Yarra wanted the development of the Collingwood Town Hall to incorporate many features of environmentally sustainable design (ESD). There were some challenges with incorporating sustainable design features into a heritage building of this type, however, we expect the upgrade will achieve a best practice standard in ESD. The upgraded Town Hall will be a comfortable and healthy workplace and community facility with numerous water and energy efficient systems.

Owner/applicant

Yarra City Council

Development size

3,621m²

Project team

• Peddle Thorp Architects
• BRT
• Sustainable Built Environments

Selection of key sustainable design commitments

1.0 Indoor environment quality

• The project design emphasised the importance of access to natural daylight in occupied spaces.
• Internal blinds will be installed for glare control and there will be operable windows on the park side of the building.
• Courtyards to provide fresh air and daylight deep within the floor plan.
• The courtyard’s with roof windows (thermal chimney) to open and allow ventilation afterhours (night purging).
• Indoor plants have been included in the tenancy fit out.

2.0 Energy efficiency

• T5 lighting is installed with sensor controls makes sure lights are only being used when needed.
• Automated desk lamps enable general office lighting levels to be reduced and provide energy efficient lighting design.
• The building high has levels of insulation (R8 and R5 in some sections).
• A Bauer climate control within the Building Management System (BMS).
• Air locks to all main entry points.
• Onsite production through a small solar photovoltaic array.
• Central control systems (BMS) for lights and air conditioning to improve energy efficiency.
• Double glazing to all new windows.
• Energy efficient variable refrigerant flow (VRF) central air-conditioning plant

3.0 Water efficiency

• Waterless urinals.
• Duel-flush cisterns on all toilets (the toilets previously accounted for the most water use in the building).
• Water efficient taps and fixtures throughout the building.

4.0 Stormwater management

• Installation of infrastructure to harvest rainwater from the roof to provide water for toilet flushing and irrigating nearby trees.
• 2 x 10,000 litre rainwater tanks for toilet flushing.

5.0 Materials

• Retaining and recycling large amounts of the preexisting building.
• Recycling of all materials that were removed during construction.
• Recycled timber featured in meeting rooms.

6.0 Transport

• Bike storage facilities for over 20% of staff (42 spaces)
• 12 new visitor bike parking spaces
• Accessible showers of 1 per 10 bike spaces, and changing facilities with secure lockers for each bike space.

8.0 Urban ecology

• Adjacent park irrigated with rainwater runoff from the building.
• Indoor plants throughout building.

9.0 Innovation

• Achievement of a high standard in ESD within an iconic heritage listed building.
• Use of recycled materials and fabrics used throughout building
   

For more information contact us on 9205 5555 or email [email protected].