Built environment

Living green walls can improve aesthetics, add a soothing touch of greenery to a space and lift our moods. But can they have a material impact on indoor air quality? Nick Johns-Wickberg investigates.

Much has been made of the poor ventilation in Australian classrooms, but the situation is even more dire for thousands of mining, construction and agriculture workers. Mark Vender investigates.

What are the big, overarching global influences that we are likely to see in the built environment, and particular in HVAC&R, in the lead-up to 2050?

AIRAH’s Indoor Air Quality Conference 2024 will take place on July 15–16 in the River Room at Crown Melbourne.

Ecolibrium staff writer Nick Johns-Wickberg explores how a mobile cooling hub in the Harbour City prevented three medical emergencies this summer past.

Effective learning spaces that maintain optimum indoor environmental quality and inspire students to learn form a critical component of educating our youth. As part of the i-Hub initiative, a collective of designers, engineers and architects explored how integrated design might benefit ACT schools.

The race is on to reduce embodied carbon in buildings and construction. But as more organisations take up the challenge, coordination is key.

In a net zero world, it doesn’t matter whether we divide emissions by headcount or square meterage. By any measure, the balance of emissions must be the same. Zero.

In California’s capital city, a 1940s building has been re-lifed, aiming to create strong ties between nature and the local community.

City of Melbourne chief heat officer Krista Milne talks with Ecolibrium staff writer Nick Johns-Wickberg about managing extreme heat in urban settings.

In order to raise the standard of operational hospital buildings, a holistic approach must be taken, writes Cundall’s Amin Azarmi.

Building automation control products that can only be serviced by one contractor can present significant risk. Open protocols make much more sense, writes Jason Duncan.

Ventilation units within vehicle tunnels play a pivotal role in ensuring safety and optimal air quality for occupants. These units are used to assist with propelling air from one end to the opposite end of the tunnel. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has emerged as an invaluable design tool for engineers and stakeholders, offering simulated insights and data to optimise safety and efficiency in tunnel projects. This paper emphasises the advantages of CFD for road tunnel ventilation design, showcases a case study involving impulse fans, and highlights the positive effects on project costs and overall tunnel ventilation performance.

It’s like a jungle sometimes, but is the grass always greener for buildings that boast green walls and roofs? Laura Timberlake explores.

The adoption of a prefabrication strategy in the design and construction of mechanical services systems at the new Victorian Heart Hospital in Clayton solved numerous challenges associated with the build and project timelines. As Sean McGowan reports, the approach is a precursor to future healthcare projects.

Almost everyone who works on HVAC in Australia would be familiar with the AS 1668 series. Right now, AS 1668.2 and AS 1668.4 – which between them cover mechanical and natural ventilation in buildings – are open for public comment.

The owners of a Passivhaus residential development in Melbourne’s inner suburbs have adopted a pragmatic approach to design, ensuring the best possible outcome on a site overshadowed by neighbouring buildings. Sean McGowan reports.

Recent professional opinions on the use of AI in real–world building applications have raised some concerns with Alan Obrart, L.AIRAH.

Perched on a rocky crest in Mansfield, Victoria, Robbie J Walker’s off-grid house defies harsh weather conditions to heat and cool itself writes Nick Johns-Wickberg.