Built environment

In a quiet street in Sydney’s northern suburbs resides New South Wales’ first Passivhaus Premium certified building. The residential home is the result of more than five years of painstaking research and planning by a family determined to future-proof their investment against climate change.

The redevelopment of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct on Sydney Harbour is not only preserving the wharf’s heritage but has incorporated renewable thermal energy to deliver energy–efficient cooling to the facility. Sean McGowan reports.

In Memphis, Tennessee, a 1957 building has been converted into a net-zero energy net-zero carbon project.

A multi-award winning, mixed-use development in Melbourne’s prestigious Collins Street has brought building managers, service technicians and energy optimisation specialists together to collaborate on operational performance improvements post-completion. Sean McGowan reports. 

As we learn to live with COVID-19, improving indoor air quality (IAQ) has been touted as a potential solution in our return to the workplace. Sean McGowan explores the issues with VA Sciences national division director Simon Witts, M.AIRAH; Mechanical project engineer, principal and Australian discipline leader at Stantec Patrick Chambers, Affil.AIRAH; Litmas technical and managing director Claire Bird, Affil.AIRAH; and Probuild technical director Sean Treweek, F.AIRAH.

AIRAH launches COVID-19 knowledge hub: the IAQ Assembly

The new-look 388 George Street office tower in Sydney’s CBD represents one of the largest commercial office building refurbishments the city has ever seen. As Sean McGowan reports, the multidisciplinary approach taken by consulting engineer Arup has delivered world-class amenity, connectivity and comfort to tenants. Importantly, the clever refurb integrates the site with a newly pedestrianised George Street.

CSIRO energy leader Dr Stephen White, F.AIRAH, is one of the founders of i-Hub.

A finalist in the Excellence in Sustainability category for the 2021 AIRAH Awards, The Annex at 12 Creek Street is set among Brisbane’s heritage-listed fig trees. As Sean McGowan reports, the building’s design promotes connection with the outdoors, as well as with others.

Hotel quarantine has officially ended in Victoria, with the purpose-built Victorian Quarantine Hub becoming the sole quarantine site for unvaccinated travellers as of this month.

There is strong demand for HVAC&R monitoring and metering solutions that incorporate cloud data collection and real-time or near-real-time cloud-based control. This is enabled by reductions in the cost of sensors and meters, advances in communication technologies, the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) as a lower-cost alternative to traditionally vertically integrated systems, and the move to more frequent data collection. 

One question that has generated debate in clinical settings is whether UV disinfection contributes to health outcomes when added to existing HEPA filtration systems.

The Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre, owned and operated by the Hobart City Council, was recently upgraded as part of a major project to create a more sustainable city. One area that required work was the motors and drives used to manage the pool filtration and water circulation system, HVAC central plant, and grey water systems.

Hansen Yuncken CEO Peter Salveson has picked out what he calls the four Cs of post-pandemic construction: complex challenges, culture and climate.

AMCA Australia is hosting a Building Ventilation Summit as a virtual event on February 24 and 25.

The LeBron James Innovation Center at Nike World Headquarters (WHQ) embodies the pursuit of excellence in sport and sustainability, writes Mark Vender.

Challenged by site constraints, award-winning architect, builder and developer Oliver Steele pivoted an apartment project to Passivhaus design. As Sean McGowan reports, the decision led to a first in the southern hemisphere.

By taking advantage of Perth’s abundant geothermal resources, a new aquatic centre in Armadale is substantially reducing its reliance on natural gas to heat its swimming pools and indoor areas. Sean McGowan reports on the 2021 AIRAH Awards Excellence in Sustainability finalist.

AIRAH’s Infection Control and Operating Theatre Practices Special Technical Group has published a document considering common COVID-19 practices in operating theatres.