News & Events
New Automotive Centre Goes 5 Star
21 December 2005
The offices of the new Automotive Centre of Excellence Stage One, which incorporates Kangan Batman TAFE, have been awarded a 5 Star Green Star Rating, making it one of the most sustainable offices in the State.
Sustainability Victoria’s Joint Acting Chief Executive, Megan Wheatley said the Automotive Centre of Excellence offices at the Docklands will use only half the energy of the average commercial building, with the implementation of technologies never seen before in Australia.
“The new offices will not only provide a healthier and more productive work place, but also cut greenhouse pollution by over 44 tonnes per year - the equivalent to planting 65 trees,” Ms Wheatley said.
The 5 Star rating was awarded under the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star – Office Design environmental rating tool.
The offices of the Automotive Centre of Excellence are one of only five 5 Star Green Star rated buildings in Australia and the first 5 Star granted to an educational office project in Australia.
Ms Wheatley praised Kangan Batman TAFE for setting a benchmark for other organisations around the nation to follow.
Sustainability Victoria has contributed $28,000 to the project through its Commercial Office Building Energy Innovation Initiative – part of the Victorian Greenhouse Strategy.
The Department of Education and Training has funded the $18.7 million Automotive Centre of Excellence Stage One project in conjunction with Kangan Batman TAFE. The building is due for completion in mid 2006.
“Two of the sustainable technologies that will be used in the new centre - active mass cooling and night sky cooling - have never been combined in Australia before,” Ms Wheatley said.
The adoption of night sky cooling will be an Australian first, having been applied in only a handful of projects in the United States.
“As the name suggests, recycled water is sprayed onto a roof and cooled under a night sky . The cold water is distributed through pipes to cool the building the next day,” Ms Wheatley said.
Night sky cooling uses rainwater captured in underground tanks. The rainwater will also be used for toilet-flushing, car washing and irrigation.
Sustainability Victoria worked closely with the TAFE to identify and implement sustainable design solutions for the Centre.
“As Victoria’s largest automotive training provider, this project presents an excellent opportunity to showcase innovative sustainable technologies in a high profile site.”
Ms Wheatley also welcomed last month’s decision by the Australian Building Code Board to introduce minimum national standards for energy and water efficiency in new houses and said Victoria would work to raise the bar through additional measures across the industry.
“Planning Minister Hulls also recently announced a new planning regime requiring commercial buildings in the City of Melbourne to meet minimum water and energy standards.
“This is an important step in helping combat the impact of climate change and we want to see it taken up around Australia,” she added.
Ms Wheatley said Victoria was committed to improving the sustainability of its commercial buildings and had won the bid to host the World Sustainable Buildings Conference in 2008 in Melbourne.
For more information on the Commercial Office Building Energy Innovation Initiative, call Sustainability Victoria on 1300 363 744 or visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
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Media Contact: Katherine Rellos
P: 03 9655 3271
M: 0412 178 769
katherine.rellos@sustainability.vic.gov.au
www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
