2. Sustainable Architecture
Sustainable architecture seeks to construct or renovate
buildings using:
Innovative design
Renewable materials
Energy-efficient technology
To reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources.
Sustainable design therefore minimizes:
Initial environmental cost of building
The long-term environmental impact of the building.
3. Most effective buildings
Sustainable design is not limited to new builds, but can be
incorporated into existing buildings to increase their energy efficiency.
However, the most effective buildings are those that are designed by
sustainable architects from the conceptual stage.
Innovative green designs can be incorporated into almost every
aspect of the construction process, allowing sustainable architects to
create a minimal-energy building that utilizes the best that green
technology has to offer.
Ideal sustainable buildings are able to promote the health of their
occupants through the use of natural, renewable materials, can
source their own water and energy, and operate without polluting the
environment.
5. Council House 2 (also known as CH2), is
an office building.
Located at 240 Little Collins Street in the
CBD of Melbourne, Australia.
It is used by the City of Melbourne council,
and in April 2005, became the first
purpose-built office building in Australia to
achieve a maximum Six Green Star rating,
certified by the Green Building Council of
Australia.
CH2 officially opened in August 2006.
Council House 2
6. General information
Type: Office
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Current tenants: City of Melbourne
Construction started: 2004
Completed: 2006
Owner: City of Melbourne
Council House 2 (CH2)
7. Floor count: 10
Floor area: 12,536 m2 (134,940 sq ft)
Design and construction Architect:
City of Melbourne in association with Mick Pearce with DesignInc.
Structural engineer: Bonacci Group
Services engineer: Lincolne Scott
Civil engineer: Bonacci Group
Quantity surveyor: Donald Cant Watts Corke
Main contractor: Hansen Yuncken
Technical details
8. Council House is expected to:
Reduce electricity consumption by 85%
Reduce gas consumption by 87%
Produce only 13% of the emissions
Reduce water mains supply by 72%
Features include new LCD computer monitors, which will consume 77% less
energy, and new T5 light fittings which should consume 65% less energy.
The building also houses 48 m2 of solar panels, which provide 60% of hot
water, as well as a gas-fired cogeneration plant which provides 40% of the
building's overall electricity, with reduced carbon emissions.
Of the total construction cost of $51 million, $12 million were invested in
energy, water and waste innovation.
The time for payback is expected to be less than ten years.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE
9. The Green Building Council of Australia
(GBCA). The rating looks at the following
aspects of the building process:
Building Input
Management
Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ)
Energy
Transport
Water
Materials
Land Use & Ecology
Emissions
Innovation
10. Green Star is a public method of
demonstrating commitment to
environmentally responsible building. It
provides a standard language to
discuss sustainability for buildings.
On 22 March 2005, CH2 building
design was awarded a 6 Star rating
under Green Star – Office Design v1.
6 Green Star rating
11. Thermal Comfort:
Thermal dissatisfaction ratings
should be below 10% in most
locations of the building.
Post-Occupancy Reports:
Overall thermal comfort is also
good but the airflow is perceived to
be to low.
12. Air Quality:
The air quality of CH2 is excellent in terms of measured
pollutant levels. The occupants also perceive the air quality
to be better. The formaldehyde concentrations are much
lower than compared to common office buildings. The
overall air quality is excellent due to the 100% fresh air
intake and the use of low toxicity materials used in all
furnishings and finishes as well as an extensive use of
indoor plants.
13. Noise Levels:
Ambient noise levels and reverberation times were considered
ideal but the occupant satisfaction ratings for now were average to
poor and were generally worse than benchmarks. This is due to the
open floor layout, which improves communication between
employees, but allows for unwanted interruptions. White noise
increases satisfaction scores on one level compared to the rest of the
building (10–18%).
14. Lighting:
The background lighting levels are sufficient, and the recommended
task illuminances could be achieved if personal task lighting was
switched on. Occupant satisfaction for lighting is average to poor in
CH2 and is worse than some Building Uses Studies benchmarks (BUS).
Perceived Productivity:
Three quarters of CH2 occupants rate the building as having a
positive or neutral effect on productivity, compared to 39% in the
original Council House. CH2 is rated in the top 20% of Australian
buildings for perceived productivity.
15. Perceived Worker Health:
CH2 is rated very highly for perceived healthiness,
and is considered to have low levels of occupant
reported rates for building related health symptoms.
Absenteeism and staff turnover has not changed but
more time must pass to have conclusive data.
16. Awards and recognition
2004
Exemplar, Imagining the Future Award.
Year of the Built Environment Awards.
CRC Construction Innovation in association with Designing.
2005
Special Projects Initiative, Award of Excellence LG Pro Local
Government Professionals.
6 Star Rating Certification, Green Star Rating Green Building
Council of Australia.
Green Building Award, World Environment Day Awards 2005
United Nations Association
17. Awards and recognition
2006
Greenhouse Expenditure Award, Eco-Buy Awards 2006.
Recycled Expenditure Award, Eco-Buy Awards 2006.
The Hey Big Spender Award, Eco-Buy Awards 2006.
Environmental Planning or Conservation Award, Awards for Planning.
Excellence 2006, Planning Institute of Australia, Victoria Division.
2007
Environment Planning or Conservation, National Awards for Planning
Excellence, Planning Institute of Australia.
President’s Award, National Awards for Planning Excellence, Planning
Institute of Australia.
18. 2007
President’s Award, 2007 Excellence in Property Awards, Australian
Property Institute, Victorian Division.
Sustainable Architecture Award, 2007.
Finalist, Sustainable Design, Global Innovator’s Awards 2007 Core
Net Global.
Environment and Sustainability Award, Victorian Engineering
Excellence.
Awards 2007, Engineers Australia, Victorian Division in association
with Lincolne Scott and Bonacci Group.
Sustainability Award, IDEA Excellence Awards 2007, (Inside)
Australian Design Review in association with Designing.
Sire William Hudson Award, Australian.
Engineering Excellence Awards 2007.
19. Engineers Australia in association with Lincolne Scott and Bonacci
Group.
Sustainability Building Award (projects under £25,000), Sustainable
Building.
Services Awards UK Chartered Institution of Building Services.
Engineers (CIBSE) Awarded to Lincolne Scott.
2007
6 Star – As Built Rating
Certification,
Green Star Rating, Green Building
Council of Australia
2010