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5 May 2017
McGlashan Everist renovated a dilapidated, asbestos-clad warehouse at Monash University’s Clayton campus into an innovative, energy-efficient, vibrant and comfortable open office space for their Buildings and Property Division.
The building uses Passive House design principles to create an office space which has a low energy demand and high indoor environment quality. The building’s rooftop solar array currently provides almost 70 per cent of the total energy requirement. Through building tuning and behaviour change measures, Monash is working towards reducing the energy demand to achieve its first 100 per cent solar-powered building.
Building 56 Redevelopment is insulated and airtight to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures through the peaks and troughs of Melbourne’s temperature fluctuations.
The orientation of the building is used to optimise daylighting, avoid solar heat gain and maximise thermal comfort. Southern and eastern high-performance windows are oriented for passive daylight; the western façade is shaded by an adjacent building and mature trees, protecting the building from western summer heat gain; northern windows are shaded by fixed louvres designed to block summer sun and allow in winter light and warmth; operable external blinds on the north and east manage solar heat gain and glare throughout the year.
KEY INITIATIVES
- Revitalising an existing, asbestos-contaminated warehouse into a healthy, open-plan workplace and contributory building to the campus environment
- A pioneering project with one of the first office buildings in Australia to aim for Passive House performance
- An innovative approach was taken in the application of Passive House building design and construction principles to a refurbishment project
- Onsite renewable energy with a 70 kWp rooftop solar panel array
- A daylight-filled space through reinstatement of the existing sawtooth roof and high clerestory windows
- Double-glazed, high-performance windows for optimum thermal performance
- Smart automated glare and summer solar gains controlled with external louvres
- Optimum thermal comfort through a super insulated, low thermal bridge and airtight building envelope
- Best practice indoor environment quality with a super energy-efficient 100 per cent fresh air supply with heat recovery to improve climate control
- Energy-efficient fittings e.g. lighting (LEDs) and mechanical equipment (HRV)
- Activation of Research Walk to the north, responding to and assisting masterplan ambitions for improved walkability, active edges to buildings and improved visual and physical connectivity of indoor and outdoor spaces
- Delivery of a new communal kitchen and amenities, shared with Building 40 (26 Research Way) to provide improved opportunities for inter Divisional communication, collaboration and connection
- Delivery of new shared facilities including a multi-use community room which is utilised for sociocultural Divisional activities including recreation
PRODUCTS
WINDOWS
RAICO THERMALLY BROKEN ALUMINIUM WINDOW FRAMES
SEALING PRODUCTS
PRO CLIMA EXTASANA (RECYCLABLE, EMITS NO TOXIC GASES WHEN BURNED)
PRO CLIMA INTELL-PLUS (LOW-EST VOC RAT-ING IN HAZ-ARD-OUS SUB-STANCE TEST)
PRO CLIMA ADHESIVE TAPES
HVAC
MITSUBISHI,HRV AIR HANDLING UNITS
TAPS/FITTINGS
CAROMA LEDA WALL FACED PAN BACK INLET
CAROMA OPAL 720 WALL BASIN
CAROMA OPAL 510 WALL BASIN
CAROMA H2ZERO CUBE WATERLESS URINAL
OCCUPANCY SENSORS
BEG OCCUPANCY SENSORS
Jury Citation
“This transformation of an asbestos-clad warehouse into an energy-efficient and comfortable space is a benchmark example of adaptive reuse – something we should always consider before knocking down and building new.
“The architect’s aim for Passive House standard is commendable and its impressive 6 star NABERS equivalent is fantastic considering the building was once a derelict, underused facility leaking from every seam.”
