ESD design guide for Australian Government buildings: Edition 2

case studies
40 Albert Road
“The project will achieve
leading sustainable
performance without
compromising any
conventional features - from
the users perspective it will
provide standard high end
office accommodation.”
Management System. These fans
will only operate when the carbon
monoxide sensors in the car park
indicate that vehicles are being
operated.
WATER
The building features a
comprehensive water management
system designed and built by the
water conservation group from within
Energy Conservation Systems. Water
consumption is minimised at each
end use point by using the latest in
controlled flow showerheads and taps
throughout, some of them sensor
activated only. Toilets are an award
winning dual flush design using only
4.5/3 litres per flush. Urinals are
waterless.
Lightly polluted water gathered from
hand basins and showers (greywater)
is collected, treated and reused for
toilet flushing. This is complemented
with a rainwater harvesting system
providing 4,400 litres of rainwater
storage, estimated to be enough for 3
weeks of normal flushing.
The combination of these measures
is expected to reduce freshwater
consumption from the building by 82%
compared to the original design while
discharge to sewer will be reduced by
72%.
IEQ
Thermal comfort is achieved by
combining natural ventilation with
mechanical cooling and heating.
Mechanically operated opening
windows and dampers allow fresh
air in and expel used air out. Natural
ventilation is automated and is
optimised according to inside and
outside environmental conditions.
Mechanical cooling or heating is
supplied by ceiling mounted fan coil
units.
The DryKor dry conditioning unit
dries and cools the office space
simultaneously, using a process of
natural desiccant absorption of water
vapour from the air. This technology
is non-toxic and non-hazardous, and
the humidity is ducted outdoors,
eliminating the need for condensate
pumps, pipes and drainage system.
This addresses “Sick Building
Syndrome” problems associated
with poor indoor air quality as the
process removes up to 94% of microorganisms,
as well 77% of particles
greater than 5 microns.
Natural light is maximised by floorto-ceiling
high-performance doubleglazing
and is supplemented by
the atrium and glass in the central
stairwell. Further, there are skylights
above the boardroom. Daylight
modelling shows that there will be
significant natural light at desk level
across one third of the office space.
This will also reduce energy use on
artificial lighting, since the automated
lighting system will dim whenever and
wherever daylight levels permit, to
optimise overall light levels. For the
majority of the time, artificial lighting
will be dimmed up to eight metres
away from the windows.
Figure 58. 40 Albert Road, Szencorp.
056
ESD DESIGN GUIDE FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS