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climate comfort $8.50 Autumn 2011 I M P O R T A N T W A R N I N G ! There’s only one ZINCALUME® steel. And it’s guaranteed to meet AS1397. Check for the BlueScope Steel name on any metallic coated steel to ensure it meets AS1397. ZINCALUME® steel is guaranteed by BlueScope Steel to comply with Australian Standards. ZINCALUME® steel is made in Australia for Australian conditions. If it’s not made by BlueScope Steel, it’s not ZINCALUME® steel. ZINCALUME® steel is a trademark of BlueScope Steel. Other metallic or zinc aluminium coated steel is not genuine ZINCALUME® steel and may not comply with Australian Standards. For information and tools to help you manage the steel compliance in Australian buildings, visit steelselect.com/check or call 1800 022 999. steelselect.com/check ZINCALUME® and BlueScope are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited. © 2011 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved. BDB32723CZ Deepening Green Luscious Red Chilling Black Leaping White Enchanting Yellow Smashing Blue For builders, designers and architects everywhere, direct from the fiery heart of Austral Bricks, it is our distinct pleasure to introduce to you our very revealing, absolutely enticing, undeniably exciting new AU3657 BROWNINK range of highly glazed, highly tantalising bricks... Burlesque!. DESIGN VERSATILITY Bondor, The Smart Roofing Choice Designs are not restricted to flat, rectangular projects. GUARANTEED Ten-year written warranty LOW MAINTENANCE COLORBOND® steel gives a long-lasting, easy-to clean finish. BLOCKS HEAT A polystyrene core provides efficient, long lasting insulation. SOLARSPAN® FROM BONDOR® IS A COMBINATION OF ROOFING, INSULATION AND CEILING IN ONE DURABLE, FUNCTIONAL AND ATTRACTIVE PANEL. It’s just the answer for creating an outdoor living area that’s insulated against summer sun and cosy in winter. A unique construction method ensures a combination of insulation and strength. An insulating polystyrene core is laminated between two sheets of COLORBOND® steel. This triple lamination allows SolarSpan® to span greater distances without traditional understructure. Clever design even incorporates a channel for running cables for lighting. Being insulated, SolarSpan® lets you enjoy a shaded ambient air temperature in summer. In winter months SolarSpan® not only makes the area warmer, but quieter too, because it helps reduce the noise from rain and hail. DEADENS NOISE The solid polystyrene core helps reduce the noise from rain and hail. SAVES MONEY Simple construction reduces the time and cost to build because no rafters and battens are required. A choice of six exterior colours allows co-ordination with the colour of your house or roof. The underside is finished in the attractive neutral-toned Surfmist® colour in either smooth or ‘Elegance’ finish. Installers Australia-wide can help with design and construction of your project and work to your architect’s design or your own. STRONG AND DURABLE Two layers of steel laminated to a solid polystyrene core provide strength and durability. For more information and to arrange a free quote call SolarSpan® at your nearest Bondor® branch on 1800 763 707 or visit www.solarspan.com.au contacts and contents contents inside brief 6 climate comfort 8 from the national chair Building Designers Australia has a new logo – yes, the dinner plate, and accompanying knife and fork have disappeared from our agenda of items to national conference 17 walking the talk with chris reardon 18 for BDA. the big picture with dick clarke 24 At last year’s management meeting in Melbourne, out there with neville zark 27 up with a new logo. Being the year of South spirit of place with trevor king 30 product feature 34 the new Logo. product feature 36 The logo has been presented to the management product feature 40 Australia and the graphic artists whom they discuss. No more arguments about the best logo South Australia was given the job of coming Australia’s 50th anniversary and the state where BDA started, it was appropriate that they provide committee and we need to congratulate South commissioned to design it. The logo is new and refreshing after the years of the ‘dinner plate’ emblem. Each state would have now received a CD Building Designers Australia package of all the combinations of file types and T: 08 9228 0698 F: 08 9228 3236 see all building designers use the logo on their E: [email protected] W: www.bdaa.com.au A: PO Box 2188 Dangar NSW 2309 National chairman Monty East T (03) 6223 6847 M: 0418 381 075 E: [email protected] Membership Enquiries T: (08) 9228 0698 E: [email protected] a guide on the use of the logo. I would like to stationary, drawings, in their documentation, and on site boards. This logo will help to further our recognition across Australia. The new BDA is progressing following the acceptance of the Articles of Association and the election of new councillors from each state chapter to form the new national council, and a business manager to guide BDA through its rebirth as the new body serving and representing building designers throughout Australia. Monty East Front Cover: climate comfort $8.50 Autumn 2011 Autumn 2011 Designed by Chris Clout, this is a great visual example of climate comfort. Overlooking Peregian Beach, Queensland, cool ocean breezes pass over the pool through louvres and into a bedroom with a view anyone would love to wake up to. Chairman Building Designers Australia Building Designers Brief Australia is published by Pond Publications, Suite 6, 199 Bulwer Street, Perth WA 6000, printed by Lamb Print, 19 Abrams Street, Balcatta WA 6021 and distributed by Quickmail, 1714 Albany Highway, Kenwick WA 6107. building designers BRIEF australia 5 inside brief a common thread As I proofread this autumn issue of the BRIEF, it seems the keyword throughout is change. We start with the reformation of the national body of building designers, and a name-change to Building Designers Australia. Making this change, and ensuring the needs of each state chapter have been met, has been the result of a lot of hard work to establish a strong, representative and relevant fellowship for these changing times, which perhaps is best summed up by author and seminar presenter Christina Baldwin: Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix. Climate change is the centrepiece of our table talk; it has been for some time but continues to grow with passionate debate between politically self-serving courses. But at least it’s on the menu! However, in the main, it’s fast food, drive-through thinking with a regular order that’s resisting healthy life-saving options for our planet. King Whitney Jr says: Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful, it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident, it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. Encouraging us to make things better, Building Design in a Changing Climate is the core theme of the annual national conference, to be held in the Barossa Valley among the autumn vine leaves from April 7-9. Meanwhile, overlooking the tranquillity of Sussex Inlet, Doc Reardon takes us on the defining leg of his practical journey to rein in the theory of sustainability with a telling carbon audit of his ‘luurve’ shack project. Talk about fodder for the future! Dick Clarke analyses the impact of the recent Queensland floods on the future of design in flood prone areas and the need for extreme measures to batten down the hatches against inevitable future weather events of similar magnitude. Smithy chimes in with his cartoon take on a new design for the iconic Queenslander. Trevor King also asks us to rethink. He stresses the importance of affectionate engagement with the natural environment as a means of achieving required changes to cultural attitudes in our approach to the built environment, with regional priorities. With the focus squarely on climate change and achieving sustainable comfort in the wake of its impact on our diverse habitats, we have assembled an inspirational selection of designs that address climate comfort and incorporate a combination of natural resources with technological innovation in materials, products and services. Change is the process of becoming different to what we know and, as Mahatma Gandhi said: Be the change you want to see in the world. Enjoy Rochelle Managing Director: Rochelle James 0402 853 989 [email protected] Association Management Event Management Publishing Sponsorship Product Promotions Public Relations www.themediapond.com.au Advertising: Aleshia Bowes 0407 993 795 [email protected] Building Designers Brief Australia is published quarterly by Pond Publications Managing Editor Rochelle James PO Box 8439, Perth Business Centre Western Australia 6849 Tel: (08) 9228 3235 Fax: (08) 9228 3236 Disclaimer, terms and conditions: Any advice printed in this publication is produced in good faith but strictly on the understanding that neither the BDAA Ltd, nor Pond Publications or persons contributing to the publication incur any legal liability whatsoever for the correctness or accuracy (including liability for negligence). Should the information be incorrect or otherwise defective, all liability is disclaimed. All advertisements are accepted on the following terms and conditions: BDAA Ltd. and Pond Publications have the right to refuse to publish any advertisement or material. No liability shall be incurred by the BDAA Ltd. or Pond Publications by reason of any error, inaccuracy or amendment to, or the partial or total omission of any advertisement or by reason of any delay, or default or from any other cause whatsoever. Neither BDAA Ltd nor Pond Publications can be held responsible for any errors in multiple insertion material after the first issue of publication. The views expressed by guest columnists are entirely those of the author. 6 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 StarTec is Häfele’s own brand of quality door hardware at affordable prices. The StarTec range features an attractive range of solid 316 grade stainless steel Lever Handles and Pull Handles in both Polished and Satin finishes and includes designs to complement any contemporary setting. Locks, latches, door stops, panic exit devices, door controls, stainless steel butt hinges, door seals, patch fittings and rails for frameless glass doors and many other accessories for all types of doors are also included in the range. For more information about the full StarTec range, please request your copy of the StarTec Collection brochure, or visit www.hafele.com.au/startec. Glass & Aluminium Hardware | Door Hardware | Access Control | Sliding & Folding Door Systems Melbourne | Sydney | Newcastle | Brisbane | Adelaide | Perth | Canberra | Hobart | Launceston [email protected] w w w. h a f e l e . c o m 1300 659 728 climate comfort Scientific and technological advances have put building designers on notice to come up with the goods beneath the surface F words have long been synonymous with good building design. For most of the past century, the profession has been obsessed with the influence of F words on the built environment. Two F words in particular have remained the mantle on which popular architecture has rested since the early Roman architect Vitruvius wrote that a good building should satisfy the three principles of firmitas, utilitas and venustas – roughly translated as durability, utility and beauty – which over time came to be rounded down to form and function. Form came to follow function as the notion that structural and aesthetic considerations should be entirely subject to functionality gained traction among progressive 20th century building designers. But as sure as form followed function, another underlying prerequisite to satisfy the contemporary ethos became embedded before the millennium closed out – environmental sustainability. And therein lay another F word – friendliness – to acknowledge the positive impact of good design on demands for non-sustainable power sources for heating, cooling, lighting, water and waste management. So now, form followed function, followed friendliness. The dawn of the 21st century introduced building designers to the realities of the effects of climate change and ecological degradation on the value of their work, which now has to pass more rigorous scrutiny than ever before to ensure it is future-proof in a world of diminishing energy resources. Scientific and technological advances, especially in the thermal performance of building materials, coupled with previously embraced principles of natural environmental considerations, have put building designers on notice to come up with the goods that can survive a robust ratings regime. And with 8 building designers BRIEF australia Above: At Pearl Beach, NSW, Jonathon Grose-Jong has ensured striking deep eaves and lush vegetation provide ample sun protection. Top opposite: In response to the cool temperate climate of south Hobart, Mike Cleaver has used tiled floors and dramatic stone walls for thermal mass. another F word in the equation, it can be said today that forms follows function, follows friendliness, follows futurity. So, while form and function is still very much an overriding consideration, building designers now need to ensure that beneath the roof of every design there are materials that make their buildings climate comfortable, sustainably responsible and energy wise. FOOTNOTE: The last F word comes from Frank Lloyd Wright, who developed organic architecture in which the form was defined by its environment and purpose, with an aim to promote harmony between human habitation and the natural world. His philosophy lives on in many of the climate-comfortable designs featured here. Autumn 2011 Above: Stephen Kidd’s design of a dramatic renovation on the sunshine coast incorporates cool timber floors and a breezeway between rooms with louvres. Above and below: In Lower Chittering in the hills of Perth, Roger Joyner’s own home grabs northern light filtered through the trees. Below: In sub-tropical Noosa, Paul Clout has created great window treatments with louvres, stacking doors and performance glass. A water tank is tucked under a wide steel-supported balcony and part of the first level. Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 9 Top and above: Chris Vandyk provides ideal tropical comfort in this Redlynch Valley home in Queensland. Below: In the Yarramalong Valley region of NSW, Dick Clarke uses well-considered orientation and amazing roof angles to capture essential light. 10 building designers BRIEF australia Above and below: Among many climatic considerations, John Berryman has ensured that multi-planed eaves and soaring skillion roofs at Dugong Beach Resort on Groote Eylandt provide great shade and ventilation. The extensive use of louvres throughout the resort offers opening walls for breezeways and cyclone-rated window treatments. Autumn 2011 ADVANCED BUILDING TECHNOLOGY IS NOW AVAILABLE IN HOUSES. BUILDING MATERIALS FOR THE FUTURE are available today with the introduction of a heavy-duty, lightweight newcomer called SCYON™. The brainchild of James Hardie’s research and development team, this advanced cement composite challenges conventional building methods with a range of products that includes inventive cladding, weatherboard, water-resistant flooring and trim. Created with ease of installation in mind, SCYON™ brings advanced building technology to the houses of today, with an eye on tomorrow. Keep your eye on SCYON™ and challenge convention. www.scyon.com.au climate comfort I was faced with how to design a swimming pool that could be driven totally and economically from solar energy taking the plunge Building design is one notable achievement on a diverse resume of life’s work that octogenarian Collyn Rivers has not pursued as a career. But it is an industry on which he has left an indelible mark. Resident ESD commentator Dick Clarke last year familiarised readers with Collyn’s iconic Wave House project during a voyage to the north-west frontier where the two passionate energy crusaders were reunited on the southern outskirts of Broome. Now relocated to the more temperate Pittwater region of Sydney’s northern reaches, Collyn feels it is only right to share a groundbreaking aspect of his Broome building design experience with the broader building design community. What client wouldn’t be impressed with a saving of up to 90 per cent on the conventional cost of installing a swimming pool maintenance system with significant ongoing energy wastage offsets? For the record, Collyn Rivers, now 80, is a former research engineer who changed careers completely in 1970 to found the globally successful publication Electronics Today International. From 1982, he was the major technical contributor to The Bulletin. He also wrote the Federal Government Guide to Information Technology and, also in the 1980s, founded the very successful journal, Australian Telecommunications. He is also a well-known author and global publisher of books in the solar energy field, including Solar That Really Works (primarily for cabins, motor homes, boats and similar environments) and Solar Success (for home and property systems). 12 building designers BRIEF australia W hen designing my Kimberley property, described so well by Dick Clarke in Building Designers Brief Australia (Spring 2010), I was faced with how to design a swimming pool that could be driven totally and economically from solar energy. And further, to safeguard the innumerable native birds that would inevitably drink from it, by using zero – or minimal – chlorine or other chemicals. While I had already designed and installed the 3.5kW (11kW surge) solar system used to power equipment needed to build and then run the house and property irrigation, I approached several companies to see what methods they might suggest. Their quotes for the proposed 31,000 litre above-ground concrete pool all related to conventional solar technology – most including totally unnecessary battery storage – to drive a 2kW (input) 240-volt induction motor pump, plus the usual high-level chlorine protection. My suggestion that it could be done more simply, much more cheaply and more ecologically soundly was rejected out of hand, so I decided to design and construct that part of the pool system myself. My starting point was to realise that, as Kimberley days have eight to 10 hours of sunlight almost year round, and no imperative to circulate water at night, there was no need for battery back-up. Then there was the growing realisation that the average installed pool pump may be as low as 10 per cent efficient. That being so, why consider 240 volts at all? An hour or two’s research resulted in my uncovering the German-made Lorenz range of pumps, several of which ran from 48 volts DC (direct current). This also enabled me to legally install all the electrical bits. The Lorenz pump motor is actually a DC brushless Autumn 2011 day. When it does, water is pumped into the pool at the top of the end opposite to where the pool-bottom outlet pipe is fitted. The water level rises until it reaches and exceeds the level of the horizontal section of pipe, and then down and into the now gravity-pressurised part of the irrigation system over a period of two hours or so. unit that interfaces with the PV solar modules via a specialised multiple power point tracker – a unit that in effect ‘juggles volts and amps’ to optimise the energy transfer, similar to the way a torque converter works on a car with automatic transmission. My sums indicated that a north-facing 480-watt* solar array at the latitude angle of about 18 degrees should be able to circulate about 4500 litres an hour for most of a typical Kimberley day of between five and six-anda-half peak sun hours. In practice, the system exceeds that most days by a few hundred litres. A very minor downside is the change of pitch from the all-but-silent motor when the rare cloud partially obscures solar input. Water quality is maintained simply by diverting the bore water – used in any case for irrigation – via the pool. Some 5000-7500 litres/day are thus replaced. Our initial trials with a Floatron pool system were not successful. The device worked well for a few weeks, but its transparent plastic lens became irreversibly opaque under the ever-present sun within a few weeks. A single chlorine tablet a week, however, proved adequate to keep the water crystal clear year-round and appeared not to affect native life. The first less-than-well-observed trial resulted in an almost totally drained pool, and my wife (between fits of unseemly laughter) pointing out that the horizontal pipe The method is primarily passive. An irrigation feed pipe about 50mm from the bottom of the pool at one end has a vertical riser that extends to about 20cm below the normal water level. It then runs horizontally for about 25cm before dropping to ground level where it joins a dedicated part of the sloping ground irrigation system below the pool. The 25cm horizontal section is adjustable to coincide with the pool’s normal static level. The early-morning, time-controlled irrigation system – a 750-watt pump and 500-litre pressure tank – runs for about 30 minutes each Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 13 climate comfort My experience with that project did cause me to wonder about conventional swimming pool technology section needed a top air inlet to prevent syphoning. That done, the pool worked faultlessly – excepting the need for a $900 replacement pump motor – from mid-2003 until when we sold the property in late 2010. Possibly in attempts to explain electrics simply, analogies are often made between pumping and water flowing in a pipe. While such analogies may help, they can also be misleading – and that is particularly so with pumping energy loss. When you double an electric cable’s crosssection, the loss through it resisting current flow is halved. But double the cross-section of a water pipe and the loss falls to one quarter – as does the energy required for pumping. Do that with diameter and it becomes about five times! Also often overlooked with pumping systems are the huge losses with the typical stop-start pressure regulated systems, where pumps may start and stop many hundreds of times a day. An electric pump motor draws many times its running current each time it starts – plus hysteresis losses as long flexible pipes expand and contract circumferentially as the pump repeatedly starts and stops. This is readily fixed by adding a seriously large pressure tank – mine were 500 litres – but it really needs a dedicated article to be able to explain comprehensively (perhaps the editor will humour me on that front). Curiously, this issue is often overlooked by the building industry and home builders. In solar-powered property systems the cost of that wasted energy is out of all proportion to the cost of increasing pipe sizes throughout, and not infrequently, many times that even of pumping water vertically. My experience with that project – as, indeed, with some aspects of the whole house – did cause me to wonder about conventional swimming pool technology. My resultant system was simple to design and install, it works superbly, and has proved ultra-reliable. The pump starts up within 30 minutes of sunrise and pumps all day until just before sunset. It continues to pump, at reduced flow, even during those rare times when the sun is substantially obscured. Yet it uses about a quarter of the energy of conventional systems. Further, excluding minor labour (all my own), its total cost was less than $7500. That’s a helluva lot less than the $60,000-$75,000 quoted. It’s also simpler and more ecologically sound. * It is still not widely realised that the worldwide industry practice of rating solar module output – Standard Operating Conditions, or SOC – is not replicable unless the modules are momentarily exposed, at their optimum orientation, on the top of a very high mountain close to the equator at midday. A more typical output – but disclosed mostly only in the fine print – is the NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell Temperature) rating. This is typically 70-71 per cent of the SOC rating. Despite this, the solar industry worldwide advertises and markets grid connect and stand-alone systems using the effectively non-achievable SOC rating. An installed 1.kW system is thus more typically a 1.2-1.3kW system and, if pressed, installers will reluctantly agree. Sooner or later, someone will challenge this in court … and win – because the true typical input is revealed in the obligatory paperwork on completion. Collyn Rivers [email protected] 14 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 It’s time to start breaking your windows thermally breaking that is - intrODUCing thermalheart™ The latest innovation in commercial framing The new AWS ThermalHEART™ Commercial range is thermally broken to minimise the transfer of heat and cold between the internal and external environment. ThermalHEART™ Commercial framing is 51% more thermally efficient than standard aluminium framing. Maximise efficiency and comfort with ThermalHEART™ systems. thermalheart.com.au Come and join us Conference Speakers Program Overview Elrond Burrell Thursday 7th April He has particular expertise in ecological design, timber construction, and complex projects. Registrations Golf (9 holes) Welcome Drinks Tone Wheeler Friday 8th April Tone Wheeler is an architect, author, educator and consultant with an abiding interest in environmentally sustainable design Keynote Speakers Conference speakers Corporate presentations ABCB reviews Food and friendship Lynn Allen Lynn Allen, Cadalyst columnist and Autodesk Technical Evangelist, speaks to more than 30,000 users worldwide each year. Chris Reardon Chris Reardon is a building designer of some twenty years experience specialising in sustainable design and construction. The Panel Question and answer session to wrap your head around. The Guru’s of sustainability as your sounding board. Conference day 1 50th Birthday celebrations Saturday 9th April Conference day 2 Keynote Speakers Conference speakers Corporate presentations More food and more friendship National Design Excellence Awards presentation At Maggie Beer’s “THE FARM”. Book on-line www.bdasa.com.au national conference Nature will be at the forefront of a program featuring some of Australia’s most prominent eco-design experts gold class event B uilding designers from throughout Australia will toast the golden anniversary of the industry’s ‘coming-ofage’ when they gather in the Barossa Valley next month for the 2011 BDA National Conference and Awards. The first industry association was formed in South Australia in 1961 and the South Australian building design fraternity is determined to make this year’s national conference a memorable experience. Time is running out, however, for designers wishing to register to become part of the Barossa celebration. The event starts with the obligatory pre-conference golf challenge on Thursday, April 7 followed by welcome drinks in the evening. Conference sessions will occupy most of the day on Friday and Saturday, April 8-9, culminating with the annual National Design Awards presentation dinner on Saturday night. The conference theme, Building With Nature, reinforces the bonds of commitment to natural and cultural heritage being embraced by building designers. Nature will be at the forefront of a program featuring some of Australia’s most prominent eco-design experts in an environment custom-designed for experiential conferencing. Speakers such as ESD leading lights Elron Burrell, Chris Reardon and Tone Wheeler will headline a program which will also feature ‘Cadalyst’ and ‘Autodesk technical evangelist’ Lynn Allen. Nature’s influence on the conference will not be lost between business sessions and social events. The iconic winegrowing region boasts a pristine and tranquil landscape dotted with picturesque vineyards among acres of natural bushland and a host of heritage-listed buildings. Delegates will have an ideal opportunity before, during and after the conference to indulge in the fruits of the region’s natural gifts by exploring its many environmental and man-made attractions, including 150 wineries, 75 cellar-door tasting venues, more than 40 renowned restaurants, 100 boutique accommodation options and more than 750 grape-growing operations. The Barossa Wine and Visitor Information Centre is there to help. Generous accommodation packages have been negotiated at the conference venue, the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, perched high in the heart of the Barossa, overlooking the rolling hills of the valley. The National Design Awards presentation dinner will be hosted nearby at The Farm, home kitchen of international celebrity chef Maggie Beer. For more information and conference registration details, visit www.bdasa.com.au or call 1800 423 272. Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 17 walking the talk with chris reardon Carbon zero is arguably the most important challenge we have ever faced the carbon crunch There was a time when the theory of carbon neutrality could be fruitlessly foisted on an unsuspecting building design community without someone actually doing the hard yards. But times have changed. A certain doctor of philosophy in sustainable futures has seen to that with his determination to provide building designers with a practical demonstration of how to pursue and rein in the lofty ideals of ultimate environmental sustainability with the conception, design and construction of a modest holiday retreat at Sussex Inlet on the NSW south coast, affectionately referred to as the luurve shack. While it remains a frustrating work in progress for CHRIS REARDON, he is determined to see it through … and to share the fruits of his labour of luurve along the way with true believers. U nfortunately, progress on the luurve shack ground to a halt in the second half of 2010 due to work demands and incessant rain. The way I look at it, the shack is a sustainable holiday home and the first rule of sustainability applies: If it’s not fun – it’s not sustainable. If only our demanding, whip-wielding editor was capable of understanding this. creatively and cost-effectively is what we do as building designers. I suggest that carbon zero is no different, except that it is arguably the most important challenge we have ever faced. Even the last few climate change skeptics agree that energy costs (carbon, actually) are skyrocketing and clients are increasingly demanding low and zero-energy homes. Business as usual for most designers includes working to a tight budget (although some WAussie designers appear immune to this restriction). We are used to evaluating the implications of every design decision in project budget terms. Now we need to evaluate them in energy/carbon budget terms as well (and this applies to those WAussies with unlimited budgets, too). Same, same – but different. You might recall the quick and dirty carbon audit in the last article where I found myself ‘fessing up’ to having ‘spent’ a substantial portion of my embodied carbon budget just getting my low-cost, carbon-zero shack out One of the aims in this series of articles has been to demonstrate a simple approach to making a project carbon-zero – even one with a difficult site, an idiot for a client, a tight budget and demanding neighbours. Some designers I speak to comment that carbon zero is “all too hard”. Well, over the years, we have managed to accommodate new framing and thermal performance codes, OH&S and access codes, and so on and so forth … without compromising our design standards or going broke. Meeting new challenges and solving problems 18 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 of the ground. I justified this in terms of narrow-view corridor and space-related site constraints (the usual designer excuses) but the net result at the end of the day is that this blowout will cost the client (me) more in photovoltaic panels. While the cost of on-site renewable energy generation has dropped dramatically in recent years, reducing both embodied and operational energy from concept design stage onwards still remains the most important step in creating a cost-effective carbon-zero house. Below I outline a few of the strategies I have employed to claw back some of my carbon overspend. Most of the embodied energy in a home is usually found in the heavier materials (for example, concrete, brick and so on) and a few high embodied energy materials (for example, PVC, aluminum, steel, copper and so on). CSIRO research found that materials used in the average Australian house contain the levels of embodied energy in the table below from Your Home. It gives a good indication of where to look for the greatest savings. Cladding Approximately 60 per cent of the external cladding was proposed as Colorbond steel and 40 per cent Weathertex panel. By cladding 90 per cent of the building with carbon-neutral Weathertex and only 10 per cent with Colorbond, I have saved around 5 tonnes of embodied carbon. While Colorbond contains around 40 per cent recycled steel, its embodied energy is still significantly higher than Weathertex. Insulation While insulation accounts for only a small percentage of total carbon embodied in the project, it is one area where simple, cost-effective carbon savings can be made. To get the job air tight/weather tight quickly, I had intended fixing a reflective foil-lined polystyrene foam insulation board to the frame externally. Unfortunately, my Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 19 walking the talk with chris reardon To offset my embodied carbon overspend I will need to achieve a net export of on-site renewable electricity research indicated that commonly available products (read ‘cost-effective’) in this category are ‘blown’ with pentane which has around seven times the global warming impact of CO2. (Siddall 2007). In his 2006 book, Harvey estimated a 25-year payback period for 15mm of pentane blown foam in a mild climate. This payback drops significantly in a more extreme climate where the insulation saves more heating/ cooling energy – but your luurve shack has a mild climate. With two aluminium reflective surfaces, this blows out to around 40 years. While that still means the material will become carbon positive over a 50year life-cycle, alternative insulation gives a much better outcome. Recycled paper (cellulose) has a payback period of around two years and 80 per cent recycled polyester around six years (plus five to 10 when reflective foil is included). In the end, I opted for R1.5 polyester wall insulation with 80 per cent recycled content and a low embodied energy breathable wrap for the walls. While the tonnage of embodied carbon saved will be quite small, it is nonetheless a credit. Paint CSIRO estimates that two coats of typical household paint have an embodied energy of 20.4mJ/sq m. That’s around 600mJ or 2.28 tonnes for the shack. By using low embodied energy Porters Limewash on 50 per cent of the surface area, I can reduce this by 40 per cent, or around 1 tonne. Carbon sequestration Carbon sequestration yields some useful carbon credits. Timber has a net positive effect when carbon stored during the tree’s growth phase (around -8.3kg CO2/ kg) is included in the carbon budget. Growing forests absorb carbon dioxide from the air and ‘sequester’ (store or fix) it in woody tissue. Trees are the most powerful concentrators of carbon on earth. With density ranging from 650-900kg/cu m, hardwood contains 325-450kg of carbon per cubic metre. At densities of 500 kg/cu m, 20 building designers BRIEF australia softwood contains around 250kg of carbon/cu m (Moore 2000). My 2.85cu m of kiln-dried softwood frame sequesters about 7.1 tonnes of carbon, which has a net credit of 2.6 tonnes after 4.5 tonnes of embodied carbon from the Process Energy Requirement (PER) of 3.4 MJ/kg for H2 and H3 LOSP treated pine is deducted. A little over one tonne of sequestered carbon was lost when the 0.25cu m of existing Cyprus floor and 1.2 cu m of hardwood joists collapsed during construction. Its replacement with particleboard and engineered HySpan Joists added just on 1.5 tonnes. The net result was a 2.6 tonne increase to the carbon bottom line. This demonstrates the value of retaining existing structure containing sequestered carbon – particularly when replacement alternatives have high embodied energy. Summary CSIRO estimates that the average embodied energy in a home is 5 gigajoules/sq m, or 1000 gigajoules for an average 200sq m house, and that on average, 0.098 tonnes of CO2 are produced per gigajoule. That translates to approximately 100 tonnes per home. Autumn 2011 My current audit indicates that the embodied CO2 in the luurve shack will be around 100 tonnes even though it is smaller than an average home. I attribute this to the big embodied energy centres audited in my last article ( PVC formwork, concrete and reinforcing steel) and it reminds me of what happens when I ignore my own golden rule of “treading lightly on the earth” rather than digging into it and retaining it. Never mind, the neighbours are happy, I have earth-coupled thermal stability and comfort, and with great views. To offset my embodied carbon overspend during the minimum expected 50-year lifespan of the shack, I will need to achieve a net export of on-site renewable electricity. Each 1kW (peak) saves around 475kg of C02 per annum, or around 24 tonnes over the 50-year life of the building. In other words, I need to devote around 4Kw (peak) of PV to paying back my embodied carbon. This could have been halved with a lightweight structure and would have saved me $22,000 in PV – and about the same in building cost. Now there’s a lesson learned the hard way. I will need another 2kW (peak) to offset my operating energy needs. This is where the 75-tonne heating and cooling carbon credit from my thermal mass investment pays off (see last article). Finally, I estimate that I will need a further 4kW (peak) to offset the carbon footprint from my transport and food. Were I to sell the car and walk, bike or bus, eat only fish from the inlet and grow my own vegies, I could probably reduce this to 1kW (peak) – but that’s unlikely with my addiction to affluent western, developed world lifestyle. So, I need a total system size of 10kW (peak). At current rates, that will set me back around $40,000 to $45,000 (including RECS). Autumn 2011 Assuming CoAG settles at an average 40c per kW gross-feed-in tariff (this is currently the most popular prediction), this system would pay for itself in around 10 years. Not a bad investment, methinks. I can’t see too many banks not being willing to lend on those numbers – especially when predicted electricity price rises will only make it more attractive. At the end of the day, carbon zero housing is very do-able. References Harvey L.D. 2006 A Handbook on Low-Energy Buildings and District-Energy Systems Fundamentals, Techniques and Examples. London: Earthscan. Moore, P., 2000, “Green Spirit, Trees are the Answer”, Greenspirit Enterprises Limited, Canada) Siddall, M 2007; http://www.aecb.net/forum/index.php?PHPSE SSID=dh2l840vjj5vf29pa7c6g0s237&topic=1001.0 Chris Reardon, Building Designer NSW Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Futures Chris welcomes your comments to the editor building designers BRIEF australia 21 Entries close 31st May 2011. the big picture with dick clarke It is possible to design and build structures that can withstand major flood events weathering the storm If every action is expected to create an equal and opposite reaction, it should come as no surprise that the recent devastating weather extremes have added fuel to the fire in the belly of the building design industry’s guardian of the elements, DICK CLARKE, who argues that ‘extreme’ architectural measures may have to form part of any response taken by reconstruction authorities to future-proof buildings in unstable climate zones. Otherwise, we’re in for more of the same devastation, on an even grander scale, as the weather patterns on which we have wreaked our own havoc continue to dump on us. E verybody else is talking about it – why shouldn’t we? The Queensland floods, Cyclone Yasi, the floods in Victoria and the heatwave in NSW. And this is before we even look over the seas and not so very far away at floods and mudslides in Brazil, extreme weather events in the USA and Europe. It seems the world has gone mad. Increasing extremes of weather are included in every climate model’s predictions for the short term future of Earth’s climate. What they cannot yet predict is where and when these events will occur, and so planners, designers and building owners must deal with uncertainty and risk management. No doubt the Queensland Premier’s Commission of Inquiry will address these questions, and I would no more attempt to pre-empt that process than fly to the moon … except for the following (well, come on, the editor would sack me if I didn’t stick my neck out). It is possible to design and build structures that can withstand major flood events. Whether or not we should do that is a bigger question. But rolling back the clock of development in the Brisbane River Valley is not on any realistic agenda; there is no cost-effective, practical, equitable, or democratic way of doing it. The suburbs and industrial estates are there – now we just have to find ways of managing the risk. This applies pretty much equally to any similar area in Australia – and there are many. Flood-proofing a structure is simple enough: identify the probable maximum flood level (often labeled the PMF), set the lowest habitable floor slightly above that level, get an estimate of the water velocity, add a factor of safety, and design for rigidity and adhesion to the site, and voila, the basic structure of a potential flood But this kind of philosophical approach has not satisfied many whose lives have been shattered by events in the here and now. For instance, sharp questions are being asked in the Brisbane River Valley following the devastating floods in January, such as why didn’t the Wivanhoe Dam protect us? Why was urban development allowed in so many flood-prone areas? And what can be done to protect communities from such devastation in future? 24 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 survivor comes off the drawing board – assuming the PMF behaves itself. But buildings need much more than just their structures – they need services and equipment, surface finishes, safe paths of egress, and of course, power and water. All of these have to be integrated harmoniously into functional spaces that delight and inspire, and nurture. Easy. It’s called architecture. That’s why everybody does it so well. (Oh dear, sarcasm after only 400 words). Many councils around the country have strict planning controls which set parameters for any development on flood-prone land – whether new builds, or alterations and additions. For example, Warringah Council on Sydney’s northern beaches, in controlling development in the Manly Lagoon flood basin, set the minimum floor levels just above the PMF, and demands that all subfloor space is left ‘open to flood water, so as not to reduce the available volume in the flood basin, the removal of which would drive the flood level higher’. All well and good, but how do you then get any thermal connection between floor and ground, as a key plank of a passive design strategy? Allowing free air movement under a suspended slab, for instance, will add significant uncontrolled thermal transfer (colder in winter, hotter in summer). In my practice, we have overcome this difficulty by enclosing and insulating the perimeter of the subfloor in such a way as to allow flood water ingress and egress at the prescribed rate (in one case, a rise rate of 50mm/hour, but any rate can be accommodated), while effectively excluding significant air exchange under normal conditions. No moving parts, no tricks, just simple pipes below the sealed skirt wall. We used high thermal mass construction, in balance with the other six elements of passive design, as a means of eliminating air conditioning. Autumn 2011 The habitable floors were suspended concrete slabs, protected by insulated skirt walls sealed to the ground but with some very small air gaps at the top. Hot or cold cross winds do not freely exchange with subfloor air. At the lowest point of the site below the walls, we placed 450 square sumps inside and outside the skirt walls, connected by pipes of sufficient diameter to allow the required volume of floodwater to pass into the subfloor. We had to demonstrate this hitherto unique solution to the council engineers, but with the right data input, they were satisfied. In a high velocity situation, the walls may need to have burst-open hinged panels to allow sudden surges to pass through from end to end. Otherwise, the principle can be used anywhere. At the same time, we used a double axis Vierendeel trussed floor structure to eliminate 20m deep piers on the soft alluvial soils. This involved a second slab down on ground level, which is dead flat underneath like an elephant’s foot, connected by a series of reinforced concrete block piers to the floor slab above. This spread the building’s load uniformly across the building’s footprint. The pressure is less than a foot exerts when walking. In really high flood velocity situations, shallow screw piers may be needed to hold the building in place. All of this is well and good for sites where flooding behaves as predicted. But nature is not very predictable at the local scale, and things change in neighbourhoods beyond councils’ knowledge or control – a bit of paving here, another carport there, a clogged drain down the road, and with an extreme (or will that become normal?) rain event, suddenly the flood is a metre higher than the PMF. What then? building designers BRIEF australia 25 Then we can design and build so the building can survive inundation and clean-up. This means all electrical and plumbing services being made capable of either submersion, or placed at a height above a predetermined extra flood factor level – say 1.5m above floor. Wall construction will have clean-out openings, and all materials would be capable of submersion for up to seven days. This is all achievable now with materials we use every day. Wastewater treatment systems present some problems. Total inundation will ruin all mechanical aeration equipment, and even the superior wet composting systems will probably lose their worm populations. This problem may have to stay on the ‘we’ll repair that if it happens’ list, but someone clever may come up with a solution. PV systems, on the other hand, can keep working (after being turned off during the inundation period), providing emergency power to the building until mains is reconnected, including being isolated from the incoming mains. How these changes are implemented is a bitter pill for communities and businesses to swallow. It means altered buildings become split level, where the new part is significantly higher than the existing: home owners don’t like their houses being on two vastly different levels, and so it tends to increase the number of knockdown/ rebuilds, and maybe in this context that is the right thing. For commercial and public buildings there is a raft of challenges affecting access and workability. The cost also cannot be underestimated. Should government money be allocated to assist – even fast-track – a change in the building stock? 26 building designers BRIEF australia If we all end up paying for the clean-up, through goodwill and taxes, would such an investment in better buildings provide the whole community with a return? This is a conversation the nation needs to have. None of us is immune from natural disasters, whether flood, fire, or rising sea level. One thing I am prepared to stick my neck out on is this: the flood recovery levy will become a prototype for a permanent Natural Disaster Adaptation Levy (or some name to that effect), because the floods are not going away, the cyclones will be bigger and more frequent, and the fires will probably get fiercer … and the insurance industry exists to make a profit, not to rebuild national infrastructure from the goodness of its heart. We will have to get used to it. Dick Clarke Building Designer NSW Master of Sustainable Futures (ISF) Dick welcomes your comments to the editor. Autumn 2011 out there with neville zark The Lord looked down and saw Nev sitting in his empty yard crying like a baby doomsday dilemma On the subject of Noah, and Smithy’s cartoon about the need to consider the way we rebuild after the Queensland floods, we thought we’d run a late-breaking report from an unknown source. We suspect it has its roots in a building design practice buckling out there somewhere under the weight of a regulatory overload. It may not be entirely politically correct – or even mildly factually correct, for that matter – but we do acknowledge the honourable intentions of those politicians, bureaucrats and social justice activists who have inadvertently contributed to our wag’s tongue-incheek take on their commitment to the creation of a better world. I n the year 2010, the Lord appeared to Neville (a descendant of Noah) and said: “Mate, sorry, job’s on again. Things have been getting pretty crook on Earth and we need to talk. Knock up another Ark and save two of every living thing you can find, including a few blokes and sheilas.” He gave Nev the plans, saying: “You’ve got six months to build the Ark before I start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.” “Forgive me, Lord,” begged Nev sobbing into his tool belt, “but things have changed. “I needed a building permit. “My neighbours claim that I’ve violated the neighbourhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard, and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Planning Tribunal for a decision. Six months later – just last week, in fact – the Lord looked down and saw Nev sitting in his empty yard crying like a baby. “Then, the Department of Transport demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they didn’t want to listen. “Nev,” he roared, “I’m about to start the rain! Where’s the Ark?” “Getting the wood was another problem. There’s a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the Polka-Dotted Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 27 Less heating, less cooling, more light less equals more Insulglass Max ensures optimal solar and insulating performance, dramatically improving on traditional insulating glass. With a 77% improvement to insulation and 73% improvement to solar heat gain*, it is the most effective way of achieving green star energy ratings. Ideal for projects where maximum energy performance is required, Insulglass Max offers greater choice for bringing natural light and solar control, with positive impacts on heating and cooling costs. *Compared to 6mm Clear. ® Insulglass Max is a registered trademark of Moen Glass an Australian Glass Group Company. australianglassgroup.com.au Galah. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the flaming galahs – but no go! “Then the EPA ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood. “When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued that accommodations were too restrictive, and that it is cruel and inhumane to put so many animals into a confined space. “I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I’m supposed to hire for my building crew…. “Immigration is checking the status of most of the people who want to work. The trade unions say I can’t use my sons. They insist I have to hire only union workers with Ark-building experience. “To make matters worse, the government seized all my assets, because they reckon I’m trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. “So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.” Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a double rainbow stretched across the sky. Nev looked up in wonder and asked: “You mean you’re not going to destroy the world, after all?” “No,” said the Lord, “the government beat me to it!” 28 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 spirit of place with trevor king Being Australian in the sense of belonging to the land has always depended on an acquired skill rethinking the relationship Building designer and heritage consultant TREVOR KING argues that environmental quality cannot continue to be measured in economic and scientific terms alone if we want to make the most of our necessary adaptation to climate change. Increases to visual richness and enhancements to our cultural sensibility must be given greater priority in the environmental design process. In this, the second part of his thought-provoking series, he stresses the importance of affectionate engagement with the natural environment as a means to achieving required changes to cultural attitudes toward the land and the development of a sustainable culture. Personally, I look to people like George Seddon because, as a polymath who held chairs in four disciplines, and as a teacher and writer on ‘place’ in the Australian context, he is without peer. I look to the Canadian philosopher of history, John Ralston Saul, to provide a detached internationalist view of my own country; and I look to Professor Jared Diamond to enhance my perspective from the global standpoint of anthropology. Elsewhere, Seddon pointed out that our deficient sense of belonging is “indicative of the still hesitant relationship we have with the land itself, having ‘alighted’ here rather than fully engaging with those aspects of the Australian experience that appear to deny our predominantly T owards the end of his wonderfully productive life, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science George Seddon wrote: “Postcolonial Australia, today’s multicultural society, which includes the Aboriginal communities, is rich in many ways. Its adaptation to the physical realities of an old unyielding land is not one of them. Being Australian in the sense of belonging to the land has always depended on an acquired skill. It is neither a right nor a given; it has always had to be learned; once handed down by the tribal elders to the young, and then learned by them. If there was no ‘Aboriginal nation’, in this at least the Aborigines were true Australians. It has always been a title to be earned, and so it remains.”1. This statement stimulates simple but related questions. Who are the contemporary elders who can guide us towards a sense of belonging? Where is the source of learning for non-indigenous Australians? 30 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 spirit of place with trevor king These elders have been stimulating us to rethink the way we relate to the land, not just physically, but culturally sense, however, mining is also key to Australia’s environmental history and to its current predicament.” Diamond says Australia has been and still is “mining” its renewable resources as if they were mined minerals. That is, they are being over-exploited at rates faster than their renewal rates, with the result that they are declining. European cultural heritage. The land has had little influence on us, we do not know how to listen to it, our culture has been unable to comprehend it.” Such observations are quite damning, having implications in the analysis of our ability to live here sustainably. In 2005, Saul wrote that “Australia remains confused by the tension between its European cultural origins, its Aboriginal reality and its Asian geography”.2. He described “a very difficult evolution for old colonial societies that have tied so much of their new societies to what they had theoretically brought with them. In different ways you can find ...(an) almost animist identification with place growing in Canada and Australia and other countries where there is a living tension between Aboriginal and immigrant societies.”3. Jared Diamond demonstrated his perceptions about Australia within its global context by stating that “mining in the literal sense – the mining of coal, iron and so on – is a key to Australia’s economy today, providing the largest share of its export earnings. In a metaphorical Autumn 2011 “Ecologically, the Australian environment is exceptionally fragile, the most fragile of any First World country except Iceland,” he writes. “Australia also displays the importance of cultural values, including some imported ones that could be viewed as inappropriate to the Australian landscape, for understanding environmental impacts. Perhaps more than other First World citizens known to me, Australians are beginning to think radically about the central question: which of our traditional core values can we retain, and which ones instead no longer serve us well in today’s world?”4. This is at least encouraging. Together, these elders have been stimulating us to rethink the way we relate to the land, not just physically, but culturally. And they come to a similar conclusion: that we can no longer afford to look through the uninformed eyes of our forebears; that we must become much more aware of the fragility of this ancient continent; and that we must be prepared to change our relationship by responding to the great variety of places that exist throughout the continent by adapting our local and regional cultures to suit our unique circumstances. While acknowledging that our contemporary sense of identity can be simultaneously local, regional, national and international, this capacity to adapt is perhaps the key issue of our evolving cultural identity. It is the basis of an inquiry that asks: how, then, do we engage with the land of our living? A truly satisfying contemporary engagement can occur if we use the most culturally authentic open knowledge systems that we have at our disposal, namely science building designers BRIEF australia 31 spirit of place with trevor king We must place emphasis on qualities that contain the land’s most visually essential and describable qualities and art. Neither Euro-centrism nor animism will really assist us in making the necessary cultural change. If we are to provide a sense of anchorage to this exploration about engaging with the land we must place emphasis on attributes that are not vulnerable to change and opinion, on qualities that contain the land’s most visually essential and describable qualities. For this we need a new Science of Place. The visual field is a finite space, with real attributes, which are amenable to description and classification. Most, if not all, of the visual field within the cities in which the vast majority of our citizens live is occupied by man-made objects, whether individual or at the level of the streetscape. Beyond the edges of the city the visual field is still man-made. There, within the cultural landscape, culture and the hand of man are everywhere. Yet, as Seddon points out: “The natural environment – the bush – is still a powerful physical presence in all the capital cities other than Melbourne. In most of Australia, responding to the local context must therefore recognise the force, the form and structure of this presence … (it is) an argument for responding to the forms, colours and textures of a highly distinctive local environment.”5. Living relationships with places only occur through intentional engagement, as environmental information is learned, taken into the active imagination and transformed. This results in an increased subjective sense of ownership, as the relationship is expanded and intensified. In effect, the observer takes imaginative possession of the observed and in the process deep bonds of affection are formed. The deeper the relationship, the deeper the affection. An interesting subjective phenomenon then occurs. By taking the observed into the active imagination, absorbing it and gaining a sense of ownership of it, the observer becomes ‘negatively possessed’ by the observed. This is what happens when people becomes engrossed in something they feel passionately about. They become completely absorbed in the subject. The observer has effectively become identified with the observed; just as traditional owners and generations of farming families feel that they are owned by the land, or an artist or writer describes how a work somehow created itself, with the human agent merely playing the role of a conduit to the mysterious end result. Climate change will affect different places in differing ways. Sustainable solutions will need to be found at the local and regional levels. This will include those aesthetic solutions that influence the perception of local and regional identity, and ultimately therefore, social cohesion. How well do we actually know the natural environments in which our urban centres are located? Is it possible to achieve a sense of belonging without a clear understanding of our living context? affection and indigeneity Affection is important in learning how to belong to places, to achieving the necessary sense of indigeneity. 32 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 spirit of place with trevor king A sense of belonging is engendered as a new depth of relationship is formed references Seddon, The Old Country: Australian Landscapes, Plants and People, p 240 1 Ralston Saul, The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World, p 32 2 3 ibid, p 212-213 Diamond, Collapse: Survive, p 379 4 How Societies Choose to Fail or Seddon, The Old Country: Australian Landscapes, Plants and People, p 193-194 5 Herein lies the fundamental importance of affection – and the link to indigeneity. The object of study, the place and its associated patterns, becomes absorbed by the embodied mind and in the act of absorption the person comes to feel captivated by the place. A sense of belonging, of indigeneity, is engendered as a new depth of relationship is formed. Without affection, this profound quality of relationship cannot possibly occur. Affectionate engagement is essential if we are to achieve a shift towards the cultural and aesthetic changes that will complement our other adaptations to climate change. There is no disputing the fact that we are still an essentially second-hand culture, and the blind acceptance that economic and expediency factors alone should be used to measure environmental quality is deeply detrimental, leading to a loss of visual richness and a diminished cultural sensibility. The study of place-based patterns becomes a deliberate act of highlighting shared aspects of the environment, revealing its hidden structure and artistically re-presenting that structure within a new social context, that of our common natural heritage and a growing sense of indigeneity. Autumn 2011 Trevor King Building Designer NSW Heritage Consultant building designers BRIEF australia 33 product feature The water was hitting the windows horizontally and the louvres held up great. I am very impressed put to the yasi test The scale of the devastation and misery wreaked by Cyclone Yasi on many North Queensland communities cannot be understated. The fierce weather event has prompted authorities to ensure that the reconstruction effort leaves no stone unturned in a bid to withstand the ravages of what many believe will be inevitable similar events as the effects of climate change continue to influence our previously more predictable weather patterns. Among the more positive stories to come out of the region in the wake of Cyclone Yasi have been numerous accounts of incredible survival against the odds, especially where practical, yet aesthetic, weather-proofing techniques had been incorporated in the design and construction of many homes in the disaster zone. B reezway has been approached by a number of builders commending the company on the performance of its louvres during Cyclone Yasi. Above: Damien Ferguson... absolutely no leaks Below: David Skinner... I am very impressed Opposite: John Arrowsmith’s home... it was a good test for the louvres. In order to examine the performance of Altair louvres during cyclone Yasi and to assist with future design and development , Breezway’s regional representatives went out on the road to see how their louvers performed. Here is some of the feedback they received: “Absolutely no leaks anywhere in the house where Breezway Altair Louvre Windows have been installed.” Damien Ferguson (architect, Townsville). “The water was hitting the windows horizontally (like a sheet of water up against the blades) and the louvres held up great. I am very impressed.” David Skinner (mechanic and owner-builder, Townsville). 34 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 “I have lived in the house for two years. The home itself took three years to build and although this cyclone has destroyed some parts of the house, it was a good test for the louvres. They should have leaked by rights but in this case worked really well.” John Arrowsmith (homeowner, Mission Beach). Altair Louvre Windows are tested to meet the mandatory minimum specifications under Australian Standard AS2047 (including AS1288). These tests include deflection, operating force, air infiltration, water penetration resistance and ultimate strength. Altair Louvre Windows have an air infiltration rating that is three times better than the standard required for residential windows. The firm pressure between blades and the patented design of the ‘living hinge’ ensure that Altair Louvre Windows seal tightly when closed. On rainy days and in more cyclonic conditions, water is cleverly managed to the outside of the building through the dual drainage channels concealed within the clips and by the weatherstrip and drainage holes at the bottom of the window. This tight sealing allows Altair louvres to withstand positive and negative wind pressures and can even play a role in sound insulation (resulting in an STC rating of 24-27 depending on the blade type). Breezway is providing support to anyone who has had the windows in their home directly affected by Cyclone Yasi. If you would like more information regarding the help available, contact Breezway on 1800 777 758. Autumn 2011 building designers BRIEF australia 35 product feature The home provides budget-conscious consumers with a lightweight construction solution light and smart In Australia, there seems to be a lack of awareness of lightweight construction – and therefore a lack of understanding of its benefits compared to other building techniques and materials such as brick. Rising to that challenge, both the builder and designer of the Ausmar Smart Home acknowledge that a change in mindset is necessary for such a home to be fully embraced by the market. The two-storey, 200sq m, three-bedroom, twobathroom home has been rated as an 8.5 star energy-efficient building and consists of lightweight construction throughout. T he aim of the Ausmar Smart Home was to design and build a quality, affordable and contemporary home appropriate for inclusion into any residential estate – with a more specific focus on young families and older couples wishing to downsize. Conceived on the Sunshine Coast by Ausmar Homes and designed by Golden Beach Design, the home provides budget-conscious consumers with a lightweight construction solution featuring James Hardie’s Scyon range of products – filling the gap in cost-effective, sustainable housing in the market place. “This is the first time we have specifically aimed at a more budget-conscious market,” Ausmar Homes director Tony Bryan said. “With the Ausmar Smart Home, we are trying to change the perception of new home buyers. We want them to understand that they do not need to live in a large home; a smaller one can have just as much space – smart design is the key.” 36 building designers BRIEF australia Golden Beach Design’s Tim Christopher noted: “This home is full of dual-role tricks. The kitchen bench has a hidden swivel-out dining table; there’s also a study nook fitted in under the stairs; the laundry doubles as a powder room through the selection of quality fittings; and there’s hidden storage behind the feature wall.” Tim said energy efficiency in a home could be achieved through a variety of factors and was of huge importance. “Good design plays a part, as well as smart site orientation, window placement, good window coverings and really good thermal insulation,” he said. “The Ausmar Smart Home is raised on a timber floor, so there is floor insulation as well as wall and ceiling insulation. Energy efficiency is also more achievable in a smaller home, as energy tends to be wasted in a larger home.” Autumn 2011 The material selection also assisted the energy-efficiency rating and Tim specified James Hardie’s Scyon products throughout. Scyon Secura exterior flooring has been used outside for the entertaining deck and Scyon Secura interior flooring is used throughout the house. Externally, the home is clad in a variety of Scyon products including Scyon Linea weatherboard, Stria cladding and Axon cladding on the garage. Internally, Scyon Matrix cladding has been used as a feature wall, but there is also a smart storage solution that Tim trialled. “We were trying to limit the amount of plasterboard in the home and therefore reduce the number of trades to keep costs down,” he said. “The Scyon Matrix cladding looks great, so I decided to experiment with a hidden cupboard. People like their TV to be recessed so we’ve opted for this option, and then around the TV, panels are hinged to open and close. Unless you have been told, you would never know the storage space is behind that wall.” That clever trick certainly adds wow factor to the Smart Home, as does the modular indoor-outdoor room. At the rear of the home is a six-panel stackable door opening onto a large outdoor entertaining area. A separate module room can be added at a later date. For ease of installation, the plumbing and wiring is done at the time when the home is built. “This says to clients that while they might not be able to have everything they want now, they can build Autumn 2011 the house and add to it later down the track,” Tony Bryan explained. “If they can’t afford a specific module in the first phase of the project, they can purchase transportable modules and add them to the house at a later stage.” He said the the budget for the home was also as flexible as the home itself. “The standard Ausmar Smart Home starts at $175,000 and clients can choose from up to 40 upgrades, such as our outdoor room or energy-efficient light packages. All upgrades are pre-priced and designed to fit the budget,” Tony said. “It was through the use of Scyon products and simplifying the trades on site that we were able to offer such a cost-effective home.” Visit: www.scyon.com.au or www.jameshardie.com.au building designers BRIEF australia 37 DO YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A CIRCUS ACT? Running a Building Design Practice without Professional Indemnity Insurance is like doing a tightrope walk without a safety net.........its great right until the time you trip up! No one expects to make a mistake, but with so many people involved in the construction process after you hand over the plans, you generally have little control of how the building process evolves. The Building Industry Solutions Building & Interior Designers & Draftspersons Scheme provides comprehensive cover, with value added conditions at discounted rates. We have an established Scheme that caters for over 1200 Building and Interior Designers Australia wide. 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BUILDING INDUSTRY SOLUTIONS FREECALL 1800 244 224 Fax (03) 9706 5939 Website: www.buildinginsurance.com.au Email: [email protected] Boral PlasterBoard Build something great™ Partiwall ® separating walls for attached dwellings Boral Partiwall® offers a lightweight, cost-effective solution for fire and acoustic separation of attached townhouses and villa units. Excellent acoustic performance, ease of construction and design flexibility have made Partiwall® the system of choice on many multi-residential projects around Australia. Continuous innovation has kept Partiwall® in step with changing market needs and regulatory requirements. For the latest information on the system refer to the new Partiwall® brochure and website. To order the new Partiwall® brochure visit the web address below or contact TecASSIST on 1800 811 222 or via email [email protected] www.boral.com.au/partiwall/bdm BCC 05792 03.11 product feature We needed an all-compassing roofing solution which was durable and environmentally sound clever cover-up With 180 degree ocean views and stunning sunsets, a construction project at Perth’s Naked Fig Cafe sounds like a breeze. The buzzing beachside cafe at Swanbourne Beach prides itself not just on its spectacular views, but also on implementing environmentally-friendly and socially-aware practices. F aced with the challenge of needing a weatherresistant roofing and internal panelling solution which was not only durable and cost-effective but also had environmental benefits, building designer Darren Miller of design practice d.m.b.d. Pty Ltd was engaged to design the dazzling cafe, with construction carried out by Perkins Builders. Known for being Australia’s leading provider of thermal building and architectural panels, Bondor’s MetecnoSpan products proved to be the perfect solution. “The cafe is less than 50 metres from breaking surf so we needed an all-compassing roofing solution which was durable and environmentally sound and would also withstand the elements of the weather,” Darren said. Bondor’s MetecnoSpan roofing offered a three-in-one solution, with a strong Colorbond outer roof, an energyefficient core with added insulation benefits and an attractive Colorbond ceiling surface. Inside the cafe, MetecnoSpan products were used as partitions and energy-efficient, durable panelling between the kitchen and coolroom. “The insulated and double-sided finish performs well,” Darren said. “The other major drawcards were the easy installation, lower construction timing and decreased costs. Bondor general manager Geoff Marsdon said: “The Naked Fig Cafe is a unique building in a stunning location and the use of our products is testament to the variety of needs they can meet.” . Fore more information visit www.bondor.com.au or call 1300 300 099 40 building designers BRIEF australia Autumn 2011 Bushfire resisting XLM ® PLANK with extreme durability and scratch resistance Structural and decorative engineered timber products coated with a genuine primer TimberTech® XLM® decking provides extreme slip and scratch resistance • Bushfire resisting for BAL 29 applications Design Pine is • Warm and natural • Sustainable plantation pine • A carbon sink, 49% by weight • Low embodied energy • Made for Australian conditions • Durable for harsh Australian conditions • Scratch, mildew and stain resistant • No visible screws when installed using CONCEALoc hidden fasteners • Easy to use NEW Design a dream. Spantable software Version 1.2 now available online • Exceptional slip resistance NEW for 2011 • Will not split or warp when exposed to NEW for 2011 direct sunlight • Not affected by salt spray or pool water • Up to 40% lighter than wood plastic composite decking www.designpine.com www.wpcdecking.com SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS FROM ITI (AUST) www.itiaustralia.net ITI: SyDNEy: 02 8805 5000, NEwCASTLE: 02 4953 7666, BRISBANE: 07 3718 5700, TOwNSVILLE: 07 4725 3777, MELBOURNE: 03 9392 8400, ADELAIDE: 08 8347 7011, PERTH: 08 9434 2799 The hasty man built on sand. The smart man built on rock. The genius built on Termimesh. For your next design, specify the original Termimesh system. It’s genius. There is no more intelligent option to protect homes from termites than Termimesh. An ultra marine grade stainless steel mesh creates an impenetrable physical barrier with no need for chemicals. Good for your client, good for you, good for the planet. Good thinking. For more information visit www.termimesh.com style tough EDGE A new division that specialises in meeting future needs of modern architectural and design vision... ultradesign composites provides a choice of composite products designed and engineered for sustainability, style, durability and minimal maintenance 100% RECYCLED - Australian Wood Plastic Composite Very tough. Very very tough and will not rot. This wood/plastic composite is truly a product for construction, building and heavy duty applications. It is a totally recycled composite made only from 100% Australian waste with UV inhibitors. Ultraconstruct meets our requirements for sustainability and durability. With 150 years experience in sourcing and importing building products we have seen significant change in the life and choice of natural product. We appreciate, we know the strengths and weakness of the natural product. Future Edge - new thinking - traditional tools A new future. World wide demand and new technologies have continued to improve recycled products and ultraconstruct embodies that progress. Reflect upon the features of this engineered composite extrusion and what it means for design, lifecycle, client maintenance and the ability to reuse it. It will not rot, termite resistant and can be immersed in water. Outstanding holding power for all mechanical fixings - in any direction due to the homogenous fine texture. Electrolysis is non-existant and mixed metal fixings can now be used to greater design effect. Cutting and drilling are done with standard carpentry tools and the smooth finish provides an ease of handling few materials could match. Profile Selection A complete selection of profiles are available - and can be produced in customised lengths for a vast range of projects. Our attitude is driven by a passion to bring the very best. Yes - absolutely it performs...considered design, innovative, technologically smart, be a smart composite- be enviro-smart. Be future smart with a great lifecycle. Ultraconstruct is the another outstanding recycled product in the growing portfolio of the ultra design composite division. a specialist division of for further information call: P 08 8447 0400 [email protected] www.lemessurier.com.au