JULY
2020
LAURUS
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES ON THE HIGH RISE
www.laurusprojects.com.au
JULY 2020
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES ON THE HIGH RISE SUSTAINABILITY IS RESHAPING THE INDUSTRY AND WE'RE SEEING EXCITING NEW TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE OF IT
The popularity and requests for sustainable
as well as designs and builds happening around
and
the
environmentally
friendly
design
and
world;
developers,
architects
and
construction have been rapidly growing in
construction companies are taking notice of
recent years. There are some pretty great
what consumers want, and it’s making for some
sustainable materials on the market,
exciting changes in the industry.
JULY 2020
What is Sustainable Construction?Sustainable
where grass, plants, flowers, bushes and other
construction is all about reducing the impact of
greenery is grown on the roofing material.
the industry on the environment, from the
Stormwater is used to help grow the plants, it is
design stage right through to the clean up
relatively easy to manage, white heating and
stage. There are plenty of methods construction
cooling costs are reduced and air quality is
companies
improved.
are
now
using
to
meet
the
sustainability requirements of their clients, including: Grey Water Systems Utilising renewable and recyclable resources Reducing the consumption of energy and
For years, homeowners have been harvesting
waste
their grey water, mostly to use on gardens.Â
Creating
a
healthy
and
eco-friendly
Commercial property builds are now utilising
environment
grey water systems (from everything except for
Protecting the natural environment
toilets) for irrigation and supplying toilets with water, reducing their reliance on fresh water.
The construction industry historically has had a large impact on the environment, so with the change towards sustainability there has been some
innovative
thinking
and
designing
coming through in the last few years.
Popular Sustainable Building Methods There are a number of sustainable and eco friendly building methods that are gaining popularity with both construction companies and their clients.
Electrochromic Glass Imagine not having to worry about shades and
Green Roofs
window treatments in your commercial setting. Electrochromic glass has the ability to move
Green roofs or living roofs are becoming quite
from clear to opaque based on external stimuli
popular on commercial properties and high rise
including electrical current or UV rays. It
residential builds. A green roof is essentially
essentially removes the need for window
JULY 2020
shades and films, adapting to the current
environmental costs. 3D printing allows for
conditions as required. This, in turn, has the
components to be printed and constructed on
benefit of blocking a vast majority of UV rays.
site, reducing the need for shipping and bringing down the costs of the build.
Image via Sage Glass
Solar Thermal Cladding Heating is a major resource and cost drain for any building, which is why solar thermal cladding is becoming a popular addition to commercial and large residential buildings. This is a passive building method that is designed to hold heat during the cooler months, storing the sun’s energy and passing through to the building for heat retention.
What’s Next in Sustainable Building Design? There are always plenty of innovative building methods coming through, and as technology evolves, so will construction methods. There are two very exciting products and processes on the market which will revolutionise sustainable construction further. Self-healing concrete is in its early stages, but once commercially viable, there will be plenty
3D Printing We know that 3D printing has been on the rise in the construction industry for some time, and it is becoming more popular. Traditionally in the construction industry, building materials have needed to be created off-site and moved to the building site which has heavy
of doors opening. This material can be used on almost
everything
including
roads
and
walkways, and removes the need for road crews to shut down streets to repair potholes and cracks. Architects are also working on a machine that recycles construction waste into reusable
JULY 2020
materials. The machine would create bricks that can be used for new structures using living organisms that bind pre-existing construction waste. If this machine gets up and running, it will significantly cut down the amount of construction waste in the environment. With a finite number of resources available, sustainable construction is needed to meet a growing
demand.
Those
who
invest
in
sustainable technologies are recouping their costs through decreased operation costs and a high popularity in their services. There are large gains to be made in the sustainability realm, and the early adopters are certainly seeing the benefits. Laurus is set to unveil a host of sustainable elements to their latest 150 apartment block in Kellyville, Sydney. Including solar, plenty of greenery and electric vehicle charge stations. More to come.