The site

Built in 1987, 40 Albert Road in South Melbourne was a typical energy and water hungry commercial office block. Szencorp bought the building, refurbishing it in 2004 - 05 into a state-of-the-art green building. The Szencorp Building opened in October 2005 and has been the company’s headquarters ever since. The building has provided a test-bed for innovative technologies and has achieved a number of Australian firsts including:

* First building retrofit to have a 5 star ABGR rating, 5 Star NABERS rating and also the first to achieve a 6 star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia * First integrated sensor and management system for occupancy lighting, HVAC and security control * First use of ceramic fuel cell, the DryKor dry conditioning unit and of natural gas engine air-conditioning units in Australia.

Design and Layout:

The vision for the building was to combine cutting edge sustainable design with a high-end corporate look and feel. The design strategy combines the retention of the original building structure and fabric, with an innovative program of alterations and additions to improve environmental performance and occupant amenity. A new glazed stairwell was created beneath a north-facing atrium in the centre of the building to increase natural light and ventilation. The ceiling plenum was exposed to improve the volume of work space and the thermal performance of the building. New openable windows provide views, fresh air and abundant natural light to the east and west facades.

Materials

Most of the reinforced concrete structure and 88 per cent of the original façade has been retained. The additional concrete required used recycled aggregate as well as incorporating use of industrial waste. The material specification for the refurbishment timber (using the good wood guide) and structural concrete incorporates strict sustainability criteria.

Day-lighting and lighting

The new floor-to-ceiling, high performance double glazing maximises daylight penetrations, which is supplemented by the atrium and glass in the central stairwell and additional skylights above the boardroom. Compared to the original design, significant natural light levels have been achieved within the building, across a third of the office space. This will also reduce energy used on artificial lighting. Sunlight glare is controlled via high performance glazing and full length shading screens on the east façade. Also, manual and automated internal blinds are provided on all windows and on the skylights.

Water and materials conservation

Most of the reinforced concrete structure and original blank facades have been retained. The material specification for the refurbishment timber and structural concrete incorporates strict sustainability criteria. In addition, rainwater harvesting and greywater systems minimise water demand, along with waterless urinals, ultra efficient cisterns, and low-flow taps and fittings. The result of this integrated water conservation system is reduced potable water use and flow reduction into the city’s sewers.

Indoor air quality and fit-out materials

All new materials introduced into the building were chosen with sustainability credentials and indoor air quality in mind. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission levels are minimised in the carpets, adhesives and sealants used, and 95 per cent of painted surfaces use low VOC paints. All composite wood used in the furniture is low in formaldehyde emissions. Air handling systems have reduced air pollutants and dust by over 90 per cent compared to the outside air.

Thermal comfort

Thermal comfort is achieved by combining natural ventilation with mechanical cooling and heating. Fresh air crossflow is provided by the openable windows. This fresh air is also pulled through the building by the thermal chimney effect. The natural ventilation system is automated and adjusts according to inside and outside environmental conditions.

Technology:

Onsite electricity generation

Electricity is generated onsite by three photovoltaic (PV) arrays. The two smaller arrays are dual-purpose and provide shading as well as electricity production – one shades the western façade and the other acts as a pergola for the rooftop barbeque area. The third and largest is a crystalline array covering 45 m2 on the western end of the roof.

Gas engine driven air conditioning

The roof-mounted, gas engine driven, three pipe air conditioning units are a first for Victoria. Using internal combustion engine technology rather than electric motor conditioning units avoids grid electricity, which reduces global climate change emissions. It also reduces peak demand on the electricity grid.

Integrated occupancy sensor system

The advanced Building Management System (BMS) provides a single interface for the passive and active thermal control system, the security and other automated systems. It has an extensive database and uses this to record variations and compute trends in all aspects of building use and management. Each floor is split into several zones, within which temperature, humidity, daylight and lighting levels, air quality and occupation are monitored. When a zone is unoccupied, active lighting and thermal systems are shut down to save energy. Electricity, gas and water usage is remotely monitored.

Monitoring system

The building has 59 individual metres to measure power usage. The metres provide 24 hour real-time data on the building’s performance. Metering allows for a detailed understanding for where power is being used and how much, which means that energy leaks can be isolated quickly. Moreover, the better a building’s actual power use can be understood, the better the system can be tweaked to increase efficiency. In the second year of operation, indicative figures show a 30 per cent improvement in electricity savings.

Vacuum system

The Central Vacuum Cleaning System provides a low noise means of maintaining building cleanliness, reducing allergenic mould, dust and moisture problems, increases occupant health and wellbeing. Cleaning with a central system is some 40 per cent faster than with portable machines.

Energy and greenhouse gas abatement:

For the year ending March 2007, the Szencorp Building was run completely by GreenPower and generated 12.32 megawatts electricity onsite.

* Total energy use: 701 MJ /m²/year * CO2 emissions (normalised): 0.168 tonnes CO2/m²/year. * Compared to a standard office building, the Szencorp Building’s energy saving was 53.4 per cent. * Predicted energy saved: 484,587 MJ/annum * Predicted greenhouse pollution saved: 139 tonnes CO2-e/year.

Outcomes and learnings:

Szencorp says the project has yielded many learnings and insights for the project team as well as its visitors.

1. A well co-ordinated and integrated design team is essential in achieving the outcomes, where each building element meets several needs – The new stairwell has architectural expression through quality finishes and glazing. It also has an atrium glass roof, which cascades light into the centre of the building, encouraging use of the staircase. 2. The obvious solution is not always the best – For example, although traditional portable vacuum cleaners require less power than the central vacuum system, the latter prolongs carpet life and improves occupant health. 3. Monitoring and reliable data collection essential to performance – No matter how sustainable a building is supposed to be, it is only with careful monitoring and the collection of reliable data that a building’s performance can be verified and improved upon.