#6 Star Green Star Building Journey# UNSW Tyree Building

UNSW Tyree Building

6 STAR GREEN STAR RATING - GREEN STAR - EDUCATION DESIGN V1

• Status Certified
• Address
  UNSW Tyree Building
  Anzac Parade
  Kensington NSW
• Certified Fri 10 Feb 2012
• Score 77
• Building Type New Build
• Applicant(s)
  University of New South Wales
• Acoustic Consultant
  Acoustic Logic Consultancy
• Architect
  FJMT (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp) Architects
• Building Services Engineer
  Steensen Varming
• Building Services Engineer
  Arup Australasia
• Building Surveyor
  City Plan Services
• ESD Consultant
  AECOM Australia Pty Ltd
• Landscaping Consultant
  FJMT (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp) Architects
• Project Manager
  Capital Insight
• Structural/Civil Engineer
  Yuanda
• Main Contractor
  Brookfield Multiplex Australasia Pty Ltd

The Australian Energy Research Institute (AERI) has a nice new home, Tyree Energy Technologies Building, since 27 January 2012. The building has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Design rating and is the fourth 6 Star education facility in Australia and a first for UNSW. This accreditation represents UNSW’s commitment to environmentally sustainable development.

Key design features for Tyree Energy Technologies Building are:

-       - The TETB consists of five levels totalling 15,000 square metres

-       - The building incorporates administrative spaces, teaching and learning spaces, engineering workshops, engineering display spaces, a café, and research areas including laboratories

-       - The roof of the building incorporates photovoltaic cells for the testing of research and development work as well as contributing to the energy input requirements of the facility

-       - A central atrium space uses access stairs and pedestrian bridges to connect the floor levels. This increases the visual and physical interconnection and enhances the collaborative nature of the design.

Sources:
http://www.gbca.org.au/project-directory.asp#937
http://www.fjmt.com.au/projects/projects_unswetb.html
http://www.facilities.unsw.edu.au/tyree-energy-technologies-building-sustainable-energy-research

Water Sensitive Urban Design Key Design Elements

1. Permeable Pavers
    Permeable pavers allow storm water to infiltrate through small channels. "In addition to reducing    
     runoff, this effectively traps suspended solids and filters pollutants from the water."

2. Plant-based Water-purifying System
    Plant-based water-purifying system is based on living plants - could be used to remove common  
    toxic from water.

3. Sewer Recycling System

4. Riparian Buffer
    Riparian buffer is " is a vegetated area (a "buffer strip") near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses. It plays a key role in increasing water quality in associated streams, rivers, and lakes, thus providing environmental benefits."

Sources:

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riparian_buffer

How Does Digital Technology Help Sustainability?

I believe digital technology helps with sustainability on some ways. First of all, devices save paper and space. Emails save transport costing. E-news and E-books help with not only paper saving, but also energy efficiency.

The digital tsunami is coming and it will change the world on its ways for sustainability. 

Sources:
http://www.europeanfinancialreview.com/?p=3796

Water Sensitive Design in Infrastructure

About two years ago, I was involved in Sydney Light Rail Inner West Extension. The landscape architects used waster sensitive design around the platform and the outcome is great. In this blog, I will like to explain how water sensitive design works in a infrastructure project.

In most stops where were possible to fit planting behind platforms, rain gardens were set behind platform. When the water was collected from platforms and platform shelters, it is going to rain gardens before it goes down to the drain. The design is successful to reduce hardscape area, avoid exposure drains and purify polluted water. 

With this water sensitive urban design project completed, hope water sensitive urban design can be widely used in coming urban infrastructure projects in the future, which can make our city have more and more green and better and better quality water.

Sustainable Sensitive Education

One day, I chatted with a group of my friends who live in China online. They kept complaining how polluted air is and how bad the environment is in China. I asked, “after suffered all these pains, do you even think of reducing using cars on road and air-conditioning at home?” Most of the answers were no. I was little bit disappointed. People complain air pollution, complain food quality and complain traffic congestion, but don’t ever think of changing attitude to source consumption.  They always think it is government’s job.

However, in my opinion, sustainable development and environmental sensitive are relayed on everybody. Reduce of using private cars decreases co2 emissions and then contribute to air improvement. Shortening shower time reduces producing grey water.  Control of electric consumption reduces burning coal demand that lead to improving air pollution.  With huge population base in China, sustainable development education may be the key to change serious pollution situation in China.

I still remember the time I visited Rockies Mountains in Canada. I attended a walking tour.  During the day, the guide of the tour kept educating the knowledge of glaciers and how fast glaciers disappears every year in Rockies. At the end of the day, the guide said, “the reason I tried so hard to talk about glaciers today is that I really want to think of our earth and do something for it, even just drive your car less.” I will remember his words and also will try to improve the environmental condition for my motherland, China, in the future.

Red Centre - A Successful Sustainable Design Building, or An Unpleasant Building?

Red Centre in UNSW campus was designed by MGT Architects, has won many sustainable design excellent awards. In many magazines and many online articles, it was labeled by sustainable design, low energy building and green senstive building.  

However, a lot Red Centre users complain on the building. The teacher offices are located at north side where is sunny and warm in winter, however the each room is too tiny and the space is not enough. Furthermore, this arrangement blocks the sun access to studios and classrooms located at south. The studios, class rooms and study rooms are extremely hot in summer and cold in winter, because they can't get wind from north in summer and sun in winter.

The glass louvres were designed for ventilation, but also allow cold wind to come in rooms in winter and water in storms.

As the building users don't love the building. Is Red Centre, UNSW a successful green building or an unpleasant building?

Smart Cites, Smart Bikes

A lead Chinese information technology company just announced that their first smart bike will be on the market next month and the retail price will be RMB943, around AUD 200.

The bike will be called “Rockfeller No.1”. It looks exact the same as a normal bike, however it is smarter. It has statics numbering, routes sharing, GPS, incoming call remind, Bluetooth and social activities. The bike’s sensor is as simple as fitbit pedometer, but it can sync to your smart phone and then it becomes a fully functional smart bike.  The most exciting part is that you don’t need to recharge the battery and it will be recharged automatically by pedalling.

As well known, many smart bikes are on the market now.

Samsung

Baidu

With the further and better development, smart bikes may bring people back on bikes. People can use smart bikes for commuting between home and work, exercise and social activities. As so on, the fun and smart bikes can make people reduce using cars in the further. 

Riding on smart bikes, smart cities are on the way.

News and image sources: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5MjIxMjY3NA==&mid=205214863&idx=6&sn=46a786a48f2645d065650b49f9717c9e&scene=2&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0#rd