1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. australia and new zealand

Swanston Academic Building RMIT
A key objective for the SAB was to demonstrate leadership
excellence in sustainable design and innovation. SAB consists
of 6 large lecture theatres, 70 small and medium-sized
teaching and learning spaces, 10 double-height student portals
for study and recreation and 9 specialist learning venues. It
includes an innovative mix of teaching and office space on all
levels of the building to encourage more interaction between
staff and students.
Owners:
RMIT
Location:
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Architects:
Lyons Architects
Net area:
35,000m2 of floor space over 12 levels
Completed:
July 2012
Green rating:
5 Green Star Education Design v1
Building Features












Active chilled beam technology, which is a building conditioning system that uses convection
and water to efficiently move energy throughout a building for heating and cooling.
An Under Floor Air Distribution System (UFAD) that is used for ventilation and cooling of
large, high spaces, such as lecture theatres, where energy can be saved treating an occupied
zone rather than trying to control the conditions of the entire space.
Student portals are naturally ventilated using a mixed mode system.
Façade sun shading and glazing performance allows for high levels of natural daylight to
penetrate the internal spaces and reduces air conditioning energy consumption by 10%.
Rainwater harvesting and grey water treatment used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
Energy-efficient lighting.
Sustainable materials with a lower embodied energy, those that originate from sustainable
sources and those that use reduced amounts of raw materials.
Central Plant. Chilled water is sourced from a chilled water plant room that is located on the
roof of RMIT’s Building 12, opposite Building 80 on Swanston Street on the City Campus.
Real-time monitoring of water, electricity, and gas consumption.
Demand-based Control Ventilation (DCV) CO2 sensors control the amount of ventilation for
the actual number of occupants, improving air quality while saving energy.
Solar powered hot water.
low energy modes of vertical transport – with stairs and escalators located centrally in
building under the light filled atrium rather than the lifts which are offset to the side.
The Urban Workshop, 50 Lonsdale Street
The Urban Workshop comprises 29 levels of office and 2 levels of
fitness accommodation. Prior to excavation, an extensive
archaeological dig was undertaken to ensure that historical remains
were not lost. This uncovered many site artefacts, which are
displayed in the building foyer. The project is an example of where
the building design and development worked to enhance the site’s
heritage, social history and environmental sustainability.
Owners:
ISPT Pty Ltd
Location:
50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Architects:
John Wardle Architects, Hassell and
NH Architecture
Major tenants: Department of Human Services, Sustainability
Victoria
Net area:
62,728m2 (33 storeys)
Completed:
2005
Green ratings: 4.5 Star Energy and Water (NABERS),
4 Green Star Office As Built (Green Building Council
of Australia)
Building Features










Curtain-wall glazed tower consisting of a concrete core and a steel and condek formed
concrete slab structure
Uses glazing and external shading to optimise daylight levels and thermal comfort
Rooftop solar hot water systems
Efficient fluorescent lighting installation with natural light from the glazing facades
Carbon dioxide monitoring, delivering fresh air while reducing energy associated with the air
conditioning system
An automatic building control system to optimise the operation of air conditioning and
lighting and save energy
Low water flow fixtures and a water recycling system to conserve water resources
Low emission paints and carpet to improve environmental air quality
Onsite blackwater treatment plant which recycles up to 75 percent of the water on site and
reuses water for toilet flushing
HydroShare, a real-time predicting system which tracks excess water usage or leakages and
monitors flow to save water in a leakage or burst pipe event.
60L Green Building
In the 1990s, the Australian Conversation Foundation (ACF) decided to create an example of best
practice sustainable commercial building by converting an existing brick warehouse into an award
winning green building.
60L is a leading example of how the environmental footprint
(both construction and operational) of an office building can
be minimised and still be a commercially-viable development.
60L uses only 30 percent of the typical energy consumption
and 20 percent of the water consumption of a conventional
Melbourne commercial office building. It used significant reused, recycled and recyclable materials of construction, and
provides a healthy, pleasant and productive workplace for its
tenancies.
Owners:
The Australian Conservation Foundation
Location:
60 Leicester Street, Carlton
Architects:
Spowers Architects
Net area:
3,500m2
Completed:
2002
Awards:
Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Award 2003
Leadership in Sustainable Buildings Category
(Banksia Award 2003)
Building Features










Automated louvres and thermal chimneys to maximise fresh air ventilation with minimal
energy inputs
The design includes a large central atrium which allows air to flow across tenancies from the
light wells and into the atrium from where it is then vented to the atmosphere through four
thermal chimneys
Energy sourced from on-site solar photovoltaic arrays and green power
Roof garden, which also acts as an insulator from heat and cold for the floors below
Designed to maximise daylight
Energy efficient lighting, and office and kitchen appliances
Rainwater collection into two 10,000 litre tanks
Three stage filtration of rainwater and a UV sterilisation unit to remove particles, organisms
and bacteria.
Water efficient fixtures and fittings such as water less urinals
Grey and backwater treatment.
EPA’s Sustainable Head Office
200 Victoria Street is a redevelopment of a pre-loved
building into one of Melbourne’s most sustainable
commercial office buildings. Melbourne’s Carlton and
United Brewery laboratories was converted into state of
the art, sustainable and innovative office spaces.
It is the head office of the Environmental Protection
Authority Victoria (EPA) and delivers on EPA’s vision of
‘a healthy environment that supports a liveable and
prosperous Victoria.
Owners:
Drapac
Location:
200 Victoria Street, Carlton
Architects:
Peddle Thorps Architects
Major tenants: Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)
Net area:
8,000m2 over 7 floors
Completed:
2009
Green ratings: 6 Green Star Office As Built
6 Green Star Office Design
Building Features













Integrating a tri-generation plant to power the building
Hollowing out the light-filled atrium
Orienting the fit-out around natural sunlight
Rainwater harvesting to service the amenities
Selecting materials to improve air quality
Using videoconferencing to reduce travel and greenhouse gas emissions
5-6 star-rated energy and water-efficient applicances
Timers on hot water units in kitchen
‘Kill switches’ built into all workstations to turn off standby power from computers
High performance double grazing on all windows
Sensor-controlled, energy-efficient lighting
Recycled locally manufactured and eco-accredited materials
Rainwater harvesting for use in cooling towers and amenities.
University of Melbourne’s Architecture Building
The University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (ABP) building has been
awarded a 6 Star Green Design – Education
Design v1 Rating. This rating was largely
achieved through the high degree of design
integration and innovation.
It has been created as a demonstration
building for sustainable design, with
innovation a key design objective, drawing
upon a wide range of research initiatives from
within the university.
Owners:
University of Melbourne
Location:
Masson Road, Parkville
Architects:
John Wardle Architects and NADAAA
Net area:
15,700m2
Completed:
2014
Green rating:
6 Green Star Education Design v1 rating
Building Features










Cross laminated timber concrete composite slab
Laminated veneer lumber roof topped with glazing
Use of naturally renewable resource to create the structure of the building
Mixed-mode HVAC system, with the possibility of natural ventilation
Rainwater collection and recycling
750,000 litre water tank for use in chiller, toilets, irrigation and precinct use
Rooftop Japanese garden
Large central atrium, providing large amounts of daylight and transparency
Monitoring of levels of energy, water, CO2, humidity, temperature and flux in the buildings
LED lighting.