allrelevant factors, both in terms of initialcapital costs and future estimated cost.The objective is to identify the mosteconomic overall choice. (PropertyCouncil of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

LuxMeasure of the amount of light at a certainpoint.

MMontreal ProtocolThis international treaty was first signedin 1987 (now signed by 181 countries). Itsets a time schedule for the reduction andeventual elimination of ozone depletingsubstances. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

NNABERSNational Australian Built EnvironmentRating System – an environmentalrating tool for non-residential buildingsthat is now being developed by theCommonwealth Government. (Property

Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

NatHERSNational House Energy Rating Scheme– this is a national scheme used to ratethe energy consumption of residentialbuildings. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

NSESDNational Strategy for EcologicallySustainable Development, it setsout the broad strategic and policyframework under which governments willcooperatively make decisions and takeactions to pursue ESD in Australia.

It will be used by governments to guidepolicy and decision making, particularly inthose key industry sectors which rely onthe utilisation of natural resources.

OOff-gassingThe release of gases or vapours from solidmaterials in a form of evaporation of a slowchemical change which produces indoorair pollution for prolonged periods afterinstallation of a material. (Property Councilof Australia, Sustainable DevelopmentGuide, 2001).

Operational EnergyThe energy consumed in heating,cooling, lighting and powering equipmentand appliances in buildings. (CorusConstruction Centre glossary, http://www.corusconstruction.com/page_9041.htm).

Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)A number that refers to the amount ofozone depletion caused by a substance.The ODP is the ratio of the impact onozone of a chemical compared to theimpact of a similar mass of CFC-11.Thus, the ODP of CFC-11 is defined to be1.0. Other CFCs and HCFCs have ODPsthat range from 0.01 to 1.0. The halonshave ODPs ranging up to 10. Carbontetrachloride has an ODP of 1.2, andmethyl chloroform’s ODP is 0.11.HFCs have zero ODP because they do notcontain chlorine. (US EPA web site www.epa.gov/ozone/defns.html ).

Ozone layer depletionThe ozone layer protects earth from ultraviolet rays, which are known to causecancer. Refrigerants such as CFCs andHCFCs contribute greatly to ozone layerdepletion. (Melbourne Docklands ESDGuide, Oct 2002).

PPhoto Electric Cell (PE)These are used to monitor the amount oflight in a room.

Phase Change Materialsmaterials which turn from one phase toanother (for example liquid to gas, or solidto liquid) at a certain temperature – suchas waster at zero degrees Celsius.

PhotovoltaicGeneration of electricity from the energyof sunlight using photocells. (PropertyCouncil of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

PMVPredicted Mean Vote. This internationalmeasure, used for determining thermalcomfort, is based on surveys of the mostacceptable levels of indoor temperature,humidity and radiant heat for differentclothing and activity levels. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)A group of synthetic chlorinated organiccompounds, toxic to humans andidentified as a carcinogenic substance,which were used mainly in older electricalcapacitors or transformers. (PropertyCouncil of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

Poly-vinyl Chloride (PVC)This common building material ismostly used for pipes and electricalcables. Production of PVC requires toxicchemicals and heavy metals. Theseadditives risk polluting soil and waterwaysduring PVC disposal. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

Potable waterWater that is fit for human consumption. (Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

PPDPredicted Percentage Dissatisfied. Thismeasure is linked with PMV. A PMV of 0indicates a PPD of 5% and a PMV of +/-1indicates a PPD of 25%. This means that25% of occupants perceive the spaceto be either warm or cool. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002).

Project briefTypically a response to a client brief and isprepared by the integrated design team.(Property Council of Australia, SustainableDevelopment Guide, 2001).

glossary

glossary


Q

RRecycled materialMaterial that would otherwise be destinedfor disposal but is diverted or separatedfrom the waste stream, reintroduced asmaterial feedstock and processed intomarketed end products. (Property Councilof Australia, Sustainable DevelopmentGuide, 2001).

Materials that have been reprocessedfrom recovered material by means of amanufacturing process and made intoa final product or into a component forincorporation into a product. (EcoRecycle2003).

Recycled productsMaterials that have been recovered,processed and used as a raw materialfor the manufacture of a useful newproduct through a commercial process.These products will contain a specifiedpercentage of material that wouldotherwise have been disposed of aswastes. (EcoRecycle 2003).

RecyclingIncludes paper, commingles andcompostables accepted and recycled byyour contractors or internally (i.e. throughon site worm farms). These figures canbe extrapolated from waste assessments. (Department of Treasury and Finance,Reporting of Office-Based EnvironmentalImpacts by Government Departments:Guidance to Financial Reporting DirectionFRD24, July 2003).

Re-manufacturedMeans to renew or restore a used productinto its original form or into a useful newproduct through a commercial process.(EcoRecycle 2003).

RenewableA renewable product can be grown ornaturally replenished or cleansed at arate that exceeds human depletion of theresource. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

Renewable EnergyRenewable energy is obtained fromsources that can be sustained indefinitely. Examples of renewable energy systemsinclude photovoltaic solar collection,solar thermal turbine generation and windpower. (Melbourne Docklands ESD Guide,Oct 2002).

ReuseThe recovery of a material to be usedagain for a similar application withoutreprocessing. (Property Council ofAustralia, Sustainable Development Guide,2001).

SSEMPSite Environmental Management Plan –this document guides and sets standardsfor construction and operation of newdevelopments. It includes strategiesand processes to manage and minimiseenvironmental impacts. (MelbourneDocklands ESD Guide, Oct 2002)

Sustainable developmentDevelopment that meets the needs of thepresent without compromising the abilityof future generations to meet their ownneeds. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001).

TToxicAny substance which causes harm toliving organisms, from very low to extremetoxicity. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001)Toxic substances are identified in theAustralian National Pollutant Inventory.

Triple Bottom LineMeasures the economic, social andenvironmental sustainability of a project. A sustainable development aims for synergyrather than compromise between thesefactors.

U

VVDUVisual Display Units – computer monitorsand other office equipment which includeartificially illuminated surfaces.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)Chemical compounds based on carbonand hydrogen structure that are vaporisedat room temperatures. VOCs are onetype of indoor air contaminant. Althoughthousands have been identified in indoorair, only a few are well understood andregulated. (Property Council of Australia,Sustainable Development Guide, 2001)These chemicals are found in paints andother building products. They are knownto cause health problems, includingasthma and other respiratory ailments.(Melbourne Docklands ESD Guide, Oct2002).

WWasteAll waste placed in landfill waste andrecycling streams (paper, green waste,composts, commingles), including ‘oneoff’ clean outs, office relocations etc.(Department of Treasury and Finance,Reporting of Office-Based EnvironmentalImpacts by Government Departments:Guidance to Financial Reporting DirectionFRD24, July 2003).

WMPWaste management plan the wasterequirements and responsibilities ofproject, it is usually site specific and looksat the minimisation, recycling and reuseof waste through all onsite processes. Itusually forms part of an EMP.

XXeriscapeXeriscaping is derived from the Greek word “xeros”, meaning “dry” andcombined with “landscape”, xeriscapemeans gardening with less than averagewater. A trademarked term referringto water-efficient choices in plantingand irrigation design. It refers to sevenbasic principles for conserving waterand protecting the environment. Theseinclude: (1) planning and design; (2) useof well-adapted plants; (3) soil analysis; (4)practical turf areas; (5) use of mulches; (6)appropriate maintenance; and (7) efficientirrigation. (Ecolodgical http://ecolodgical.yourhomeplanet.com/glossary.php).

Y

Z

glossary

glossary


attachment one

ABGR and NABERS47

PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKINGIncorporating sustainability in abuilding is no easy task. It takesdedication and coordinationthroughout the design, construction,commissioning, operation andmaintenance of the building to achievesustainable goals.

Throughout this process it’s importantto keep the end goal in mind.Performance benchmarks provide ameasurement of this end goal. Theytransform the technical measurementof a sustainability impact into anintuitive and easily understood metricthat shows the performance of thebuilding on this issue relative to therest of the market.

The NSW Department of Energy,Utilities and Sustainability manage thetwo key performance benchmarks forcommercial property:

The Australian Building GreenhouseRating scheme (ABGR) www.abgr.com.au

Greenhouse gas emissions fromAustralia’s commercial building sectorare growing by 3 to 4% each year. Commercial buildings produce 8.8%of the national greenhouse emissions.

The ABGR scheme is a ‘world firstinitiative’ to help building ownersand tenants across Australia ratetheir greenhouse performance.ABGR benchmarks a building’sgreenhouse impact on a scale of oneto five, representing the building’sperformance relative to the market.

ABGR can also be used to improvethe greenhouse efficiency of buildingsfrom the outset. New buildings cantarget a high star rating, and bearthat target in mind while designingthe building. Once the buildingis operational an ABGR rating will

be obtained to confirm that thedesign intent was met. Over timethis feedback loop will improve thestandard of building design andencourage innovative solutions forhigh efficiency buildings.

ABGR is the universally acceptedbenchmarking tool for energyconsumption of commercialbuildings in Australia, and it has beenincorporated in other rating systemsto ensure a consistent approach fromindustry to this important issue.

The National Australian BuiltEnvironment Rating System (NABERS) ww.nabers.com.au

All buildings have an impact on theenvironment. Energy is used toprovide light, heating, cooling andventilation. Water is used for washing,drinking and air conditioning. Waterfrom storms needs to be managed.Waste is generated. Occupants areaffected by the quality of the air inthe building. Local biodiversity isaffected. Toxic materials are present.

NABERS is a performance-basedsustainability rating system forexisting buildings, based upon theABGR methodology. NABERS willrate a residential or commercialoffice building on the basis of itsmeasured operational impacts on theenvironment.

As householders, building owners,managers or occupants we canreduce these impacts. NABERS isdesigned to help you by giving asimple indication of how well youare managing these environmentalimpacts compared with your peers inother homes or office buildings.

47 Text for this page supplied by the Department ofEnergy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS).


GBCA and Green Star accredited buildings48

The Green Building Council ofAustralia is a national, not-for-profitorganisation that is supported by bothindustry and governments acrossthe country. Launched in 2002, theGreen Building Council’s mission is topromote sustainable development anddrive the adoption of green buildingpractices through market-basedsolutions.

The Green Building Councilaims to drive the transition of theAustralian property industry towardssustainability by promoting greenbuilding programs, technologies,design practices and operations.Central to achieving these aims theGreen Building Council launchedthe Green Star environmental ratingsystem for buildings in 2003.

GREEN STARThe Green Star environmental ratingsystem recognises and rewardsenvironmental leadership in thebuilding industry. Green Star ratingtools are being released for differentphases of development (i.e. design,construction, procurement andoperation) and all building types(office, retail, education, health,residential etc.). Green Star buildson exisitng environmental ratingsystems for buildings, including theUK’s ‘BREAAM’ (Building ResearchEstablishment EnvironmentalAssessment Methodology) and NorthAmerica’s ‘LEED’(Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design) byestablishing individual environmentalmeasurement criteria relevant to theAustralian marketplace and uniqueenvironmental context.

Green Star rating tools use stars tomeasure performance. Projects thatobtain a self-assessed 4 Star rating (orabove) are eligible to apply for formal

certification. Green Star is Australia’sonly comprehensive, industry-owned,national, voluntary environmentalrating system for buildings.

Green Star is the only rating systemin Australia that evaluates theenvironmental impact of Australianbuildings at all phases of developmentand across all environmentalcategories, including:• Management• Indoor Environmental Quality• Energy• Transport• Water• Materials• Land Use and Ecology• Emissions

INTERACTION WITH OTHER TOOLSGreen Star was developed andfunded by industry and government.Green Star’s framework bringsexisting tools and standards togetherunder one unified system. Green Starrating tools are relevant to buildingtype, phase of development cycleand geographical location. GreenStar awards points for best practiceinitiatives and, as such, projectsthat receive a Green Star CertifiedRating have demonstrated leadershipand are considered to be in the topquartile of the market.

Recognising the existence of otherregulatory tools and to ensureproject teams are not doubling up ontheir efforts, Green Star rating toolsincorporate the Australian BuildingGreenhouse Rating (ABGR) schemeunder the Energy Category. GreenStar also addresses other energyefficiency initiatives such as on-site demand management, energymetering for base building andtenancies and more.

GREEN STAR CERTIFICATIONAll Green Star rating tools recogniseand reward initiatives that reduce theenvironmental impact of development. Points are awarded under eightenvironmental categories where aproject demonstrates that initiativeshave been met. A total score for eachenvironmental category is calculatedand a weighing is applied to this scorethat reflects the geographical locationof the project and the enviornmentalimpact.

Green Star rating tools use stars tomeasure performance. Projects thatobtain a self-assessed 4 star rating (orabove) are eligible to apply for formalcertification, whereby a:• 4 Star Green Star Certified Rating

recognises and rewards “BestPractice”;

• 5 Star Green Star Certified Ratingrecongises and rewards “AustralianExcellence”; and

• 6 Star Green Star Certified Ratingrecognises and rewards “WorldLeadership”.

GREEN STAR CERTIFIED BUILDINGSCouncil House 2 - 6 Star, Green Star- Office Design v18 Brindabella Circuit - 5 Star, GreenStar - Office Design v140 Albert Road - 6 Star, Green Star- Office Design v1

For updated information see www.gbca.org

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48 Text for this page supplied by the Green BuildingCouncil.


40 Albert Road...................... 54, 55, 56, 5730 the Bond...................................... 38, 398 Brindabella Circuit................... 35, 36, 3760L: 60 Leicester Street.............. 51, 52, 53ABGR.......................................... 42, 43, 67Ann Street......................................... 42, 43Appropriate sizing of lighting, heating andcooling systems...................................... 20Aquifer Storage....................................... 33Australian government water use........... 30

BCA.......................................................... 4Biodiversity........................................ 34, 35Building management systems (BMS)... 22

Case studies..................................... 35-61Climatic Design...................................... 19Cooling towers........................................ 32Council House 2............................... 40, 41

Design....................................10, 11, 12, 13

Ecologically Sustainable Development(ESD)........................................................ 4Ecology................................................... 34Embodied energy............................. 23, 26Embodied water..................................... 27Energy................ 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,Environmental Management System(EMS)...................................................... 13Environmentally sustainable buildingdesign................................................10, 11Equipment purchasing........................... 22

Floor plate design................................... 19

Galleries............................... 58, 59, 60, 61Government ESD commitments.............. 5Green building tools......................... 6, 7, 8Green power........................................... 23Green Star.......................................................... 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 25, 27, 34, 35, 40, 68Greenhouse effect.................................. 17

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)........................... 15Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ)..... 15, 16Integrated design....................... 11, 12, 13

Land use............................................ 8, 34Leaks (infiltration)................................... 18Leaks (refrigerant).................................. 25Libraries................................ 58, 59, 60, 61Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)................. 10Light............................................ 16, 18, 20

index

Materials........................................... 26, 27Mechanical plant.................................... 20Mixed mode ventilation.......................... 20Museums.............................. 58, 59, 60, 61

NABERS...................................... 6, 7, 8, 67National Museum of Australia..... 48, 49, 50Natural light............................................. 18Natural ventilation............................. 18, 20

Occupant satisfaction....................... 14, 37Orientation.............................................. 17Ozone depletion.............................. 25, 37

Passive design........................... 17, 18, 19Photovoltaic systems............................. 23Potable water reduction................... 30, 31

Radiant cooling...................................... 20Rating tools...................................... 6, 7, 8Renewable energy................................. 23

Sensors.................................................. 21SES headquarters............................ 44, 45Shading ................................................. 18Social sustainability........................... 11, 14Solar electricity....................................... 23Solar hot water....................................... 23Stormwater....................................... 32, 33

Thermal cooling...................................... 18Thermal heating...................................... 18Thermal mass......................................... 18Thermal stack......................................... 19Toxicity.............................................. 26, 27Toxicity in manufacture and use............ 26Transport................................................ 24

Waalitj building: Murdoch University 46, 47Waste............................................... 28, 29Waste management plan................ 13, 28Water.................................... 30, 31, 32, 33Water conservation.............. 30, 31, 32, 33Water reuse............................................ 32Water use reduction......................... 31, 32

Xeriscape (water sensitive landscaping) 32

Zoning.................................................... 21

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ESD Design Guide