We are getting closer to the final specifications for the project and with that the questions are flying thick and fast… What are the products we are to use? What materials? How do we decide? In any circumstance these questions are not easy to answer. The project team has weighed in where their areas of expertise lie and overlap.
Where possible we will be testing the products in the Barley Store Office, for compatibility of systems and functionality in real life context.
Zoo Automation products for the home controls and energy reporting have already started being installed and tested. Security system along with cameras will be next with the custom programming systems.
Archive for the ‘Environment & Design’ Category
Testing, Testing and more testing…
University of Melbourne
“Material selection for optimised embodied energy/carbon”
Meeting held on Tuesday 6th August – GHD offices Melbourne
A range of construction assemblies were selected based on optimised thermal performance and a selection of standard and low impact materials.
Eleven different floor assembly variations and 52 different wall assembly variations were considered.
The total life cycle embodied energy of these assemblies was calculated using a comprehensive hybrid embodied energy assessment approach.
This included the energy embodied in the materials/assemblies for the initial construction of the project as well as the energy embodied in replacement materials over an estimated building life of 100 years. Average material replacement rates were used.
Assembly embodied energy figures were graphed and compared.
Major points that arose from the discussion of the embodied energy assessment results included:
• Materials with a high recycled content are preferred as they tend to have a lower embodied energy compared to virgin material alternatives
• Longevity and durability of materials needs to be considered as materials with a low embodied energy but that require frequent replacement can be a poor choice, resulting in a higher life cycle embodied energy than more durable materials
• Solid timber products are preferred over manufactured/processed timber products
• The embodied energy of some insulation products can be significant
• The embodied energy of glass can be considerable and the need for double and triple glazing systems must be balanced with the level of thermal performance they can provide
• Double-glazed spandrel panels should be avoided considering their high embodied energy
• The importance of minimising the embodied energy associated with the building’s initial construction was highlighted. Energy expended in the future (for replacement materials and building operation) is likely to be less carbon intensive than the energy presently being used in the manufacture of materials.
It is important that by minimising embodied energy that the thermal/operational performance of the building is not adversely affected. The next stage involves assessing the life cycle energy/carbon implications of a smaller range of optimised assemblies, based on the knowledge gained from this initial analysis.
Dr. Robert Crawford
Senior Lecturer in Construction and Environmental Assessment
Click on the images below to open the full documents.
TheFifthEstate introduces the 5×4 Hayes Lane building project
The project has been featured in an article by Cameron Jewell of TheFifthEstate magazine. The article introduce the building and the project manager Ralph Alphonso and especially refers to the featured best-practice passive design and advanced engineering techniques, which includes the areas:
CLick on the image below to read the full article.
Tai Hollingsbee speaks about Environment & Design
Tai Hollingsbee discusses the design philosophy for the 5×4 Hayes Lane Project.
Issues discussed:
– High performance building envelope
– Top-end technology and strategy to provide for the rest of the build’s systems
First Interview with Tai Hollingsbee
Prior to the construction of the build, we interviewed all members of the Project Team. Here is the first interview with Principal Engineer of GHD, Tai Hollingsbee.
Issues discussed:
– The paradoxical attitude on sustainability in Australia
– Why Tai Hollingsbee got involved with the Project
– How the Project addresses the issues of livability in cities and densification
– The Project’s unique ambition towards monitoring and accounting for its ecological footprint
– GHD’s unique integrated design service, which can optimize the design of the Project
– Challenges the Project might face, including public perception and financial viability
– A satisfied occupant as the desired outcome of the Project
Design Development Meeting – March
On March 7th, 2013, the 5×4 Hayes Lane Project Team had a design and development meeting at GHD. Attendees included Craig Chatman from ARKit, Tai Hollingsbee and Chris King from GHD, and Ralph Alphonso from Barley Store. The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the best combination of systems and construction materials to be used that would achieve the smallest ecological footprint possible.
Points of discussions were:
– the insulation system
– solar panels
– water/ irrigation system
– wood as construction material
Some of the possible technologies considered included:
– phase-change material (PCM) for heating
– rainwater collection as an eco-friendly water source
– hot water ring
– fake grass (e.g. summer envy)
– PV-cells
Overall, various materials and systems were brought to the table. The meeting saw even more opportunities for a sustainable build and the designs were further developed.
There are still various issues to be considered before making final decisions about the materials and technologies including:
– costs
– impact on infrastructure
– embodied energy
We will resolve these issues in future meetings.
(To see the sketches that were drafted at the meeting, click on the image below)
Presentation at Melbourne Forum 2012
The 5×4 Hayes Lane Project was presented at the Melbourne Forum, a series of free public talks with the goal of increasing the development and refurbishment of commercial buildings in Victoria to achieve greater levels of sustainable performance.
The 2012 series was based on One Planet Living and featured the 5×4 Hayes Lane Project as presented by mechanical engineer, Chris King, from GHD.
Click on the image below to view or download the full presentation by Chris.
5×4 Hayes Lane Project to apply the One Planet Living Principles
On the 30th of April, 2012 the Project Team met to discuss the One Planet Living Principles.
Meeting objectives:
– To familiarize everyone with OPL principles
– Visioning session on what we want to achieve
– What the client will have to contribute and how it will impact their lifestyle
– Map out strategies around what we can put in place, what’s cost effective, how it’ll look at various stages of the project
We have drafted our strategies towards One Planet Living for the Project. Click on the image below to read the details!
Project’s ESD Engineer, profiled by Architecture & Design.
Tai Hollingsbee, Principal Engineer at GHD was profiled by Architecture & Design and was proud to talk about his involvement with the 5×4 Hayes Lane Project.
Tai, is the engineer on the Project.
