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Conservation House
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai
FEBRUARY 2007
Contents
2
Minister’s Foreword
3
Green light
The overarching purpose of DOC is
to increase the value of conservation to
New Zealanders. Conservation House
is a symbol of our commitment.
7
McKee Fehl
8
Bogacki Property Consultants
9
The Wellington Company
10
Impact Project Management
11
DN Barrett Construction
Conservation House
12
Cortech Interiors
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai
14
Grimes & Browning Joinery
16
High Performance Window Films
17
Atco Steel Developments
18
Aquaheat Industries
20
Harding Electrical
21
ECOsystems
22
The Laminex Group
24
Clipsal New Zealand
Minister’s foreword
LEADING THE WAY IN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS, CONSERVATION HOUSE (WHARE KAUPAPA ATAWHAI) IS
ONE OF NEW ZEALAND’S MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
BUILDINGS WITH FEATURES STRONGLY CONNECTED TO THE
EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT.
As the Department of Conservation is the central government department charged with
protecting the country’s natural environment and historic heritage, it is only fitting that our
Head Office reflects this responsibility. To work in a building that aims to save energy and
produce sustainable outcomes is a significant step towards our commitment to conservation.
We are becoming increasingly aware of our ‘ecological footprint’, and sustainable practices
must become a part of our everyday way of life. This environmentally friendly building takes
the Department of Conservation to the next step towards sustainability. It is an investment
in the future.
It is a credit to the teams involved in the design and construction. They have created environmentally friendly attributes that are not only great for the environment but also foster a
workplace conducive for staff to produce their best work. It demonstrates a commitment to
sustainability and reinforces a desire for “green” office practices with comprehensive recycling
facilities.
This is an exciting move for the department and one that will see it in good stead well into
the future.
CHRIS CARTER
Minister of Conservation
Green light
“THE OVERARCHING PURPOSE OF DOC IS TO INCREASE
THE VALUE OF CONSERVATION TO NEW ZEALANDERS.
CONSERVATION HOUSE IS A SYMBOL OF OUR COMMITMENT.”
On the global stage New Zealand is renowned for two things: the progressive approach of its
citizens to technology and design, and its ‘clean, green’ image.
These two qualities are set to merge with the official unveiling of Conservation House – the
new headquarters of the Department of Conservation (DOC) – in Wellington. Designed as
New Zealand’s flagship environmentally pro-active building, Conservation House is the first
refurbished equivalent 5-star green office building in New Zealand.
In searching for a new headquarters, DOC requested an environmentally friendly building
that would engender a safe, healthy, comfortable and productive work environment for staff.
After evaluating a number of proposals, including a new build, DOC chose the Mid City
complex, says general manager Grant Baker.
Right: The fourth floor cafe
– looking towards the building’s
south tower – provides staff
with an outdoor area without
the need to leave the building.
3
Below top left: The glass-roofed
double height atrium allows
natural light into the building’s
interior.
Below lower left: Rain water
collected from the roof is
diverted to the cafeteria and used
for washing dishes.
Below right: Evocative of
the natural environment, the
ground floor reception area
is a subtle culmination of the
environmentally pro-active
elements of the whole building.
“The building was chosen because it had the potential to provide an innovative, high-quality
green building design, was priced competitively, and is in a location close to amenities and
facilities that staff are already accustomed to using.”
The building utilises a number of passive, mechanical, and staff behaviour strategies – such as
designing the main stairs to be visible and easily accessible to encourage staff to use them in
preference to the lifts – in keeping with DOC’s fundamental principles for the project.
These principals are summed up thus: optimise site potential; minimise energy consumption; protect and conserve water; use environmentally preferable products; enhance indoor
environmental quality; and optimise operational and maintenance practises.
“The building owner – The Wellington Company – has transformed a purpose-built cinema
complex into an iconic, ecologically sustainable building with an exciting yet efficient openplan layout that is strongly connected to the external environment, and nature,” says Baker.
“From an architect’s perspective it has been a pleasure to work with clients committed to the
integration of sustainable design principles in a comprehensive way. Our aim has been to
do this in a way that focuses on the creation of an excellent working environment for DOC.
I think we are able to say that the result will be one of this country’s best workplaces,” says
Stuart Gardyne of Architecture+.
Conservation House is the first office building in New Zealand to utilise a chilled beam
4
Below: Designed to be as much
an educational space as it is
office building, Conservation
House gives its visitors an
ever-changing visual reminder
of DOC’s responsibilities at the
main Manners St entrance.
system as a means of controlling indoor environmental quality. The system is based on the
use of both water and air to control the internal environment. Cold water circulates through
a cooling coil and as the surrounding air is cooled it descends into the office space, replaced
by rising warmer air, creating an airflow cycle.
The Wellington Company – in consultation with and at no expense to DOC – initiated and
installed an active chilled beam system for Conservation House. In an active system pressurised air is discharged through a number of nozzles causing induction of the air in the room,
resulting in the rate of the air-flow cycle being more constant, says director Ian Cassels.
Because chilled beam systems have no moving parts, service and maintenance of the system
is simpler. Another benefit of the system is that no noise is produced. In fact, DOC have had
to introduce pink noise as the building is too quiet.
The chilled beam system is supplemented by the double layer glass facade and atrium. Fresh
air from the rooftop comes down through the atrium and return air moves by convection
back up to the rooftop through the void between the double facade.
“As well as working to circulate air, the atrium allows natural light to penetrate deeply into
the floor plates, while exposed concrete ceiling surfaces are used as thermal masses to absorb
excess heat generated during the day, and night ventilation will be used to flush the building
at night,” says Cassels.
5
Waste heat is also captured by the building’s heat pumps and used in the heating of hot
water. Increased natural light means less of a dependence upon artificial light and a Digital
Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) system allows for automatic daylight dimming of the
perimeter lights. High-efficiency, low-mercury lamps and solid-state, long-life LED lamps
are used throughout the building, minimising not only energy consumption but reducing the
environmental impact of disposal at end of life, says Baker.
Other mechanical strategies incorporated into the building include collected rainwater used
in the bathrooms, kitchens and for garden irrigation. Low-flow fittings and fixtures with
motion detectors have been installed in the bathrooms to further reduce water consumption. Additional staff behaviour strategies, designed to reduce energy consumption, consist
of a large bicycle park and location next to a well-serviced bus stop, providing transportation
alternatives.
Working in concert with the environmentally sustainable practices initiated by The
Wellington Company, DOC instituted its own pro-active elements into the fit-out.
Supplementary motion and light-sensing lighting fixtures have been incorporated into the
DALI system throughout the office spaces in addition to meeting rooms and the bathrooms,
says Baker.
As well as a number of low-VOC (volatile organic compound) emitting materials being
incorporated into the building – such as Laminex MDF and Resene paints – DOC specified
the use of sustainable plantation timbers for internal doors, framing and panelling.
There was also a requirement to avoid the use of PVC wherever possible, an example of this
is the use of linoleum instead of vinyl on the bathroom floors, says Baker.
On the office floors, Ontera carpet tiles have been used for a number of reasons. Firstly, as
reduced energy and water consumption is used in their manufacture, the environmental
impact of the manufacturing process, and of their eventual disposal, is negligible. Secondly,
those tiles that get more wear can be replaced individually as needed, conforming to DOC’s
waste minimisation policy.
Key to that policy is recycling, and as such all utility areas and kitchens have separate bins for
paper, organic material, inorganic material, glass, plastic and metal waste, says Baker.
For further information contact the Department of Conservation, Conservation House,
18-32 Manners St, Wellington, phone (04) 471 0726 , fax (04) 471 1082. Or visit the
website: www.doc.govt.nz.
Right: Running along the
Manners St perimeter of the
building and flanking the cafe,
the double facade is used to
flush used air out of the building
at night.
6
Above: Looking from the
building’s tower onto the fourth
floor cafe, the full extent of the
glass-roofed atrium becomes
apparent, as does the double skin
glazed facade at the edge of the
building.
Anyone in the construction industry will tell you that it is far simpler to build a new building
than it is to refurbish an existing one. For contractor McKee Fehl Constructors the challenges associated with the gutting and reconstruction of the Mid City Cinema Complex, and
the associated fit-out for the Department of Conservation, were two-fold.
There have been a number of unusual challenges and risks associated with this project; commencing with major structural demolition and then building new structures – all within a
building that had resident tenants – and achieving this within the strict time constraints, says
McKee Fehl project manager Stephen Cummings.
“The demolition required extensive hands-on management and innovation to cope with the
limited access and noise constraints. This saw us concrete-cutting, drilling, hoisting, breaking, and moving material around within the building by hand, with bob cats and various
types of craneage.
“The construction of the new floors within the old theatres had to be programmed and coordinated with the demolition, to ensure critical parts of the demolition could be carried out
in the available time windows, or to maintain access for other tenants,” says Cummings.
Carried out over 12 months, the successful completion of the two projects was closely linked
to a number of extenuating factors, says Cummings.
“There were lead time and supply issues for products not normally available in the local
market, such as the low-emission MDF panelling and whiteboards, and Tasmanian oak
timber door and window frames. We also had to co-ordinate with DOC as they carried out a
progressive shift of their office equipment while construction work continued.”
For details, contact McKee Fehl Constructors, PO Box 13143 Johnsonville, Wellington, phone
(04) 232 8102, fax (04) 232 4683. Email: [email protected].
7
Above: Along with natural
light, the atrium also provides
natural ventilation as fresh air
from the rooftop is circulated
through the atrium and back
up to the roof via the double
facade.
Above right: High-efficiency,
low-mercury lamps and solidstate, long-life lamps are used
throughout the building as a way
of further minimising energy
consumption.
Bogacki Property Consultants has been working in partnership with the Department of
Conservation for more than seven years. The company has been instrumental in planning
DOC’s head office reorganisation since the department occupied four separate buildings.
Over that time the company has reorganised DOC into fewer and better-quality premises
with the ultimate objective of housing the entire Wellington-based department together in
one place, says Andy Bogacki, director of Bogacki Property Consultants.
“The Department of Conservation has been looking for a new office building in which to
house its Wellington staff that would provide a pleasant, environmentally pro-active space so
that staff can feel proud of the place in which they work – this has now been realised through
the Conservation House project.”
The department employed a list of six fundamental principals as criteria for the selection
and development process. These were to optimise site potential, minimise energy consumption, protect and conserve water, use environmentally preferable products, enhance indoor
environmental quality and optimise operational and maintenance practises.
“The building needed to be as much as possible a high-performance green building – otherwise known as a sustainable building – with objectives being to prevent environmental
degradation and avoid resource depletion of energy, water and raw materials,” says Bogacki.
Initially, 11 buildings were identified as potential offices before five were shortlisted for
consideration. The culmination of the four-month process was the choosing of the Manners
Street site, which Bogacki says met a number of the criteria including the potential for sustainability, proximity to staff facilities, and an attractive financial package.
Contact Bogacki Property Consultants, PO Box 1048, Wellington, phone (04) 473 4146,
fax (04) 473 6162. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.bogacki.co.nz.
8
Above: The open-plan layout
of Conservation House,
coupled with the glass-roofed
atrium, means there is less of
a dependence upon artificial
lighting.
When property developer The Wellington Company bought the Mid City complex the
intention was to develop a flagship of environmentally sustainable building practices, and in
the process create a desirable working environment, says director Ian Cassels.
Gill Consultants was then appointed as development manager to source tenants, initiate the
concept design, and negotiate and manage the development.
“When you enter Conservation House the air quality is astounding, you know you’ve stepped
into something different. Even on that sub-conscious level we’ve created a quality perception
amongst staff that relates back to retention,” says Rasbeer Gill, director of Gill Consultants.
“In what was an audaciously strategic move we bought the building that DOC was in previously, with the intention of steering them towards setting up office in the former Mid City
complex,” says Cassels.
The move paid off – the building’s environmentally sustainable design practices were in
keeping with where DOC itself was heading.
“Contributing to Conservation House’s equivalent 5-star green rating is its central city location and utilisation of existing infrastructure. Any such building in a walkable city is going to
be far more efficient than a comparable one in a city that isn’t walkable. A city has to work
on all levels, including the transportation of the people who work there, in order to sustain
carbon-neutrality – or better,” says Cassels.
For more information, contact The Wellington Company, Level 12, BNZ Trust
House, 50 Manners St, Wellington, phone (04) 802 4291, fax (04) 802 4298. Website:
www.thewellingtoncompany.co.nz. Or contact Gill Consultants, Level 8, BNZ Trust
House, 50 Manners St, Wellington, phone (04) 384 6017, fax (04) 384 6047. Email:
[email protected].
9
Above right: The fourth floor
cafeteria has been designed to
encourage staff collaboration
and co-operation by acting as an
informal meeting area, catering
to different working styles.
Top: The chilled beam system
and double skin external
facade contribute to a more
comfortable and natural
environment for DOC staff, as
well as lower running costs.
Above: Extensive natural light
from the floor-to-ceiling atrium
augments the open plan layout,
creating an expansive feel.
The world of project management is ruled by what those in the business refer to as the triple
constraints – time, cost and scope. Often competing with one another, changes to any one
constraint will inevitably affect the other two.
These constraints were all too keenly felt by Wellington-based Impact Project Management,
appointed to provide project and cost management services to DOC for the fit-out of
Conservation House, says director Garth Palmer.
“One of the worst winters on record contributed to a significant delay in the new building being handed over to DOC for the fit-out. Unfortunately, the date for relocating staff
couldn’t be moved, so we faced a significant issue – a lack of time to complete the work.”
To address the issue, the Impact team worked closely with DOC’s legal division and the
incumbent contractor to develop a procurement strategy that met government guidelines and
enabled the project to be delivered to DOC’s timeline.
Acting as a single point of contact for DOC throughout the project, Impact’s role was to
manage the internal works construction, the design and manufacture of all furniture and the
relocation of DOC staff and equipment from four existing locations.
Palmer says the considerable time constraints and the incorporation of leading-edge technology pushed the boundaries of project management. Nevertheless, the company’s extensive
experience and excellent teamwork ensured the project’s timely completion.
“We currently manage development projects worth more than $100 million for the likes of
Wellington International Airport, Fairfax, Unisys and PSIS. These, and our previous track
record, led to our selection for this important government project,” says Palmer.
For details, contact Impact Project Management, PO Box 19-155, Courtenay Pl, Wellington,
phone (04) 801 9021. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.impactpm.co.nz.
10
Above: Tasmanian hooped pine
timber panelling was chosen as a
detail material for the reception
area because it is a sustainable
plantation timber.
Sub-contractors are the lifeblood of the building industry, providing essential services in
conjunction with those of the main contractor. DN Barrett Construction was one of the subcontractors brought in by McKee Fehl to work on the Conservation House fit-out for DOC.
In many instances sub-contractors have a wide range of experience that makes them an invaluable industry resource, says DN Barrett Construction managing director Damian Barrett.
“Initially McKee Fehl brought us onto the project to carry out finishing and joinery work.
However, our existing property services experience soon meant that our team was being
utilised in a number of ways across the breadth of the project.”
At the peak of their involvement, DN Barrett Construction had 15 onsite workers who spent
a total of four months on the project.
Working to the designs of the architects, the bulk of the work carried out by DN Barrett
Construction was the framing, finishing and hanging of the Tasman oak doors and timber
feature walls and panels throughout the building.
Like many of the other contractors, challenges associated with refurbishing an existing building were also of concern to DN Barrett Construction, says Barrett.
“Especially built to house a cinema complex, the most significant challenge we faced during
the refurbishment was dealing with a building that wasn’t square. The painstaking attention to detail that this caused, to ensure that everything was flush, all added to the extra time
needed to spend on what should have been an essentially straightforward job.”
DN Barrett Construction has a workforce skilled in all aspects of residential and commercial
construction from formwork through to finishing work.
For further details, contact DN Barrett Construction, phone/fax (04) 461 6177, mobile 021
542 738. Email: [email protected].
11
Below: Hale Stratos toilet
partitions were used due to
their ease of maintenance and
low bacteria build-up surfaces.
Cortech has the Hale installation
contract for the whole
Wellington region.
Facing page top: With its
acoustic insulation and low
emissions, eco panel was chosen
for the walls of Conservation
House.
Facing page lower: Designed to
act as relaxed meeting spaces, the
break-out rooms have been lined
with zero-emission pine battens.
There has been much speculation surrounding the strengthening trend towards environmentally pro-active buildings and the impact this will have on the construction industry.
Particularly believed to be at risk are the smaller contractors who may not have the wherewithal to meet the ecological requirements such buildings demand. The fact of the matter is
that for most of the works associated with construction, it’s business as usual.
“The logistics of sustainability, energy-efficiency and the like were all worked out long before
Cortech Interiors was contracted to the job”, says owner Cory Young.
“Aside from the amount of MDF that has gone into this job, which was of a much larger
scale than usual, our role was stock-standard carpentry as far as we were concerned.”
With energy-efficiency one of the key fundamental principles of the refurbishment, careful consideration of the materials used was paramount. This resulted in the utilisation of a
number of products new to the New Zealand marketplace, the low volatile organic compound-emitting MDF being one of them.
“As I said, the amount of MDF used throughout this job was the only factor that distinguished it from any other job we’ve worked on. The impact of this was that I imported some
specialist straight-edge tools from Europe to ensure the same level of finish that we pride
ourselves on,” says Young.
Contracted by McKee Fehl as one of the main interior carpentry companies responsible for
the fitting of walls, doors, eco panelling and battening, Cortech Interiors spent five months
on the project, with an onsite workforce of 17.
Established in 2003 and already with working relationships with McKee Fehl Construction,
Hale Manufacturing and others, Cortech Interiors has a proven track record as a progressive
sub-contractor.
For more details, contact Cortech Interiors, mobile 021 383 235, phone (04) 473 0295, fax
(04) 473 0297.
Left: Natural wood elements
underscore the eco-friendly
emphasis of the DOC building.
This large pine display case
catches the eye in the central
atrium. Joinery experts Grimes
& Browning built the entire
feature, from bolting home
steel support girders through to
installing the glass access doors
and case frontage.
Below: This high-tech plyand-glass kitchen was created
and set in place by Grimes
& Browning. The island’s
frontage, counter and sides are
bolted to steel support girders.
In a building renovation designed to respect the environment at every turn, it follows that
this green ethos should be visible to the DOC staff on a day-to-day basis. Low-emission,
renewable-resource hoop-ply was used for all of the joinery throughout Conservation House
and, coated in clear varnish, it provides a visible reminder of the building’s ecologically
sound make-up.
Joinery specialists Grimes & Browning manufactured the diverse array of joinery running
throughout the building. Director Peter Brooks says hoop-ply with low emission levels of
formaldehyde was specified by the architects. Similarly, the architects required the formica
tops to have low emissions, and even finishes and glues were looked at closely to find a balance between strength and environmental respect.
“This was a large project, even by our standards, with everything from kitchen counters and
mail room joinery through to a stainless steel autopsy table constructed by us,” says Brooks.
In fact, the list stretched to five kitchen units, three reception counters, showcase counters, a
records counter, 18 utility units and the formica tops and stainless steel tops throughout the
building. All plywood surfaces received the same transparent finish.
“While elements such as a reception counter would often be a stand-alone piece within a
fit-out, here much of the work was more complex,” he says. “Many elements were interdependent and in some areas we had to weave together plywood, steel and glass sheets to create
one unified result. The reception counters were a case in point.”
In business for over 60 years, Grimes & Browning is a traditionalist joinery company focused
on both commercial and domestic projects. The company’s classic carpentry approach means
they work with solid timber joinery, such as window and door frames, as well as all manner
of steel and joinery units.
For details, contact Grimes & Browning Joinery, PO Box 35062, Naenae, Hutt City, phone
(04) 567 7149, fax (04) 567 7149. Email: [email protected].
15
Above: A koru motif broken
up into variegated lines was
installed on the balustrades by
High Performance Window
Films. The motif, this time in
plain gold, is repeated on the
meeting rooms glazing. HPWF
also installed colourful film
panels on Conservation House’s
exterior glazing.
Facing page top: Atco Steel
Developments’ work runs
through the heart of the
building. Elements included
framework for the chilled
beams, elevator structural
support and framework for the
atrium roof.
Facing page lower: The stairs
have been designed to be both
highly visible and easily accessible, prompting staff to use them
rather than the lifts.
The DOC Building is colour-coded green for the future of the environment – and this
applies in literal as well as symbolic terms. The central atrium, stretching up four floors, has
a green koru motif writ large across its glass balustrading on all levels. This graphic is broken
up into variegated vertical lines.
High Performance Window Films, HPWF, supplied and installed the translucent adhesive
films that comprise these graphics, as well as colourful elements found in other areas.
“The atrium’s eye-catching element is also repeated as red and gold motifs on some glassfronted offices,” says Michael Ladbrook, managing director of HPWF Wellington. “Made
with High Performance Windows Films’ Lateral Film, the images are digitally printed directly
onto either frosted, opaque or clear films to provide an expedient design solution for corporate
identities – in this case for the Department of Conservation.” The high-tech film was also used
on the inside faces of the DOC building’s street-facing windows.
“Transparent films in different colours punctuate the glazing in sizes of approximately 2.5
metres by 400mm, to distinctive street effect,” he says. “These appear over three levels from
Manners Street and over four levels as seen from the Willis Street elevation.”
This was an upscale project for the company, with over 200m of the graphic film used in the
internal atrium area and offices and another 60m for the external window graphics.
The graphic film used on the atrium bannisters has been covered with a clear, scratch-resistant film after installation. This was only necessary here, where the film would be in constant
contact with visitors and staff.
Other films available from HPWF include Damage Control safety and anti-graffiti films and
an Energy MF series of films, some of which reflect up to 79% of heat.
For details, contact High Performance Window Films: Auckland, phone 0800 473 255;
Christchurch, phone 0800 473 242; Wellington, phone 0800 473 935. Or visit the website:
www.hpwf.co.nz.
16
Some of the most effective ideas can also be the most straightforward. One way to facilitate
the use of human energy over electric in the DOC building, for example, was to ensure the
stairwells in the podium were in plain sight. The stairs act as a visual prompt to encourage
staff to walk between levels rather than take the elevator.
As a result, the stairwell is something of a central feature for the building. Its complex, hanging construction, together with many other structural steel elements, was undertaken by Atco
Steel Developments.
Site supervisor Ray Marshall says the stairwell was an intricate undertaking in that it was constructed from the ground up, then clipped together and suspended structurally from above.
“Open to the atrium on one side and looking through glass walls into office space on the
other, the staircase is an architectural feature in its own right,” he says. “We also created and
installed the handrails for this.”
Adding to the difficulty of the task, individual steel elements had to be fed in through scaffolding surrounding the atrium before it could be pieced together inside.
“Much of the staircase engineering was complex in nature, with the final physics and angles
only possible through computer calculations,” says Marshall. “Adjacent but separate to the
stair structure we installed several steel-rolled, hollow-section transom posts to support the
soaring glass panel walls that contribute to the drama of this central space.”
In addition, Atco Steel created the atrium roof structure, introduced new steel floor beams,
framed void infills and built suspended ceilings and support systems.
“These support systems were another unusual aspect of the job – created to hold the chilled
beams in place on level three of the podium. As with any leading-edge design, the project
threw up the odd previously unencountered problem that was overcome on the fly.”
For details, contact Atco Steel Developments, PO Box 31107, Lower Hutt, phone (04) 939
1087, fax (04) 939 1154. Email: [email protected].
17
Below: This rooftop perspective
shows one of two 350kw heat
pumps for heating, plus return
air duct work from the double
facade to one of the air handler
units. These were just some
of the elements installed by
Aquaheat.
18
Part of the green philosophy for Conservation House is not only setting up energy-efficient
building services systems, but also ensuring they stay energy efficient. The company responsible for installing the forward-looking air conditioning solutions and efficient plumbing
systems will also service them to ensure they remain in optimum, fine-tuned condition.
Aquaheat Industries is a broad building services provider, undertaking air conditioning,
plumbing and service maintenance on large commercial projects. On this ground-breaking project the company installed several distinct elements that together form the heart of
Conservation House’s green agenda.
Aquaheat addressed the air conditioning and plumbing, with the servicing of these up-tothe-minute systems likely to be an ongoing agenda, says director Paul DeBernardo.
“The introduction of several hundred highly energy-conscious active chilled beams throughout the podium levels was central to the air conditioning fit-out,” he explains. “We have
installed passive chilled beams on a small project before, but the DOC fit-out entailed
upscale application of active chilled beams. These have air jets expelled into the environment
that pro-actively encourage the room’s air movement across concealed water-carrying coils
within the beam.”
Passive beams rely on warm air rising, cooling on contact with the cold coils and then
descending to cool the room and tend to have a fairly localised effect.
“Active chilled beams have the added advantage of being able to be situated anywhere in
a room. The coils can be switched to carry hot water instead of cold, providing the DOC
offices with warm air instead of cool in the colder months.”
In addition, a computer-driven building management system, BMS, monitors the air conditioning in terms of time and zone control to further optimise energy saving. The BMS also
controls night purges and spring and autumn cycles, where the major plant shuts down and
relies on natural ventilation to control comfort levels – via motorised control windows.
Plumbing services were equally high-impact in terms of the building’s energy efficiency.
“Even in material terms, this job was different,” says DeBernardo. “PVC piping was
eschewed in favour of Wavin AS, a recyclable material popular in Europe apartment design
for its excellent acoustic properties that avoid the sound of water running through walls or
across ceilings. In design terms, we installed heat pump hot water cylinders to efficiently
create hot water for the building.”
Aquaheat also set in place the complex reticulation system that sees storm water channelled
into a basement level 65,000-litre storage tank, for use in toilets, urinals and even to water
the building’s rooftop gardens. When the tank is full, excess water runs away through conventional stormwater outlets. The reticulation system is also controlled via BMS intelligence.
“No detail was spared in this fit-out – we even installed tapware with in-built motion sensors
to ensure precious resources aren’t wasted down the plug hole.”
For details, contact Aquaheat Industries, 92-96 Main Rd, Tawa, Wellington, phone (04)
232 5179, fax (04) 232 4170. Email: [email protected].
19
Above: Harding Electrical
installed the cabling, electrical
systems and lighting throughout
the fit-out. A local distribution
board has Clipsal’s C-Bus
controls at its base.
Facing page top: ECOsystems
designed the interconnected
lux-level and motion-detector
systems for lighting and business
management systems throughout
the fit-out.
The lighting and building management systems in place at The Department of
Conservation’s head office form an important part of its energy-conscious agenda. Systems
are interconnected with such fine tuning that lighting might register a different illumination
depending on whether it is a cleaner or office worker swiping their entry card.
Harding Electrical undertook installation of the cabling and fittings, while ECOsystems
designed the labyrinthine systems of lights and sensors that optimise light levels and minimise the building’s pull on the national grid.
Harding Electrical’s work started with demolishing the existing infrastructures to make way
for the progressive new systems, says director Damian Moloney.
“A new DOC switchboard was then set in place, together with distribution boards and
the extensive switching and cabling running throughout the offices and the high-tech
DALI, or digital addressable lighting interfaces,” he says. “It is the DALI lighting that gives
Conservation House’s lighting its pinpoint sensitivity.”
DALI is a protocol for digital communication between lighting devices. It is a subsystem
that offers add-ons and features for the practical application of lighting management systems. DALI works by providing each individual light fitting, or ballast, with its own digital
address, so lights can be controlled automatically within a group or individually. Preset
groups of lights can also be changed without the need for rewiring.
Harding Electrical commissioned ECOsystems to design the systems required by the engineering consultants that the electrical company would then install.
ECOsystems’ focus is energy auditing, project management, energy controls and implementation and it was chosen for its experience on large commercial projects.
Director of ECOsystems Scott Martin says the brief handed to the company by Sinclair
Knight Merz was to maximise energy savings through intelligent lighting control – utilising
occupancy detection and daylight harvesting.
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“Every desk on the office floors has a component of natural daylight and at some stage
during the day, the lights in each area were to be dimmed in conjunction with the input of
natural light to achieve these savings,” says Martin. “This has been achieved through DALI
light fittings with C-Bus logic inter-connectivity.”
C-Bus, by Clipsal, is a microprocessor-based control and management system that controls
lighting and other electrical services.
Occupancy detectors were also mapped out by ECOsystems and used in conjunction with
the light level sensors throughout the building.
“We used a Clipsal C-Bus DALI gateway to talk to the DALI light fittings – this meant that
each light fitting could be addressed and treated as an independent light circuit without
having to run a separate cable to the switchboard,” he says. “Clipsal worked with us to design
custom housings that would allow their implementation within the context of the exposed ceilings areas that resulted from the use of chilled beams throughout.”
ECOsystems developed a logic module within C-Bus that enabled complete control of the light
fittings. This custom logic control module interfaces between the building’s lights and sensors.
“Without the use of a C-Bus logic engine there would have been no other way to achieve the
degree of control that was required,” says the director.
In addition to light-level control, the C-Bus system is set up to interface with security, fire
and building management systems. Based on occupancy, the C-Bus will control the air conditioning in respective areas for additional energy savings, and there is facility to extend the
system to control presentation and conferencing equipment.
For further information on Harding Electrical, phone (04) 499 9003, fax (04) 499 8804. Or
visit the website: www.hardingelectrical.co.nz.
For further information on ECOsystems, phone (04) 566 3666, fax (04) 566 0666. Or visit
the website: www.eco.co.nz.
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These pages: The Laminex
Group supplied several elements
from its Greenfirst range for the
ecologically aware fit-out. These
included low-emission Lakepine
MDF for the conference tables
and desking.
The principles of Earth-friendly construction run through the very fabric of Conservation
House. Not only are the energy systems kind to the planet, but even the material specified
for the office desking has a sound, eco-friendly make-up.
The Laminex Group manufactured and supplied many of the materials for the building’s
interiors and furniture. The company’s focus is shifting towards a green emphasis and this
initiative incorporates several current products from its Greenfirst range that have achieved
Environmental Choice Certification.
Many of these were specified by architect Alice Cuttance for The Department of
Conservation project – with the furniture elements constructed from these materials built
and supplied by Formway.
“Sustainability is essential to ensure that no damage is done in our generation that leaves
the environment in a worse state than we found it,” she says. “I feel any efforts by individuals and organisations such as the NZ Green Building Council and The Laminex Group to
promote and develop sustainable design and building practices are essential to fulfilling the
vision of healthy living spaces for the future.”
Cuttance says the government is driving this change, with any new government building
now having a green focus – using sustainable products and ensuring energy efficiency and
improved indoor air quality. Clearly Conservation House stands at the vanguard of this
increasingly ecology-focused initiative.
“In addition, the government is researching, advising and recommending initiatives and
practices for building and design which facilitate a lesser impact on the environment in
general,” she says. “Examples include the Ministry for the Environment’s Sustainable Office
Fitout Guide and Govt3 Procurement Conferences. Under the Environmental Choice New
Zealand certification scheme products that earn the Enviro-Choice tick are recommended
based on their compliance with its green certification requirements.”
Many of the products within The Laminex Group Greenfirst range have already earned the
Enviro-Choice tick and more products are being added.
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Important aspects covered by the scheme include recyclable attributes, sustainable
manufacturing practices, minimising energy consumption in production, manufacturing and
end use, and also minimising emissions both in manufacturing processes and when in use in
the office environment.
“On this project, sustainable products specified included zero-emission wood fibre boards,
sustainable certified timber, Linoleum flooring, recyclable acoustic wall lining panels,
recyclable modular carpet tiles and non-PVC screen fabrics in workstations,” she says. “The
Greenfirst products, supplied by The Laminex Group, were specified for their improved
environmental impact over standard or commonly used alternatives.”
The pro-active approach taken by the Government is reinforced from the other end of the
production process as well. Alan Buckner is CEO of Formway, the company creating DOC
head office’s workstations.
“Formway continuously looks for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our products
and we appreciate working with clients that demand high environmental standards without
compromising usability and performance,” says Barnes. “Our environmental, design and
supply teams worked closely with suppliers such as The Laminex Group to meet the requirements of The Department of Conservation. This applied to the DOC workstations built
from E0-rated MDF board, which contains substantially reduced levels of formaldehyde.”
He says an ongoing challenge for Formway is sourcing environmentally sustainable materials that are high quality, yet reliably supplied at competitive prices. To this end, Formway’s
procurement and environmental management team works with suppliers to understand the
environmental performance of raw materials.
“We actively encourage clients to specify this board due to the benefits of reduced formaldehyde levels – creating a sustainable future is a key component of our design philosophy.”
For details on the Greenfirst range of products, contact The Laminex Group, phone (09)
571 4444, or visit the website: www.thelaminexgroup.co.nz.
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Right: Without Clipsal’s
comprehensive C-Bus
interconnectivity it would have
been difficult to get motion
sensors and light-level readings
to combine to maximise light
energy-savings.
Facing page: Conservation
House aims high in its focus on
an ecologically sound makeup.
The glass-roofed atrium floods
natural light down into the
heart of the building.
elements played an important part in the Department of
Conservation’s inroads on energy savings. Clipsal’s C-Bus system was at the heart of the
interconnectivity that the DALI lighting and building management system, BMS, achieved.
Spokesperson for Clipsal New Zealand Paul Harris says the ability of C-Bus to talk between
diverse electronic devices and protocols is its key advantage.
“A single C-Bus cable connection is able to control an almost unlimited number of devices,”
says Harris. “For example, the main switch panel in a typical building could contain 200
switches and 100 dimmers – yet only one C-Bus twisted-pair cable would actually be wired
into the switch panel.”
On a project where the scale of lighting control required was immense C-Bus was integral to
Conservation House’s energy responsiveness.
“While DALI ballasts in the light fittings provided an advanced lighting control option,
this still had network limitations,” says Harris. “To overcome this, a C-Bus DALI interface
enabled C-Bus to extend the number of DALI networks to 255 – more than was actually
required. This, coupled to a strong interface with the BMS, and C-Bus Schedule Plus software, allowed for comprehensive control.”
Systems integrator ECOsystems loaded a PC with Clipsal’s Schedule Plus management
software to alter the programming of the light fittings as well as monitoring the light levels
on the floors. This one central computer communicates with the various switchboards via a
transmission control protocol, or TCP, network.
“It is also possible from this screen to assess whether any fluorescent tubes need replacing or
if there is a fault with any DALI control gear, or ballasts.”
Reallocation of space, or any form of business evolution within the DOC building can be
catered for by the system without need for costly rewiring.
“C-Bus offers a transparent platform to manage everything from the building’s access control
through to facility to control its grey water irrigation,” he says.
For further details, contact Clipsal New Zealand, phone (09) 576 3403. Website:
www.clipsal.co.nz.
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Location
Conservation House – Whare
Kaupapa Atawhai
Client/tenant
Department of Conservation (DOC)
Building owner and developer
The Wellington Company
Property consultants
Bogacki Property Consultants
Architects
Architecture+
Project manager – tenancy fit-out
Impact Project Management
Project manager – base building
Gill Consultants
Engineering consultants
Sinclair Knight Merz
Main construction company
McKee Fehl
Construction sub-contractor
DN Barrett Construction
Structural steel
Atco Steel Developments
Mechanical plumbing services
Aquaheat Industries
Electrical contractors
Harding Electrical
Joinery
Grimes & Browning Joinery
Interior fit-out
Cortech Interiors
Surfaces
The Laminex Group
Film finishes
High Performance Window Films
Energy efficiency systems integrator
ECOsystems
Integrated systems
Clipsal New Zealand
Photography by Jamie Cobeldick