infolink Building Products News, July/August 2016

JUL | AUG 2016 | VOL 52 | NO 4 PRINT POST APPROVED PP100007333

HUMANISING HIGH-DENSITY

BATHROOMS Environmentally friendly sensor hand dryers

PAINTS, STAINS AND COATINGS Australia’s best low and no VOC Paints

PREFABRICATION Is it time to make the change to prefab?

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FOREWORD

Designing M

FOR MULTI-DENSITY MUST MATCH BROADER

societal trends

EDIUM TO HIGH-DENSITY MULTI-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS PLAY A MAJOR PART IN SHAPING THE URBAN FABRIC OF OUR CITIES. THEY ARE NECESSARY AND HEALTHY FOR OUR CITY LIFE.

Looking back to the 1970s, Australia’s cities were dead. The city was a place to go to work in, before returning home to live out the great Australian dream on a few hundred square metres in the suburbs.

These people are often owneroccupiers who want the best of both worlds — the individuality and comfort you’d expect in a single dwelling in the suburbs, within the urban environment of the inner city.

However, we’ve since seen projects respond to the increasing need for diversity in living. Over the last 30-40 years of re-engaging with the city, we’ve witnessed a number of development booms.

We’re creating more and more developments that mirror the characteristics of permanent residential homes rather than just bland investment properties.

With each boom we become more and more educated about how to live in a growing city and how to balance the work and home environments. This urbanisation is creating a shift in the way people are living, and creating dense, urban, liveable cities.

To meet this demand, efficient, high-density residential developments certainly hold their place in the market. The risk with these developments is that they lose their character or sense of identity.

It’s no longer enough to just live in the city in a basic apartment with a gym in the basement and a café out the front. The market’s expectations of lifestyle and amenity are much more sophisticated than a few years ago and developers are starting to respond to these needs.

Today, people are making the choice to live in apartments, instead of a house. Multi-residential living no longer has a stigma, and we see singles, couples and young families taking up long-term residence in inner city apartments.

This market is also balancing out of the importance of location with the importance of lifestyle in the design of these developments — residents want both.

Multi-use elements of projects (such as integrated retail, dining, entertainment and transport facilities) will become more sophisticated as urban communities develop and demand better services and amenity.

So too will green space and landscaping designs, which will become more innovative, and will be integrated seamlessly throughout entire buildings, not just on the ground plane.

As people explore these new increasingly diverse and innovative living options, more and more people, from all walks of life are choosing high-density.

LIAM ROBERTS Managing Director Bureau Proberts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Liam Proberts is a founder and Managing Director of multi-award winning architecture firm, Bureau Proberts. He is a recognised leader in mixed use, multi-residential, public and education projects and his work has consistently been awarded for its high-quality and innovation over the past 20 years.

We are privileged to have Liam act as the contributing editor for this issue of Infolink|Building Product News Magazine.

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CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

I

N MAY, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN HOSTED AN EVENT IN MELBOURNE CALLED ‘SUSTAINABILITY CONNECT: THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE MULTIDENSITY DESIGN’. IT GATHERED SOME OF VICTORIA’S VERY BEST DESIGNERS UNDER ONE ROOF TO DISCUSS THE MAJOR CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE APARTMENT BUILDINGS. Among the challenges and trends that were addressed, there was one recurring theme that underpinned them all. While all delegates supported improved multi-density outcomes, there were concerns that the affordability and saleability of our future housing crop would suffer in the wake.

This is not to say that this is occurring everywhere in Australia, but delegates did provide concrete evidence of the additional costs associated with “greening” a building or making it more “liveable”.

Finding the balance between affordability, sustainability and liveability in multi-residential design is a challenge that is only intensifying as Australia continues on its path towards urbanisation at the same time that it’s making efforts to become a low carbon economy.

However, there was common ground among delegates when it came to considering the role of the designer in achieving said balanced built outcomes. It was clear that the best way to deliver the sustainable, liveable and affordable housing needed for our future is through designer-led developments.

The feature from Liam Proberts on page 16 demonstrates a few ways architects can help provide efficient, sustainable and liveable apartment options for the city. Liam and his firm, Bureau Proberts have been experimenting with building materials in a bid to change the public’s perception of apartment living. After all, making apartments desirable to the public is key to facilitating sustainable urbanisation and curbing urban sprawl.

But if we’re to make real improvements to our built environment, change must also extend to the designer. Our features on prefabrication (page 9), structural insulated panels (page 44) and retrofitting (page 26) demonstrate new, highly efficient and sustainable ways to build, but they do involve major changes to design processes.

Something not always welcomed.

Developers, designers and the public all influence our built environment, but there’s a reason I put them in that order. This is because the designer is in the best position to balance the needs of all stakeholders and to create the liveable, sustainable, sellable and affordable housing for our future.

Some delegates suggested that the best way to achieve this balance is a shakeup in the investor/ developer model (more on page 53), while others suggested other alternatives, like making green and liveable more profitable.

NATHAN JOHNSON

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR LIAM PROBERTS MAIL@BUREAUPROBERTS.COM.AU

DESIGNER JULIA GEE JULIA.GEE@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU

DEPUTY EDITOR NATHAN JOHNSON NATHAN.JOHNSON@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ADRIAN WILSON PHONE: +61 (0)2 8484 0612 MOBILE: +61 (0)417 779 215 ADRIAN.WILSON@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU

JOURNALISTS GERALDINE CHUA LUCY MARRETT JASMINE O’DONAGHUE

ON THE COVER: AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTS, BUREAU PROBERTS HAVE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS TO CREATE CHARACTER AND BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO LIVE FOR OCCUPANTS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

NEWS

BATHROOMS, LAUNDRIES & WET AREAS

5 Australia’s first closed cavity façade unveiled

34 Sensor hand dryers are

PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

becoming an environmentally friendly bathroom option

9 Has the age of prefab finally arrived?

PAINTS, STAINS & COATINGS

MULTI-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

38 The latest and greatest low and no VOC Paints available in Australia

16 Contributing editor Liam

Proberts demonstrates the best way to house people in our growing cities

RENOVATIONS & RETROFITTING

38

26 Sam Crawford Architects

choose upgrade over knockdownrebuild for a recent public amenities project in Sydney

26

SUSTAINABILITY

52 Experts convene in

Melbourne to discuss the future of environmentally sustainable design

PRODUCT SHOWCASES

56

Information on new and exciting building and architectural products. Introduced with a full directory and how to enquire

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER SHEREE BRYANT PHONE: +61 (0)2 8484 0958 SHEREE.BRYANT@ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU FOR SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1300 360 126 ISSN 1039-9704

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN LEVEL 1, 50 MARSHALL STREET, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010 PHONE: +61 (0)2 9368 0150 WWW.ARCHITECTUREANDDESIGN.COM.AU © Copyright Architecture & Design 2016. All rights reserved. No part of the publication can be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Utmost care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial matter. Product specifications and claims are those of the manufacturers.

Opinions and viewpoints expressed by interviewees, writers and columnists in Infolink BPN do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher of the magazine.

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NEWS

FJMT’S 200 GEORGE STREET SHOWS THAT TIMBER CAN WORK ON COMMERCIAL SKYSCRAPERS

IT’S FINALLY HERE: FIRST AUSTRALIAN CLT PLANT TO OPEN IN 2017 Meanwhile, Australia’s first crosslaminated timber (CLT) manufacturing plant will be built in the Albury Wodonga region by mid-2017.

The facility will produce 60,000m3 of CLT each year and will be owned and operated by Xlam, a CLT company who’ve been manufacturing the building material at the their New Zealand-based plant for the past five years. ■

INTERIOR VIEW OF 200 GEORGE’S CLOSED CAVITY FAÇADE. IMAGE: PROVIDED BY MIRVAC

Australia’s first pressurised closed cavity façade with built-in timber venetian blinds for solar shading has been applied to Mirvac’s new landmark project at 200 George Street, Sydney.

Designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT), the 37-storey tower contains approximately 16,000sqm of floor-to-ceiling Moisture-Maintenance Free, Sustainable, Closed Cavity Façade panels (M-free-SCCF) which are produced by architectural envelope specialists Permasteelisa Group.

Fully automated timber venetians sit within the cavities of the panels and are controlled (opened

and closed) by a building-wide IP network which offers sun-tracking, shadow management and integrated web based remote controls.

The dynamic shading device plays a key role in the management of the heat and light transfer into the building, whereby glare and solar radiation can be controlled depending on the location of the sun relative to the building whilst also maximising the view. The blind motor manufacturer, Somfy, produced a 365 day suntracker model for all parts of 200-George’s façade, meaning the building effectively knows where the sun should be at all parts of the day.

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NOMINATIONS EXTENDED! Nominations have been extended for the 10th annual Sustainability Awards until 28 July.

A total of 15 awards, including six new category prizes, are on offer this year, recognising the work of those at the absolute forefront of sustainable building and design in Australia.

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Multi-Density Residential

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Innovation of the Year (Project or Product)

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PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

HAS THE AGE OF

PREFAB

ARRIVED?

ARCHIBLOX’S HOUSE OF HÄAGEN-DAZS IS A PREFABRICATED RETAIL POD THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED AND DELIVERED TO SITE IN 10 WEEKS. MORE INFORMATION AND IMAGES ON PAGE 14.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM ROSS

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Prefabrication Materials & Systems

[WORDS] Jasmine O’Donoghue

U

sing prefabrication materials, or “prefab”, dramatically speeds up construction time, lowers material costs and increases quality assurance.

Prefab refers to any part of a building that has been assembled offsite in a factory or manufacturing facility and transported in complete or sub-assemblies to the construction site. It is a broad term and refers to a number of different systems or processes, including structural, architectural and services elements.

Prefabaus - the peak body for Australia’s off-site construction industry - breaks up prefab into two main families, 2D prefab and 3D prefab. They can be used in conjunction with each other, on their own or with traditional construction methods.

2D prefab is made up of pre-cut, pre-sized, pre-moulded or pre-shaped components that are assembled or installed on site. They often arrive as flat-packed panels or non-volumetric systems, ready for assembly. They might form the building envelope, stair cores, internal load bearing walls or lighter partitions. They might be open or closed panel systems, precast concrete panels or other panel types. 2D prefab is easier to transport, lends itself to mass customisation and has infinite construction options, combined with speed of assembly.

3D prefab systems are three-dimensional structural units which are combined on site with other units or systems, or might comprise an entire small building. They include pods, which are generally not structural modules, such as bathroom or kitchen pods. They are a fast way to build, as they can be manufactured concurrent with site preparation, and can arrive on site almost complete. 3D prefab systems can be joined together to create larger spaces and they are increasingly demonstrating their ability to go multi-level. The elements of 3D prefab may be structural elements, architectural elements or services elements, or they may be a hybrid of these.

WHY PREFAB? Using prefab materials allows for the off-site process to take place simultaneously with site preparation activities, resulting in a significantly reduced overall construction period of a project. This reduced construction time can

lead to less labour costs, and delays due to bad weather are minimised. There is also a faster time to occupation, which means clients can begin generating an income sooner.

Greater control over the finished product can be achieved, as on-site wet trades can be minimised or eliminated and quality can be created in a factory controlled process. The indoor environment allows for buildings and components to be protected from climate extremes, vandalism and theft. Safety is also easier to control in a factory and most of the work can be conducted at waist height, and workers know the machinery and systems of the factory. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the construction process can be minimised.

Waste in construction is a big issue.

Approximately 19 million tonnes of building and demolition waste was generated in Australia in 2008-09. Of this, 8.5 million tonnes (45%) went to landfill while 10.5 million tonnes (55%) was recycled. A number of states, including Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, have ‘towards zero’ waste strategies and the Australian Government’s “Your Home” website recommends choosing prefab to reduce waste, as each element is designed to be an exact fit.

Prefab buildings are more sustainable than those constructed on-site through manual labour and are potentially twice as efficient compared to on-site building.

There is minimum site disturbance and due to the quality control systems of a factory, the buildings can be better sealed, have improved insulation placement and better energy efficiency.

A CHANGING REPUTATION Despite its benefits, prefab has had a pretty bad rap in the past.

“Historically in Australia, prefabricated homes have been viewed as more temporary and low budget housing.

That’s no longer the case,” says Bill McCorkell, Managing Director of Archiblox.

technologies and high-end materials to create a visually distinctive building.”

McCorkell says it’s no longer just “early adopters” who are reaching out for a modular build.

“People are now more informed and can see the benefits of this sophisticated design and build method,” he says “They are also very interested in the installation process - seeing a house appear as if out of nowhere is always exciting.”

While prefab used to conjure up images of demountable school buildings, there is now a much wider range of products on offer, more players in the market and increasingly more sophisticated design.

Chris Barnett, Managing Director of Habitech Systems, a provider of flat-packed, high-quality manufactured building components, says the perception of prefab systems are slowly changing.

“Time savings and the ability to control quality better are driving the adoption of prefabricated systems in the industry, especially prefabricated bathrooms into high rise projects.”

“Historically in Australia, prefabricated homes have been viewed as more temporary and low budget housing. That’s no longer the case,” says Bill McCorkell, Managing Director of Archiblox.

The time-saving qualities of prefab are now driving its use in different sectors of the industry, with Habitech seeing a growing interest in hospital construction, particularly due to the reduced building disturbance on operating health care sites.

“These days, architect-designed prefabricated houses are getting recognition Australia-wide as high-end architecture with sophisticated building technologies. Luxurious prefab homes are starting to catch on as a new trend that brings together cutting-edge

“However, we still field a lot of enquiries looking for prefab options as a cost saving, rather than as a better quality proposition, but the information revolution and shows like Grand Designs are educating Australians as to how poor the quality of our housing is,” Barnett says.

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PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

1

2

1 Due to their production methods, prefab homes can be delivered on tight budgets and with a positive environmental response. Image: Arkit 2 Alpine House by Habitech Systems was created

by Habitech using their innovative SIP building system.

Image: Habitech Systems 3 The two bedroom Avalon House by Archiblox has a 16m x 4.6m module size that was manufactured in Victoria and shipped up to NSW. It is situated on one of the most sought-after sites on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Photography by Tom Ross

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PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

1

Prefab is changing the way architects work, by providing them with a range of better designed and readymade building elements to work with.

“Different systems create different levels of design limitations, from prefabricated building elements working to set dimensions, through to ‘truck the box’ prefab approaches being set on fixed transport module sizes,” Barnett says.

Over the next 20 years, Barnett predicts prefab will change the way we build.

“The housing market is now globalised and overseas offers will simply provide better quality buildings, at lower prices with guaranteed quality…Habitech’s modular building fabrics are already allowing us to build houses with roof-top PV’s that produce more electricity than they use - zero emission and no energy bills.

“Australia needs to innovate, or lose a fair percentage of our construction industry to overseas companies,” he adds.

Similarly, Jan Gyrn, Managing Director of Modscape agrees the perception of prefab has changed.

“Australia is constantly learning from the methods and systems used overseas in Europe, Asia and the USA and continues

to squash outdated views associated with traditional prefab construction.”

“Today there are many examples that showcase the quality and design flexibility of prefabricated construction,” he adds.

Modscape uses modular design and prefabrication to create architecturally designed, sustainable homes and buildings. They work collaboratively with architects to develop their design and minimise risk in the building process, as they design, cost and build in-house.

“The use of prefabricated materials in the construction industry is improving efficiency across the entire building process,” Gyrn explains.

“Architects are also seeing the benefits and designing to suit a prefabricated, modular build. The delivery method of our modular construction is informing the design process, but design flexibility is retained.”

Although they have come a long way, Gyrn predicts the use of prefabricated materials and systems will continue to evolve.

“All parties want the certainty that a project can be delivered on time and on budget.

Greater appreciation of the industry and greater understanding of the design possibilities

coupled with accelerated construction time, less waste and less site disruption is making prefabrication more and more exciting,” he says.

However, prefab is not without its limitations.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN When using prefab, there can be a higher initial construction cost and there is a greater need for coordination of build sequences, to ensure delivery and installation run smoothly and the speed of using prefab is optimised.

The cost and constraints of the shipment method must be taken into account, especially if the factory is located far away from the site. For example, modular structures transported on a flat-backed trailer will be limited in length, width and weight based on the capacity of the truck. Transport may also be affected by daytime traffic restrictions in city centres, maximum load capacities and height restrictions under bridges.

Due to a lack of knowledge of the manufacturing processes among architects, a lengthened design development stage is common with architects not familiar with the process of modular construction. Barnett noted there are some design limitations, however this will vary depending on the manufacturer and their means and methods of production.

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PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

PREFAB IN ACTION

2

ARKIT

Arkit is an architect-led design and build group who specialise in high quality, customised prefabricated building solutions. The group focus on challenging the perceived design limitations associated with prefabricated construction and offer both panelised and modular construction options.

Two projects recently completed using Arkit’s modular system include the Phoenix Early Learning Centre project and the Light House project. The Phoenix Early Learning Centre is the first prefabricated building commissioned by the Victorian Department of Education and Training through a design and construct delivery method. Comprising a 66-child early learning facility, the centre was built within an operating school site. Using prefabrication enabled sitebased construction time to be limited to eight weeks. The Light House project is a new-build residential project located in a sensitive coastal environment. Built in two modules, the project was factory built and delivered to site fully fitted out. Designed to maximise outdoor interactions, the project was constructed in 12 weeks.

Arkit is currently working with several clients affected by the Great Ocean Road bushfires. Their panelised system will enable architect-designed BAL rated homes to be delivered in around a third of the time of traditional site based construction. Arkit has approached the Office of the Victorian Government Architect to request the inclusion of a prefabrication option within the suite of standard designs to be developed for the rebuild.

3

A recent new-build Arkit project, Tucker House, was constructed from a series of wall, roof and floor cassettes. A key consideration in the selection of this system was the difficult nature of the site. The project was located on a steep site subject to land slip, but through the use of panelised construction, the project was completed in 12 weeks.

4

5 1 Light House 2 Light House 3 Hill House 4 Light House 5 Tucker House

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PREFABRICATION MATERIALS & SYSTEMS

1

2

1 The House of HäagenDazs at its new home at Circular Quay. Photography

by Michael Wickham 2 Archiblox’s House of Häagen-Dazs at Federation Square Melbourne.

Photography by Tom Ross

Bill McCorkell Managing Director of Archiblox says The Taboo Group got in touch as they wanted to use Archiblox’s prefabricated method for a quick turn around “and also because they loved our designs, and sustainable qualities”.

including seating and the ceiling, and recycled blackbutt timber planter boxes. Currently the Pod operates on grid power, but it is possible to power it with solar photovoltaics. The project used Weathertex for the external cladding, whom are the first Australian manufacturer to receive a Greentag Platinum certification with a Greenrate R Level A for their natural range products. Additionally, the primed flat cladding and wall panel sheets used have received Gold certification and they meet the requirement set by the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star program, achieving maximum rating points for wall cladding and panels.

The Pod is constructed of carbon neutral timber cladding on the exterior, plywood interiors

The building moved from Federation Square to The Rocks in Sydney and sits lightly in

HOUSE OF HÄAGEN-DAZS BY ARCHIBLOX

The House of Häagen-Dazs was used to introduce the American ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs back to the Australian market place after a hiatus of nearly 30 years. Archiblox designed a prefabricated Pod with a construction time of 10 weeks. The project used advanced prefabricated building methods and materials that carry high sustainable properties.

its landscape. Once transported to its next destination it will leave no trace of being there.

The biggest challenge was the delivery into the centre of Melbourne CBD and Sydney CBD, which required a reasonable amount of co-ordinations with permits and authorities.

“We had to ensure the building was under 10 tonnes due to the placement at Federation Square as the building was sitting above the train lines and could not exceed this weight,” McCorkell says.

“We were required to come up with an alternative footing system to accommodate this weight requirement.” n

C002970

21-31-91

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HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

Balancing

SCALE AND CHARACTER THROUGH

MATERIALITY

[WORDS] LIAM PROBERTS

FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, BUREAU PROBERTS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

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HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

A

S URBANISATION CONTINUES, THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR GREATER DIVERSITY OF HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE CITY. TO MEET THIS DEMAND AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY, FUNCTIONING CITY, MEDIUM AND HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE VITAL. HOWEVER, THE RISK WITH HIGH-DENSITY DEVELOPMENTS IS THAT THEY CAN BE DEVOID OF CHARACTER OR A SENSE OF PLACE OR IDENTITY. IN THIS REGARD, WE NEED TO BE ADVENTUROUS IN FINDING SOLUTIONS THAT EXCEED CLIENT EXPECTATIONS AND MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY. You don’t have to spend lots of money to produce liveable, quality developments, however, efficiency is crucial to effectively meet clients’ needs. When you’re investing so heavily in a major piece of infrastructure, efficiency must be a prerequisite. It doesn’t make sense to be wasteful.

When I talk about efficiency in high-density residential developments, I mean the creation of living spaces at scale, as well as the efficiency of construction methodologies and materials used in the build.

Efficiency is necessary, but it’s also a challenge. We like to bring a sense of character and uniqueness to our design and material selection by putting ourselves in the shoes of a potential resident. When you’re designing at scale, variation and efficiency are at odds.

For a development of 300 apartments, you may need to design 20 different apartment variations to create a connection to the space for users. It can be difficult to do this efficiently.

Materiality and the way you work with materials allows you to create that identity.

We often look to materiality and the construction methodology to create a sense of identity. We do this by exposing a material’s authenticity, or drawing a connection to the local area.

DRAWING A CONNECTION TO THE AREA The market is looking for clearly identifiable designs that say something about the local area.

By drawing a connection to the area through the material selection, residents feel like they’re part of a local lifestyle and a community.

McLachlan & Ann (M&A) is a mixed-use, master planned development located in the near city location of Fortitude Valley. The project successfully infused a strong visual identity in an efficient, high-density development that creates a sense of place that people can relate to.

Our approach with M&A was to use affordable and available recognised materials and put them together in a buildable way that is unique and identifiable.

Simple materials of painted pre-cast concrete and metal cladding and screens reflect the industrial heritage of the area and allowed efficient construction of the 290-apartment tower.

The painted precast concrete elements enabled public art and facade treatments that provide a distinctive identity for the precinct through a colour scheme that evokes memories of Brisbane’s backyards, the heritage of the Valley and hidden artworks to provide a sense of memory for people who explore the lane.

The development also features a pedestrian laneway as a thoroughfare, that activates the ground plane by creating a retail and residential mix. The brickwork aesthetic of the laneway is a tribute to the brick warehouses, factories and service buildings that dominate the Valley’s landscape.

In designing our latest boutique residential development, Walan, we wanted to design something truly special for the residential market. We asked ourselves ‘how can we create a home in an urban residential tower?’

Instead of thinking of them as apartments, we thought of each floor like a house in its size and connection to the outside. What we set out to achieve was a contemporary ‘Queenslander in the sky’ with all rooms opening to a veranda edge, providing cross ventilation while maintaining privacy.

The unique façade references the river’s edge and draws on the fissures and openings of the surrounding cliff embedding the building in the landscape of Kangaroo Point. This connection to the cliffs is continued internally, using carefully selected travertines and natural stones for benchtops and wall features throughout.

This entirely-glass building engages with the landscape with specially-designed screening that provides a veil between living space and external spaces, while modulating the light and heat of our sub-tropical environment.

At this high-end of the market, we can also get direct feedback from potential buyers. They have a preference for timber floors because of the softer, home-like feel. However, to avoid the high maintenance of external timber floors on balconies at scale, the internal timber floors will transition to an external tiled floor instead.

To extend the sense of ‘home’, each residence also has a unique, pocket garden reminiscent of a more suburban garden, whilst referencing the cliff and river-scape of the immediate area.

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HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

1

2

M&A FEATURES A PEDESTRIAN LANEWAY AS A THOROUGHFARE, THAT ACTIVATES THE GROUND PLANE BY CREATING A RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL MIX. THE BRICKWORK AESTHETIC IS A TRIBUTE TO THE BRICK WAREHOUSES, FACTORIES AND SERVICE BUILDINGS THAT DOMINATE THE VALLEY’S LANDSCAPE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

“WE OFTEN LOOK TO MATERIALITY AND THE CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY TO CREATE A SENSE OF IDENTITY. WE DO THIS BY EXPOSING A MATERIAL’S AUTHENTICITY, OR DRAWING A CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL AREA.”

1 The strategy for M&A was to knit the development with the streets, laneways and edges of “The Valley” and create a character that is relevant and of its place. Photography by DC8 2 Walan was designed as a ‘Queenslander in the sky’, with all rooms opening to a veranda edge, providing cross ventilation while maintaining privacy. Image: Render House

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MATERIALITY TO CREATE AUTHENTICITY AND IDENTITY As a practice, we have a preference for expressing the quality of materials and their function to create a much more authentic design. When we can express the concrete, timber, brickwork, aluminium, or any material, in its raw form, it adds to the design identity and allows residents to understand how the building was made.

As our first major development with no painted surfaces, Silt was an experiment in finding an effective way to use materials to create character and a beautiful place to live.

Influenced by the fabric of the industrial built-form surrounds, Silt is comprised entirely of raw concrete, glass, natural cedar blades and powder-coated or shop-finished aluminium.

The tinted glass and concrete clad exterior create an intriguing façade that entices people to want to see what’s inside. To do this efficiently, we worked with precast concrete suppliers to source semi-repetitive designed panels that weren’t super costly. We also had to work with manufacturers of glazing systems that worked within a standard reign, that we could use in a slightly different way.

The internal spaces are designed around an internal timber veneer clad pod, housing the kitchen, laundry and powder room, and surrounded by living and private spaces.

The pod’s surface compliments the building materials of exposed concrete and timber screening, which are both used internally. All the finishes are based on a natural palette in both colour and material, with the construction of the building exposed internally to allow for interesting internal spaces and connections to the outside. The colour of the internal precast concrete wall reflects the nearby river and creates a beautiful connection to the landscape.

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1 SILT WAS AN EXPERIMENT IN FINDING AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO USE MATERIALS TO CREATE CHARACTER AND A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE. PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

2

3

1 Silt is exposed internally for interesting spaces that connect to the outside. Photography by Christopher Frederick-Jones 2 The internal spaces of Silt are designed around a warm timber veneer clad pod. Photography by Christopher Frederick-Jones 3 Silt matches the colour, texture and underside-height of the adjacent bridge. Photography by Christopher Frederick-Jones

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HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

THE NEWSTEAD SERIES USE COMMON BUILDING MATERIALS IN UNIQUE TEXTURES AND PATTERNS TO CREATE A BESPOKE, CUSTOM APPEARANCE AKIN TO DETACHED DWELLINGS. IMAGE: BINYAN

MATERIAL TEXTURES AND PATTERNS Material textures and patterns can also be used to create character. Our Newstead Series apartments and townhouses, currently under construction, were designed to create the feeling of a permanent home. We used high-quality fittings and furnishings that give a sense of luxury and are designed to last, just as we would with any premium single residence.

Extensive use of glass creates spacious, light-filled internal spaces, while the faรงade is decorated with intricate metal screens and patterned brickwork for the dual purpose of creating a sense of identity for the townhouses and providing maintenance-free protection from the Western sun. Bricks are readily available in standard run and colour, and laid in a familiar bond but placed in a way that creates pattern, light, shade and decoration.

INSIDE, HIGH-QUALITY FITTINGS AND FURNISHINGS WILL GIVE OCCUPANTS A SENSE OF LUXURY, JUST LIKE ANY PREMIUM SINGLE RESIDENCE WOULD. IMAGE: BINYAN

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ART CAN DISGUISE THE ROBUSTNESS OF LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

ART IN ARCHITECTURE TO CREATE A POINT OF DIFFERENCE We often find ourselves collaborating with artists in different ways to create a sense of place. While the types of residences people require have changed, a desire for a strong sense of identity to place has not. In many high-residential developments, there is a deliberate approach to disguise the robustness of the development with overlayed artwork via the form itself or screens and painted elements.

BUREAU PROBERTS USED DIFFERENT COLOURED PANELS FIXED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF HORIZONTAL ALUMINIUM LOUVRE BLADES TO CREATE THE WORD ‘SEEN’ ON THEIR M&A PROJECT. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK-JONES

Newstead Series features a range of artwork installations in the foyers and shared spaces for residents to enjoy. Likewise, M&A integrates a number of artistic quirks. Creating a focal point in the laneway is a suspended interpretation of a decorative deer’s head. The external northeast facade involves a series of coloured panels fixed to the underside of horizontal aluminium louvre blades to form the word ‘seen’ which is viewed from below. As the viewer moves away from the viewing point the image is designed to lose legibility.

By integrating art into our building-scapes, we create individual and distinguishable places. n

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We began with you in mind...

...and finished with the ultimate Mortice Lock.

Selector® 3700 Series Mortice Locks When we set out to create a new Mortice Lock we started with you in mind. We thought about making it advanced in its ingenuity yet hassle-free to install.

We made sure all its functions were accessible from behind the faceplate – making it configurable in the door, before installation or even in the box.

We made it to the highest standards of precision engineering and built to last. We gave it more functionality than any other single lock but still managed to keep it brilliantly simple. The new Lockwood Selector 3700 Series Mortice Lock - a brilliant way to lockup.

Quick install & retrofit options Versatile multi-function settings High quality Australian made durability Lockwood 25Yr Mechanical Warranty

Scan QR code to find out more or visit lockweb.com.au/selector3700 ASSA ABLOY Australia Pty Limited ABN 90 086 451 907 ©2016 | MC04809

ADVERTISING FEATURE – ARENS

THE USE OF NATURAL VENTILATION TO IMPROVE USER COMFORT AND REDUCE ENERGY

S

UCCESSFUL NATURAL VENTILATION IS DETERMINED BY HAVING HIGH THERMAL COMFORT AND ADEQUATE FRESH AIR FOR THE VENTILATED SPACES, WHILE HAVING LITTLE OR NO ENERGY USE FOR ACTIVE HVAC COOLING AND VENTILATION.

As energy costs continue to rise, and with heating and cooling costs accounting for about 40% of energy use, the popularity of natural ventilation as an alternative to traditional mechanical ventilation systems is rising.

Natural ventilation uses natural forces to enable a building to breathe by varying the opening of the building such as windows, louvres and skylight when the weather conditions allow.

Australia’s climactic conditions of warms summers and mild winters provide ideal conditions for natural ventilation in buildings.

Natural ventilation is a key element of passive design – the design philosophy where a building envelope doesn’t require mechanical heating or cooling. Driven by the raised awareness of sustainability, internal climate control and desire for comfort, a reduced reliance on mechanical heating and cooling is seen as a critical component of modern commercial and residential design.

REDUCING COSTS One of the key benefits of natural ventilation in buildings is the dramatic reduction in costs associated with heating and cooling. Research shows buildings with natural ventilation can expect a reduction in capital costs of 10-15% in comparison to air-conditioned equivalents.

Buildings with natural ventilation systems will also realise lower operating costs for both energy and ongoing maintenance. A recent report found naturally ventilated

offices have 25-33% lower annual energy costs than air-conditioned offices, with a payback period of about two and a half years.

HEALTHY AND NATURAL INDOOR ENVIRONMENT Fresh air is essential in buildings to alleviate odours, provide oxygen for respiration, and to increase thermal comfort. Thermal comfort is dependent on four environment factors, namely airflow, air temperature, air humidity and radiation from the sun.

A recent study which compared the thermal comfort of occupants in naturally ventilated office buildings with air-conditioned buildings found that those in the naturally ventilated offices are significantly more satisfied with their thermal environment than occupants in air-conditioned buildings.

The study found that only 50 per cent of occupants in the air-conditioned buildings were satisfied with the indoor temperature, compared with 77 per cent satisfaction in the naturally ventilated buildings.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (EQ) STANDARDS With Environmental Quality (EQ) standards becoming measurable, passive design features will become more important to building ratings.

The Green Building Council of Australia recognises projects that provide high air quality to occupants, with natural ventilation options providing additional credits towards recognition.

Natural ventilation must have the appropriate control strategies to work effectively in modern building types. With a smart control system designed specifically for the nuances and broad range of criteria needed to control natural ventilation that still offer user control and override, natural ventilation will maximise comfort and energy efficiency.

ARENS VENTILATION CONTROL SYSTEMS Arens Ventilation Control Systems use the principles of ‘natural ventilation’, to assist airflow by either manually or automatically adjusting the window opening according to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, rain and wind.

Arens Automated Ventilation Controls are designed to be incorporated into any existing or planned project in order to help increase airflow and comfort levels, and reduce the concentration of common pollutants.

Arens Automated Ventilation Controls manage mechanical heating and cooling when natural ventilation is not able to achieve the required comfort levels for the building occupants.

This ensures optimal us of mechanical ventilation systems so that they are not operate continuously – making them more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Download the full whitepaper here.

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RENOVATIONS & RETROFITTING

to

terrific toilets: MARKS PARK AMENITIES BY SAM CRAWFORD ARCHITECTS SCA CHOOSE RETROFIT OVER REBUILD TO SAVE CARBON, WASTE AND LANDFILL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BOARDMAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BOARDMAN

[WORDS] NATHAN JOHNSON

“

THE MOST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING IS THE ONE THAT’S ALREADY THERE.” THIS IS AN OLD STATEMENT, ONE THAT’S FREQUENTLY USED, BUT ALSO ONE THAT’S GARNERING MORE ATTENTION OF LATE AS WE LOOK TO FIND A PLACE FOR OLD BUILDINGS IN OUR TRANSITION TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY.

The idea is that by upgrading our existing building stock rather than knocking down and starting fresh, a huge amount of emissions, waste and landfill can be saved. The case for retrofit over rebuild is also strengthened by a growing stockpile of case studies around the world that demonstrate to the design community that high-tech retrofits can also match the energy use performance of a brand new building.

At the same time, the use of reclaimed and recycled building materials for projects is also becoming more common in Australia as more designers become conscious of the hoard of latent carbon stored in discarded building materials at waste sites and in storage around the country.

One recent project from Sydney’s Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) is both a case in point for those advocating for retrofit over rebuild as well as a case study to those considering reclaimed building materials for their next project.

Marks Park Amenities is located on the popular Bondi to Coogee walking track and about half way between Sydney’s Tamarama and Bondi beaches.

The track wraps sandstone cliffs, meanders through public parks and has some of the city’s best views and most valuable land. It’s also as old as it is popular, and there have been repeated efforts over the years from council to maintain and upgrade the track and its public facilities to cater for an increasing amount of annual visitors.

One of the more recent upgrades was to the ageing amenities building at Marks Park, and SCA were put in charge of that renovation.

While at first glance the south-west facing brick and concrete structure, originally built in the late 1970s as a set of hockey/soccer team change rooms and public toilets, seemed to meet every description of a “brick shithouse”, SCA Director Sam Crawford explains that the building was simply “too functional” to demolish. Instead, his team went about upgrading, extending and re-skinning the building to bring it up to the demands of peak crowds and up to scratch aesthetically with its immediate environment.

Functionally, SCA’s brief was to double the number of male and female pans/urinals, improve the building’s overall amenity and give it a new identity. It was Crawford’s choice to do so by using the existing shell of the building.

First off, the female and male amenities spaces were gutted, rationalised and re-planned to double the facility capacity. Robust materials of terrazzo and ceramic were chosen for their durability, as were the Caroma toilets and urinals and Enware tapware. SCA also made judicious cuts into the original concrete and brick skin to inundate interior spaces with natural light and air and to reduce the need for the new LED lighting.

A veranda was added to the south-west face of the building to provide shelter from the oppressive afternoon sun and driving southerly rains, and hosts precast concrete communal wash troughs which freed up space inside the building for the much needed additional toilets.

But the most obvious difference at Marks Park Amenities is its new timber skin of reclaimed tallowwood and blackbutt battens. The battens are vertically aligned and are either 95x95mm or 40x40mm which, according to Crawford, provides >>

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THE EXISTING BUILDING WAS TOO PRACTICAL TO KNOCK DOWN SO SCA UPGRADED ITS AMENITIES, GAVE IT A NEW VERANDA AND ACCESS ROUTE, AND WRAPPED IT IN A SKIN OF HARDWOOD BATTENS. IMAGES: SCA AND BRETT BOARDMAN

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a play of textures and shadows throughout the day as the sun hits the building at different angles.

Crawford also expects the skin to weather naturally under the harsh salt and sun exposure of the headland and to settle into the muted silver tones of the nearby banksia scrub and sandstone escarpment.

THE BATTENS PROVIDE A PLAY OF TEXTURES AND SHADOWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS THE SUN HITS THE BUILDING AT DIFFERENT ANGLES. PHOTOGRAPHY

BY BRETT BOARDMAN

THE BUILDING IS LOCATED HIGH ON THE HEADLAND OF MARKS PARK AND WAS DESIGNED TO SCOOP THE BREEZE DEEP INTO THE AMENITIES SPACES. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BOARDMAN

But while the tallowwood and blackbutt are striking in their own right, the story behind their sourcing is just as interesting. The timber posts that now wrap the building were fortuitously discovered by SCA during a client design meeting at the now-demolished Waverley Council Works Depot at Zetland. The Depot, then-comprising a number of large warehouse buildings framed with mixed Australian hardwoods, was being demolished to make way for the Green Square Town Centre. Waverley Council had contracted a demolition company to bulldoze and remove the buildings as soon as possible but with some “cajoling” agreed to let the demolition crew set aside the timber for pick-up by a salvage company. Under the agreement the salvage company could keep timbers surplus to the project’s requirements so long as they supplied SCA with free freshly milled sticks to specification for Marks Park Amenities.

At last, SCA had their timber battens.

One of the key challenges of retrofitting practice is adapting a building enough to change its public sentiment, a challenge commonly put to designers in a brief. Creating something “new” and “fresh” out of an existing building is by nature more difficult than it is with a new build, but it isn’t impossible.

SCA showed at Marks Park that retrofitting not only saves emissions, waste and landfill, it can also give new life and meaning to a building in the same way something brand new would. n

PROJECT CREDITS: ARCHITECTS SAM CRAWFORD ARCHITECTS: SAM CRAWFORD, IMOGENE TUDOR, KEN WARR, BEN CHAN, MADELEINE ROWE, MATTHEW BOLTON BUILDER GRINDLEY INTERIORS PROJECT MANAGER COMPLETE URBAN STRUCTURAL ENGINEER CANTILEVER QUANTITY SURVEYOR ALTUS PAGE KIRKLAND HYDRAULIC ENGINEER JONES NICHOLSON LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

JUDICIOUS CUTS WERE MADE IN THE ORIGINAL CONCRETE AND BRICK SKIN TO INUNDATE INTERIOR SPACES WITH NATURAL LIGHT AND AIR. SKYDOME SKYLIGHTS WERE USED DUE TO THEIR DURABILITY IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS AND THE UV PROTECTION OF THE POLYCARBONATE DOME. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BOARDMAN

JONES NICHOLSON GRAPHIC DESIGN DEUCE DESIGN ACCESS CONSULTANTS BCA LOGIC BCA CONSULTANTS BCA LOGIC LAND SURVEYOR RPS PHOTOGRAPHY BRETT BOARDMAN PRODUCTS: ROOFING BLUESCOPE, COLORBOND ULTRA STEEL IN SURFMIST AND LYSAGHT KLIP-LOK 406 PROFILE CLADDING RECYCLED HARDWOOD TIMBER BATTENS WASH BASINS CUSTOM DESIGN SCA FLOORS FIBONACCI STONE IN STORM & NOUGAT COLOURS CUBICLE DIVISIONS TERRAZZO AUSTRALIAN MARBLE, POLISHED WHITES MT26 40MM DOOR HARDWARE METLAM SANITARY FIXTURES TOILET SUITES CAROMA, URBANE WALL FACED INVISI SERIES II AND CAROMA, CARE LEDA 2000 PAN URINALS CAROMA, CUBE 0.8 LITRE ELECTRONIC URINAL FIT OUT KIT AND CUBE 0.8 LITRE ELECTRONIC URINALROUGH IN KIT TAPWARE ENWARE, TFC741510 WITH EXTENSION

IL1604_000_Storm_DA

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ARCHITECTURAL GRATES + DRAINS

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View our complete selection on the Stormtech website, and match the perfect drain to your design needs.

Visit us at stormtech.com.au for tools + inspiration.

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THE NEXT

GENERATION VRV IV-S SYSTEM FIRST LAUNCHED IN JAPAN IN 1982, THE DAIKIN VRV SYSTEM HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY WORLD MARKETS FOR OVER 30 YEARS. The slim compact design offers improved energy savings, comfort and can be connected to a range of domestic indoor units, with outdoor units measuring as low as 990mm in height* for ease of installation.

VRV IV-S capacity ranges from 9kW to 24kW to meet an even wider variety of needs.

Find out more today.

Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 300

*Applies to 9, 11.2 and 14kW models

ADVERTISING FEATURE – WINTEC

3 PRINCIPLES YOU MUST CONSIDER BEFORE SPECIFYING WINDOWS AND DOORS

W

HILE ON THE SURFACE, AN OUT-OF-PLACE DOOR OR WINDOW MAY BE WRITTEN OFF AS SIMPLY BAD AESTHETICS, SPECIFYING THE WRONG WINDOW AND DOOR SYSTEM CAN HAVE LONGTERM REPERCUSSIONS FOR A BUILDING AND ITS OCCUPANTS.

Windows and doors do not just act as the link between interiors and the outdoors; they also provide ventilation and daylight, and play a huge role in the acoustic health of a building. Being a noise leak liability, windows and doors that do not mitigate sound transfer can inadvertently guarantee a noisy and stressful indoor environment.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

At the same time, windows and doors provide the lowest insulating value in the building envelope. This means positioning windows inappropriately without any site-specific considerations, or choosing the wrong type, size or material, may lead to undesired heat gain or loss in a building.

ECONOMICS

These issues are must be taken into account as part of the three key principles listed below that architects must consider before specifying windows and doors:

ACOUSTICS Windows and doors are key points of weakness when it comes to acoustics and soundproofing spaces. The paper looks at the minimum requirements under AS 1191 as well as noise minimising tips relating to glazing, sealing, laminates and opening style

With the energy efficiency benchmark being lifted from a mandatory 5 Star energy rating to 6 stars, up to a possible 10 stars, the pressure to build and deliver green buildings is higher than ever. The paper explores the basic guidelines to follow to meet these requirements.

While sufficient acoustic properties and thermal insulation are crucial to a home’s comfort and sustainability, it is perhaps the financial benefits, both capital and ongoing savings of specifying high performance windows and doors that speaks most loudly to designers, developers and the end user.

An Australian company that understands the importance of getting these three principles right from the outset is Wintec Aluminium, who has successfully supplied architects and designers with a variety of energy and cost efficient door and window products for over a decade. Its products, ranging from sliding doors to awning windows, are manufactured on the basis of the latest innovations and designs, and boast the ability to reduce the annual cost of heating and cooling in homes.

The practicality of Wintec’s range is formed on the cornerstone of well-sealed sashes and frames, with all products exceeding the requirements of AS 2047 and achieving air leakage rates of less than 0.5 litres per second, per square metre of the window area, thanks to various seal types.

The hollow aluminium extrusions used in Wintec windows and doors also give superior performance in water penetration resistance and structural rigidity. Wintec doors and windows furthermore incorporate a baffle in the drainage system that allows water to flow out, but restricts air from flowing through the window or door frame. This reduces the energy loss normally encountered through drain holes.

In addition, Wintec subjects all of its products to tests conducted at the National Acoustic Laboratory in accordance with AS 1191, and air leakage tests in accordance with AS 4420.4 in NATA registered laboratory number 14093.

This ensures its products are able to successfully mitigate any noise from external sources, with results of AS tests testifying to the acoustic excellence of Wintec’s windows and doors. The airtight design of the Wintec range contributes to this acoustic performance, enhancing indoor comfort.

ULLRICH

A L U M I N I U M

WINTEC ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS

Download the full whitepaper here.

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BATHROOMS

SENSOR HAND DRYERS: THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BATHROOM ESSENTIAL [WORDS] LUCY MARRETT

A

STRING OF RECENT LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS STUDIES HAVE BROUGHT NEW EVIDENCE TO THE PAPER TOWELS VERSUS HAND DRYERS DEBATE AND IT APPEARS THAT, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, ELECTRICITY-POWERED HAND DRYERS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AFTER ALL.

The LCA studies compared the environmental impact of electric hand dryers on the measures of electricity generation and use, to the impact and emissions created during paper towel production, manufacturing and disposal. The results found that electrical high-speed sensor hand dryers are better for the environment than paper towels.

But that’s not to say electrical hand dryers are right for all projects. Speed, ease of use and environmental impact are all important considerations, but so too is hygiene.

Today, hygiene and hand washing is ever more important, especially in the health and aged care sector where overlooking basic hand washing and drying could significantly and negatively impact patient or occupant health. This is backed by studies from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Mayo Clinic which suggests the transmission of bacteria was more likely in instances of washed but undried hands. Hand dryer manufacturer Dyson have also backed these studies by suggesting that the drying of hands is just as important as washing, as damp hands can spread up to 1,000 times more bacteria to the surfaces they touch.

While there haven’t been as many studies done on the benefits of hand drying, it is important to note that not all methods of hand drying are equal in effectiveness or environmental impact. The high speed electronic hand dryers are currently considered a more environmentally friendly option when compared to the process of creating and life cycle of a paper towel, but they are not proven to be better dryers than paper towels.

Many electric hand dryers have features such as high speed airflow, reduced wattage of the heating element and smart motor/ air stream design.

The following is a guide to sensor electronic hand dryers available in the Australian market based on its environmental impact.

Note: this is a guide only and all information is based on calculated estimates based on information and technical specifications readily available to the public.

DYSON AIRBLADE BY DYSON The Dyson range of Airblade dryers produce up to 76 per cent less carbon dioxide than paper towels. Along with the use of HEPA filtered air, hands are dry within a 10 – 12 second drying process ensuring the 99.9% of bacteria is removed from the air. Dyson Airblade dryers use 1.6kwh per dryer.

MEDIFLOW LOGIC DRY HAND DRYERS

BY DAVIDSON WASHROOM The Mediflow range of sensor hand dryer’s ideal for use in high traffic and is faster drying than most conventional models. Mediflow logic dry has a range of total power operation and can use anywhere from 0.25 to 2.75kwh.

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JET TOWEL SLIM SERIES HAND DRYER BY MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC AUSTRALIA Working to dry hands quickly, the Jet towel slim series removes water and dries hands from 9 seconds and waste water is collected in a drain tank. The advanced motor technology ensures low energy consumption with the various models using between 0.55- 1.24 Kwh per dryer.

THE DYSON RANGE OF AIRBLADE DRYERS PRODUCE UP TO 76 PER CENT LESS CARBON DIOXIDE THAN PAPER TOWELS.

EXECUTIVE 2 FROM JET DRYER Jet Dryer’s Executive 2 model hand dryer dries hands in around 10 seconds and includes a replaceable hepa filter for filtering air and removing bacteria. The risk of wet floors and slippage is reduced with the water capture tray. The Executive 2 dryer uses between 0.7- 1 kwh per dryer.

TRI-UMPH BY ASI JD MACDONALD Ergonomic and high speed- the Tri-umph automatic hand dryer from ASI JD Macdonald achieves fast drying time and eliminates 99 per cent of bacteria through its filter system. Tri-umph uses 1.6kwh per dryer.

BOBRIK TRIM DRY FROM RBA GROUP Quick drying in under 25 seconds, and sensor operated with dual air outlets, the Bobrik Trim Dry provides a swirling circulation of airflow for comfortable hand drying.

The 208–240Volt dryer models uses between 1.4-1.9kwh per dryer.

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SURE WE’RE GREEN— JUST NOT INSIDE OUR

HAND DRYERS.

Only our exclusive TRI-Umph™ hand dryer is 99% free from mold and bacteria. The green we’re referring to is mold, mildew and bacteria and you won’t find them in our TRI-Umph™ hand dryer. Unlike competitor hand dryers that collect water which turns into bacteria— TRI-Umph™’s unique design eliminates 99% of bacteria.

Welcome to safe solutions—welcome to the new ASI JD MacDonald.

Phone: 1800 023 441 Email: enquiry@asijdmacdonald.com.au or visit: asijdmacdonald.com.au

ADVERTISING FEATURE – GEBERIT

PUSHING THE RIGHT BUTTONS IN OVER 60 MILLION HOMES WORLDWIDE GEBERIT CONCEALED CISTERNS DELIVER DESIGN FREEDOM TO ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS; THE FREEDOM TO PLAN INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND CREATE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION BETWEEN ROOMS.

G

EBERIT CONCEALED CISTERNS DELIVER DESIGN FREEDOM TO ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS; THE FREEDOM TO PLAN INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND CREATE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION BETWEEN ROOMS. ENGINEERED WITH SWISS EXPERTISE EVERY GEBERIT CISTERN HAS A WATERMARK CERTIFICATE. GEBERIT OFFERS THE WIDEST RANGE OF 4 STAR WELS RATED CONCEALED CISTERNS AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA, A CISTERN WARRANTY OF UP TO 10 YEARS AND SPARE PARTS AVAILABILITY OF 25 YEARS.

Space is often at a premium in contemporary bathrooms, concealed cisterns will create a streamlined look in even the smallest room.

They’re even flexible enough to accommodate installation in ceilings and vanity units, a particularly appealing prospect for designers of medium to high density developments.

50 brushed chrome button complemented the contemporary finish of the home, the tiling and tapware in the bathrooms, as well as the home”.

Engineered with Swiss expertise and installed in over 60 million homes throughout the world, the range of technically advanced cisterns run like clockwork behind the walls, providing you with peace of mind.

The range has new metallics which, for the first time, include a warm rose gold and striking brushed nickel in the Sigma50 range. These ‘precious metals’ offer architects and designers even greater scope for innovative, bespoke solutions during the planning stage. The selection of glass plates across the range has been strengthened with the addition of a sophisticated palette of finishes designed to inspire.

Architects and designers have specified Geberit concealed cisterns in many of Australia’s leading residential and commercial projects.

Coming soon. A new range of flush plates in contemporary metallics, stylish glass, muted matt finishes and more.

chose the minimal plate because it matched the bathroom’s straight lines and understated design.

It also integrates well with the two bathroom colour palettes available to prospective buyers.

The ADVANXeast residential apartment development in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a good example of concealed cisterns overcoming the restriction of limited space, delivering a streamlined result in keeping with the architect’s vision.

Similarly, Geberit’s space saving benefits can be applied to low density housing. In a high end home in Freshwater on Sydney’s northern beaches, Geberit concealed cisterns were specified to allow the architect to continue a minimal, streamlined look throughout the home.

Louise Bell director of Interni, the project’s interior designer, was tasked with maximising the sense of spaciousness in the long, narrow bathrooms, by eliminating any clutter.

“The design elements of the bathrooms needed to be considered as part of the overall look of the home.” said Pouné Parsanejad, principal of Studio_P architecture and interiors.

For Bell, Geberit’s concealed in-wall cisterns with discreet flush plates were an obvious choice. “In-wall cisterns were the only way for us to achieve the streamlined design we wanted and to really strike a balance between traditional and modern aesthetics,” she says.

“We considered lighting, materials and finishes.

Everything has to be functional and there should be a seamless connection between every room.”

At ADVANXeast, Bell selected the Kappa under counter cistern and Kappa50 chrome plate. She

All five bathrooms were designed to maximise the limited space. For Pouné, Geberit concealed cisterns provided more contemporary design options, including a wall-hung pan and continuous, uninterrupted tiling. “The Sigma

The new finishes complement the existing range, Australia’s most popular. Chrome finished variations remain the number one specified design; Geberit has a comprehensive selection of chrome finishes, bringing the alloy to life with a fusion of materials and complementary and contrasting metals, including gold and stainless steel.

CREDITS ADVANXEAST GEBERIT KAPPA50 CHROME PLATES AND UNDER COUNTER CISTERNS , ARCHITECT: DARYL JACKSON ROBIN DYKE. INTERIOR DESIGN: INTERNI. PHOTOGRAPHY: JONATHAN MILLER FRESHWATER GEBERIT SIGMA CONCEALED CISTERNS AND SIGMA 50 BRUSHED CHROME FLUSH PLATES, ARCHITECT: POUNÉ PARSANEJAD, STUDIO_P – ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS

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PAINTS & COATINGS

EIGHT OF AUSTRALIA’S BEST LOW AND ZERO VOC PAINTS [WORDS] GERALDINE CHUA

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E ARE NO STRANGERS TO THE SAYING “NOTHING A FRESH COAT OF PAINT WON’T FIX”, BUT NOT EVERYONE STOPS TO CONSIDER THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE TINS OF COLOUR WE USE TO SPRUCE UP OUR HOMES.

Typically covering 80 per cent of a building’s surfaces, paints are made up of a variety of ingredients, some which are more benign than others. Possibly the most harmful chemical found in paints are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are carbon-containing solvents that vaporise into the air readily as paint dries.

These VOCs help make paint easier to spread as well as more durable, but often have negative effects on the health of building occupants. Some exposure to such products can cause headaches, dizziness and nausea, while higher exposure levels can have more serious consequences, such as kidney damage and even cancer.

“There are studies that show that you get 70 per cent of the toxins that you absorb into your body through the air you breathe inside buildings,” says Stuart McPhee, national sales manager of non-toxic paint manufacturer, Ecolour.

“Eight per cent comes from the food and water we eat and drink, but it is the air that we breathe inside buildings that is doing the most damage to us, and paint is the biggest contributor.”

Some VOCs also form ground level ozone by releasing odoriferous chemicals that lead to ‘urban smog’. This leads to environmental repercussions, with the paint industry responsible for up to 16 per cent of all VOC emissions in Australia.

However, these problems can be avoided or at least minimised by specifying low or zero VOC paints. These paints usually emit less odours, and offer faster drying times and non-yellowing properties.

Here are eight low or zero VOC products available in Australia:

TAUBMANS PURE PERFORMANCE RANGE WAS USED INSIDE THE $2 BILLION FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL IN PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, DESIGNED BY FSH DESIGN COLLABORATION (SILVER THOMAS HANLEY, HASSELL, HAMES SHARLEY) AND DEVELOPED BY BROOKFIELD MULTIPLEX. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER BENNETTS

DULUX PROFESSIONAL FAST FINISH LEVEL 5 PREP COAT This product is a premium high film build prepcoat designed to even out surfaces and create a Level 5 finish. With a high opacity and easy to sand, it is suitable for interior plasterboards and may be used to develop a smooth, consistent surface on interior timbers. It can also be used under water and oil based prepcoats.

Designed for getting the job finished quickly, the Professional Fast Finish range is optimised for spray application, and delivers a reduction in required labour times (excluding preparation), as well as a professional premium finish. The Level 5 Prep Coat meets the APAS low VOC targets.

The Professional Fast Finish range also contains Water Based Enamels, which are premium acrylic products suitable for use on interior and exterior doors, window frames and trim that meet the GBCA target for doors, windows and trim.

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MYTHIC PAINT EXTERIOR FLAT The Mythic Exterior Flat is a 100 per cent zero VOC flat acrylic paint that provides mildew and fade resistant protection for a variety of exterior surfaces. It is ideal for previously painted or primed surfaces such as vinyl, rendered, aluminium gutters, timber, primed metal, shutters, hardboard, composite board, masonry and fencing.

PURE PERFORMANCE RANGE BY TAUBMANS Taubmans Pure Performance Interior is a 100 per cent acrylic, high performance, water-based paint formulated for interior surfaces. Exclusively engineered with Microban, an antibacterial protection which inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, mildew, mould and fungus, it has a low VOC and odour formula, and is scruff resistant and highly washable.

The range is approved by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice program, and recognised with the Green Building Council of Australia’s credit criteria.

It was utilised in the $2 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Western Australia (pictured left).

ECOLOUR PAINTS Ecolour paints are premium quality water based paints that are 100 per cent free of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). They are accredited by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) and recognised by The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) for assessing Green Star projects.

ECO STYLE PAINTS BY ROCKCOTE The Eco Style range are non-toxic and zero VOC. The formulation was developed in Australia with the most punishing and high traffic environments in mind: child care centres, schools, hospitals and public buildings.

Eco Style Paints are 100 per cent acrylic making them incredibly tough and low maintenance.

The manufacturer claims its range is suitable for interior, exterior and timber finishes, is durable, easy to apply, provides great coverage, and matchable to any colour.

Rockcote says their Eco Style paints adhere better and have far superior abrasive scrub resistance than the competition (independent testing, 2012), making them a good choice for education environments, health care, lasting refurbishments and government buildings where there can be no compromise on performance.

Ecolour was used on the 2014 Sustainability Award winning project The Commons by Breathe Architecture.

They are free of dangerous chemicals and solvents including formaldehyde, glycol ethers, phthalates and crystalline quartz silica.

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RESENE ZYLONE SHEEN VOC FREE Resene’s Zylone Sheen VOC Free produces a smooth yet tough surface. Drying to a low sheen finish, it is a low odour product with no unwanted VOCs, which means painted areas can be used soon after spaces are painted instead of having to wait days for the odour to disappear.

Zyone Sheen VOC Free is available in white, light, pastel, mid, and deep tones, and approved by Environmental Choice. It is suitable for interior works, and has a controlled low-angle sheen to minimise substrate imperfections.

Its washability improves as the paint hardens, and will not penetrate chalky and powdery surfaces.

PORTER’S MINERAL PAINT Porter’s Mineral Paint is a premium silicate paint providing colourfastness and durability. Designed to be painted onto render and other unpainted masonry surfaces, Mineral Paint penetrates and reacts with the substrate to ‘petrify’, a process known as ‘silification’. What results is a cured paint forming an inorganic structure with a strong bond to the inorganic substrate which cannot peel, crack or flake.

Solvent free, non-combustible and with no odour, Porter’s Mineral Paint is coloured with UV resistant natural powdered oxides for colour longevity and depth of colour. It has a guarantee of 25 years and an expected lifespan of 30 years, and contains 14 grams of VOC in a litre – far less than the APAS target level of 70 grams per litre for this product.

VOLVOX CLAY PAINT Made from natural clay in an ecologically sustainable manner, this paint is the healthiest choice for chemically sensitive people because it is totally odourless, has zero VOC and provides a very healthy living environment.

Made in Germany, it has as the Ecoflower label for high performance with high environmental consideration.

Clay paint can also be worked in various ways because of its natural clay properties to achieve various decorative effects.

It’s suitable for interior walls and ceilings in domestic and some commercial situations but only suitable for exterior walls if protected from frost and excessive rain.

It’s not suitable for areas requiring frequent washing and is about 30 per cent more expensive than acrylic paint.

Let’s Talk.

1300 771 516

boscolighting.com.au

LED Lighting Specialist

As a highly innovative manufacturer with product ranges across most industries, we are able to design and customise products for specific purposes, ensuring the highest quality solution to virtually any lighting problem.

BoscoLighting is here to help you with the best lighting solutions and services for your project.

Our reputation for excellent customer service, high quality products and competitive pricing set us above the competition.

BoscoLighting can assist architects and designers with: • Interior lighting - standard products range from recessed downlights to customised suspended fixtures of all shapes and sizes.

• Exterior lighting - extensive selection of weatherproof luminaires, standard to customised lighting systems for building facades, residential/ commercial landscapes, warehouses and loading docks.

• Lighting Plans • Product Samples • Pricing Estimates for Budgeting

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Newly Published White Paper Recently published white paper is now available for public download. “Next Generation Lighting as the key to Learning Effectiveness and Workplace Efficiency” deals with how lighting can increase worker and student efficiency by bringing natural lighting elements indoors.

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BETTER

BY DESIGN HEBEL SYSTEMS OFFER FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN, SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION AND MAKE BCA COMPLIANCE EASY TO ACHIEVE.

Hebel wall systems deliver exceptional benefits in terms of cost, quality, project efficiency, and risk minimisation.

Used in a range of applications including intertenancy, corridor, shaft and service walls, Hebel’s wall systems go up quickly and easily helping with project costs and schedules. They are also tested, designed, and well-proven to achieve BCA fire and acoustic rating compliance easily.

Photographed by Eric Sierins.

Courtesy of Frasers Property and Sekisui House.

Hebel – better by design.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE – KOHLER

WHY INTELLIGENT DESIGNERS ARE EMBRACING INTELLIGENT TOILETS

B

IDETS ARE RELATIVELY COMMONPLACE IN MARKETS SUCH AS EUROPE, ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST, HOWEVER IN AUSTRALIA, UK AND THE USA IT’S NOT OFTEN YOU WILL FIND THESE STAND-ALONE, TOILET-ADJACENT UNITS.

Why Australia, the UK and USA have lagged behind Europe Asia and the Middle East is somewhat of a mystery.

A lack of available space in the average bathroom is one theory, as is the more conservative approach to bathroom etiquette in comparison to European and Asian markets.

However, slowly but surely bidet technology is being adopted in parts of the world where it was previously unheard of. Take Australia or North America, where the biggest challenge to increasing bidet use is simply getting consumers to try them. Aside from uncertainty about the technology itself, the cost of an integrated bidet or an electronic bidet seat has kept many consumers from jumping on the bandwagon.

“I think culture has a lot to do with Australia and America’s reluctance to bidet use” says Jerry Bougher, Wisconsin based Marketing Manager, Toilets for global bathroomware leader KOHLER Co. “We are taught to use paper at a young age, and we tend to go with what we know. Travel and our ever-shrinking world are exposing more people to different experiences and cultures, which having a changing influence on many fronts. This is one of them.”

INTELLIGENT TOILETS With the introduction of intelligent toilets to the Australian market - where compact, streamlined onepiece toilets include an integrated bidet - architects, designers and specifiers are reassessing the use of this technology in bathroom design in order to provide a better user experience, improved hygiene and superior sustainability on projects.

Intelligent toilets address the combination of technology, culture, personal hygiene and bathing habits as well as contributing to environmental sustainability through a reduction in water consumption and toilet paper waste.

Veil Intelligent Toilet. When Technology Meets Art. Designed by KOHLER, the Veil Wall-Hung Intelligent Toilet offers the perfect balance of form and function to encapsulate the essence of the modern intelligent toilet and the benefits and features most sought out by designers and users alike.

Balanced curves and ultra-responsive controls set the Veil Intelligent Toilet apart, creating the epitome of minimalist and ergonomic design with customised features finetuned to offer optimum hygiene and the ultimate individual comfort.

KOHLER KOHLER is a recognised global leader in kitchen and bathroomware design. Its diversity of products and powerful portfolio of brands leads the way in design, craftsmanship and innovation – underlined by a singular level of quality.

KOHLER Co’s global mindset is reflected in its commitment to bring unique sophistication and craftsmanship into any bathroom space - commercial, residential, hotel or hospitality - with an extensive range of bold, innovative products.

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DRINK IT UP: the evolution of the 21st century building system

STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANELS ARE BECOMING A GO-TO OPTION FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS

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[words] geraldine chua

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ncient Egyptians employed mud bricks for their homes and masonry for their grandest buildings. During the industrial revolution, cast iron rose to prominence and later paved the way for steel. From the 1950’s, concrete joined hands with Brutalism to shape multiple cities.

And then there is the 21st century building system, the Structural Insulated Panel – a high performance composite material defined by the US-based Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) as consisting of “an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board (OSB)”. Designed for residential and lighter forms of commercial construction, SIPs are a symptom of today’s AEC industry, where engineered architecture is king.

Modern day SIPs are said to have been invented in America where they’ve been used for a number of years now. But more and more we’re seeing SIPs used in Australia by architects and building designers. Image: Capturing Moments

Although SIPs continue to gain momentum today as a preferred ‘green’ building system, structural panels were first developed over 80 years ago when the US government-established Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) constructed the first SIP home in Madison, Wisconsin.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, FPL engineers had reason to believe that the structural load in walls could be replaced with plywood and hardboard sheathing, prompting the creation of prototype panels that combined framing members within the panel with insulation and structural sheathing.

This led to test houses being constructed with these panels, with the prototypes later taken apart and reassembled so engineers could work out the best material combination.

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AUSTRALIAN FIRM’S LIKE HABITECH USE SIPS BECAUSE THEY BOAST TO BE A QUICKER AND SMARTER METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION. IMAGE: HABITECH

Frank Lloyd Wright also had a hand to play in the evolution of the first SIP. Known for pioneering Usonian Architecture, the famed “simplicity and repose” architect had set out to create a panel with three layers of plywood, two layers of tarpaper, and no insulation that he believed would work well with the construction of highly cost-effective homes. Although the exclusion of insulation ultimately determined the demise of the Wright-type SIP, which failed to gain popularity and never made it into large-scale production, his work spurred on his student, Alden B. Dow, to redevelop the panel with an insulated core.

Dow is generally recognised today as the first creator of the structural insulated panel, his earliest SIPs reportedly comprising 1 5/8 inch Styrofoam cores for insulation, and 5/16 plywood facings as structural support for load bearing walls. By the 60s, rigid foam insulating products were readily available, but it was during the 90s that SIPs evolved to its current form, boosted by the advancement of computer-aided manufacturing technology that allows SIPs to be specifically fabricated out of CAD drawings in factories, then transported to site and put up in a matter of hours and days.

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS SIPs are becoming a go-to option by a growing number of Australian architects and builders as it boasts to be a quicker and smarter method of construction. With the modern specifier, builder and home owner now living in a climate marked by a growing population, housing stock shortages and limited access to skilled labour, prefabricated and composite building systems are especially favoured because they not only save cost and time, but also reduce onsite day-to-day build variables to deliver a predictable, straightforward build schedule.

Bondor Australia – manufacturers of insulated composite roof and wall products such as the Insulliving building systems – believes the shift in the market towards SIPs is becoming more obvious.

“Our local rising energy costs, trade shortages and labour costs are now driving demand from the general public,” Bondor’s National Product Manager for Insulliving and Solarspan, Paul Adams, explains. “[People are] seeking these alternative build methods to achieve for

themselves a superior building environment that is more economical to construct and run, sustainable and comfortable to occupy.”

At the heart of SIPs’ main benefits is a simplification of construction and cost. As Adams points out, SIP construction effectively removes the “numerous layers of building materials that have been introduced over the years in an attempt to satisfy necessary building compliance, such as thermal or fire performance”. In the real world, this translates to an ability to more easily resolve design issues despite being subjected to tight budget constraints. For instance, with insulation already integrated into the structure, less money will need to be spent on additional insulation initiatives within a home or office.

These savings can either stay in the clients’ pockets, or be spent on other design features.

Sustainability credentials is another key advantage of SIPs. According to the director of Melbourne-based architecture firm Atelier Red+Black, Michael Smith, who is hoping to use SIPs on a new project he is working on, he was attracted to the system as it promised a 7-8 Star energy rating, and an R4 insulation rating from

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HABITECH SYSTEMS USED SIPS FOR THE MAJOR OF THE STRUCTURAL WALLS FOR THEIR HAWTHORN SOLAR EXTENSION PROJECT. THEIR SPECIAL SYSTEM IS CLAD IN MAGNESIUM OXIDE CLADDING WHICH IS MADE FROM ALL NATURAL MATERIALS AND ARE FIRE, WATER AND UV RESISTANT MAKING IT A SAFE, CLEAN AND LONG LASTING MATERIAL. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLO BENINI

the outset. Western Australian architect Andrew T Boyne, who used SIP panels for all the walls, floors and roof of the completed Augusta Beach House (featured on page 49), also said the use of SIPs helped him “create a building that was built of insulating foam like a huge esky”, which is a more interesting way of saying “ESD alert!”.

Contributing to this green badge is the use of fewer joints in SIPs, which means a tighter building assembly. In fact, a study by the largest US Department of Energy, Science and Energy laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL), found that a SIP-constructed home was considerably more airtight than a wood-framed and fiberglass-insulated room when subjected to identical climate conditions and a blower door test.

Bondor’s Paul Adams, who did not work with either Smith or Boyne on their projects, tells us a similar story of the green goodness of composite systems such as its Insulliving building system: “Bondor composite insulated steel products address deficiencies in energy efficiency by creating a continuous thermal barrier around the home. This reduces heating and cooling

loss caused by air leakage and thermal transfer resulting in up to a 40 per cent reduction in energy costs for the home owner.”

BUT HOW DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK? Despite the proclaimed goodness of SIPs, the fact remains that architects and builders who are unfamiliar with prefab will need to ‘re-learn’ the construction process when they first use SIPs. The first step to a SIP-constructed project, according to Adams, is fairly simple: architects, building designers and builders will advocate its use to clients, with the pitch that it makes for a faster build process, and leads to a home which is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

But the next step doesn’t come as naturally, and differs from project to project. Bondor recommends that architects create a set of plans as per a normal house design, typically with an architectural skillion or gable style roof. It is also not rare for architects to adapt the existing plans and designs already created by SIP manufacturers, with little change made to their drawings other than modifying wall thickness.

“A STUDY BY THE LARGEST US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, SCIENCE AND ENERGY LABORATORY FOUND THAT A SIPCONSTRUCTED HOME WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE AIRTIGHT THAN A WOODFRAMED AND FIBERGLASSINSULATED ROOM WHEN SUBJECTED TO IDENTICAL CLIMATE CONDITIONS AND A BLOWER” DOOR TEST.

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This leaves the actual layout of panels to the manufacturer and their shop drawers. However, there are architects like Boyne who believe it is important to “use the material to its maximum”, and choose to layout each panel in their plans. “[Doing so for the Augusta Beach House] required a separate set of plans, elevations and details that described how the SIPs panels would be installed,” he says. “There were a number of unique details in the house that differed from the details supplied by the manufacturer and there are some significant engineering achievements. The panel design was ultimately a collaboration between the builder, the manufacturer, architect and engineer.”

As with all build projects, engineering and council approval must be acquired before any significant work can proceed. In this case, build and design teams will place an order with a SIPs manufacturing facility once given the green light, before waiting a few weeks for the panels to arrive on site.

It is at this stage that problems – and therefore experience and expertise – are truly revealed. The delivery of SIPs, in the form of flat packs consisting of the walling and roofing panels, should arrive on site based on the installation sequence nominated by builders. If the panels are supplied, labelled and installed to the correct sequence, the building structure should go up fairly quickly.

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Case in point: the Augusta Beach House’s SIP enclosure was completed in approximately two weeks. Moreover, correct SIP delivery and installation also reduces logistics and space requirements for storing multiple building materials onsite, including framing, bricks pallets, plasterboard, or other cladding products.

Any challenges faced onsite are typically a product of earlier issues; when mistakes were made on paper and to shop drawings, or if the design intent was not accurately communicated to the engineers. Failure of thorough coordination can also be the downfall of a prefab project, as you can imagine what happens if the wrong panels are manufactured and arrive first, or worse, if the wrong SIPs are installed first.

However, Boyne assures that SIPs aren’t as challenging to work with as most assume, and can be “easily worked with conventional tools.”

“Any problem can be overcome with a saw,” the WA architect says. “SIPS do provide conduit holes, but sometimes it was necessary to chase services by cutting into the panel – this was easy enough to do. “ “Vertical conduit holes can be created by dropping heated ball bearings through the panel to eliminate chasing, but ball bearings of the required size can be hard to find. We found some in the workshop of a machinist,” he adds.

1 The Bondor Insulliving home 2 Habitech’s SIPs construction method meant that the clients at their Hawthorn Studio project could live in the renovated existing house while the rear extension was built. It was completed in three months.

GUIDE FOR SIPS VIRGINS • Confirm with your SIP supplier the origin of your materials • Check for written certification that the materials used have been physically tested and engineered according to Australian Standards • Do not worry about it being a one-time only offer – most SIP-constructed buildings can be renovated and adapted down the road.

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AUGUSTA BEACH HOUSE BY ANDREW T BOYNE ARCHITECT Motivated by the project’s somewhat remote location and the client’s aspirations to achieve a high level of finish, the team began the design process by researching construction techniques that would be perfectly suited to prefabrication.

This investigation led them to structural insulated panels manufactured by SIPS Industries in Bibra Lake, WA, but it was only after handling samples of the product that they eventually settled on SIPs made of a polystyrene core sandwiched between layers of 12mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB).

The house uses 165mm thick panels on external walls and 115mm panels internally, which provides great thermal performance, and allows each room to be thermally isolated from one another. As a result, heating and cooling is supplied only where it is required.

The floor is constructed of 165mm thick panels, carried by a frame of double 290x45mm LVL beams and the perimeter structural insulated wall panels, which act as large ring beams. The SIPs are layered in fiberglass to increase the resilience of the floor and to eliminate any panel joints (and thermal bridging between rooms).

Constructed in a similar method to the floor with 165mm thick panels, the roof lies dead flat with a fiberglass layer and polyurethane finish. It is designed to hold up to 50mm of water before it sheets over the eaves in case of a downpipe failure. >>

“SIPS HELPED ME CREATE A BUILDING FROM INSULATING FOAM, LIKE A HUGE ESKY, WHICH IS A MORE INTERESTING WAY OF SAYING: ESD ALERT!” – ANDREW BOYNE, ARCHITECT

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As each wall panel is a shear wall, each floor and roof panel a diaphragm, and every joint glued and screwed, the construction method made for a rigid building that could be lifted at four points during transportation with absolutely no deflection.

The panels have also been used to overcome structural challenges. The front end of each wing of the house utilises a 4.5m, four-way cantilever, which is supported by configuring the SIPs into box-beams. No steel was used to achieve this – appropriate given the highly corrosive marine environment the house is located in.

When asked which aspect of the project he is most satisfied in, Boyne points to its low maintenance requirements.

“I love that the house has a lightweight sound to the floor, which is appropriate in a holiday home, but is incredibly sturdy. By eliminating steel from the building, and using timber, fiberglass, copper, glass and aluminium there is no opportunity for corrosion.

“The house is also almost entirely passively heated and cooled through the use of a high insulation / low thermal mass strategy,” he continues.

THE AUGUSTA BEACH HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN A BOAT BUILDING FACTORY IN PERTH AND THEN TRUCKED IN THREE COMPLETE PIECES TO ITS SITE THREE AND A HALF HOURS DRIVE AWAY.

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“But my favourite part of the project is that the original shack on the site was used by the owners’ family once or twice a year, but this house is now used every other weekend.” n

SYDNEY THURSDAY 18 AUG 2016

SHERATON ON THE PARK REGISTER ONLINE AT

www.architectureanddesign.com.au/events/care-connect SPEAKERS

ARCH FOTHERINGHAM Director of Health Projects, BrookямБeld Multiplex

ROB PUFLETT Studio Leader, Partner, Thomson Adsett

IRIS CLARKE National Health Care Sector Leader, Gray Puksand

SUPPORTED BY

PAUL TROTTER Director, Fulton Trotter Architects

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EVENT WRAP: THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE MULTI-DENSITY DESIGN

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HE SECOND ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN ‘CONNECT’ EVENT WAS HELD IN MELBOURNE ON 4 MAY. THE EXCLUSIVE INVITATION-ONLY EVENT GATHERED THE VERY BEST MEDIUMDENSITY AND HIGH-DENSITY ARCHITECTS, BUILDING DESIGNERS AND PROJECT MANAGERS WITH A SPECIFIC INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN.

The day was structured around a series of rotating peer-to-peer discussion tables of up to eight executives that focussed on the major challenges and future trends associated with designing sustainable multi-residential buildings.

We’re pleased to report that attendees to the event were delighted with the opportunities they had to network with their peers, to learn about the latest materials and design trends, and to generally gain awareness of the opportunities and challenges others face in the industry.

Meanwhile, by being at the table alongside independent experts, listening in and answer many of the more technical questions, each of the sponsors was able to develop a better understanding of the needs of the marketplace.

These insights are expected to help inform the research and development of better products for Australia’s building industry.

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INSPIRING PRESENTATIONS BUILDING BETTER CITIES BY HARNESSING ARCHITECT DESIGN THINKING

The day kicked off with a keynote from Breathe Architecture Director, Jeremy McLeod.

The Melbourne-based architect talked about his involvement in the Nightingale housing project, an architect-led development model that aims to deliver environmentally, socially and financially sustainable homes.

While McLeod’s discussion around the designing process of Nightingale was interesting, it was his explanation of its financial model that captivated the audience.

The development is led by architect investors who cap their profit at 15 per cent (traditional models are around 20 per cent) and instead return profits above this threshold to improving the building’s facilities or by reducing apartment costs.

PANEL DISCUSSION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CULTURE IN ESD

A second inspirational presentation came from award-winning architect and adjunct professor at RMIT University, Professor Martyn Hook.

While Hook’s work with Indigenous communities in Western Australia as Director of Iredale Pederson Hook Architects speaks for itself, his presentation gave invaluable insight into his design approach and demonstrated how culture should lead design outcomes across the spectrum of building typologies.

The panel discussion was for most, the highlight of the day. Watching Plus Architecture’s Craig Yelland go toe-to-toe with Michael Smith of Atelier Red + Black on the topic of apartment design standards was particularly interesting, as was Hayball’s Ann Lau enlightening recount of her experience in multi-density design and the input from Dominque Hes of the University of Melbourne on regenerative sustainability. ■

Hook’s explanation of his firm’s awardwinning Walumba Elders Centre project in Warmun, WA was particularly powerful.

The event was proudly sponsored by HP and SATEC

McLeod explained that by instead of focusing on profit maximisation, the Nightingale template seeks reasonable returns whilst maximising social and environmental outcomes by simplifying the development process and humanising the buildings.

In the face of rising real estate prices around the country and constantly shrinking work and living spaces, clever space saving solutions that are economical, functional and high in quality, are being asked for. In the Häfele world, “More value per square metre” is the response to this challenge. “More value” means more comfort, convenience, cost efficiency and functionality for furniture.

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Phone (03) 9836 1484

Phone (02) 6280 8181

174-176 Through Rd,

HIA Centre Canberra,

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PRODUCT SHOWCASES

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AUSTRALIA’S LEADING SOURCE OF NEW & EXCITING BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS

New range of flush plates coming soon from Geberit

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Skile innovative light panels

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U-MAX aluminium framing – realise your vision

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CEILINGS & INTERIOR WALLS Ecoply plywood helps take sustainable living to new heights FLOORS, FLOORING & ACCESSORIES

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Low maintenance alternative to timber cladding LAMINATES, SOLID SURFACES & VENEERS

FILL OUT THE SUPPLIED ENQUIRY CARD AND FAX OR MAIL IT BACK TO US AND WE’LL SEND YOU THE INFORMATION

Traceless laminate with finger print proof technology WINDOWS & GLAZING

TOUCH WITHOUT LEAVING A TRACE: TRACELESS LAMINATE WITH FINGER PRINT PROOF TECHNOLOGY Unsightly fingerprint smudges, smears and tell-tale coffee cup rings on table tops, displays, doors or shelving are all set to become a thing of the past thanks to Wilsonart’s brand new Traceless laminate.

The new “Traceless” surface can be touched without leaving any traces. A special coating process permanently protects the surface from marks, making it much easier to keep clean. Special lacquers are used to reduce the material’s thermal conductivity so as to prevent visible condensation from forming on the surface.

Developed specifically for this purpose, “Traceless” benefits from a microstructure that makes marks almost invisible.

Launched earlier this year, Wilsonart Traceless is already proving hugely popular with interior designers and architects. The super matt smooth finish laminate is currently available in six full-bodied popular shades – Black, Chocolate, Ebony, Snow White, Soft Grey and Shadow (a light brown/grey).

Wilsonart Traceless is a decorative laminate that can be used in the most demanding interior design applications, where design flexibility is paramount. This unique technology ensures that finger marks are almost never seen thereby substantially reducing the effort required for care and maintenance.

This stunning yet highly durable smooth surface is impact, scratch and heat resistant. It does not stain and is easy to clean, making it the perfect choice for your interior design.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASES

COMING SOON FROM GEBERIT. A NEW RANGE OF FLUSH PLATES IN CONTEMPORARY METALLICS, MATT FINISHES, STYLISH GLASS, AND MORE. The Sigma50 metallic range includes striking brushed nickel, brushed stainless steel, gun metal metallic, and classic chrome. You’ll even find a warm rose gold. These ‘precious metals’ offer architects and designers even greater scope for innovative bathroom design solutions during the planning stage.

The selection of glass plates includes a sophisticated palette of inspiring finishes such as smoked reflective, umbra, black and white.

Geberit concealed cisterns provide assurance behind the wall and, with an extensive new range, even more design freedom at the front. Available August 2016.

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U-MAX TM ALUMINIUM FRAMING – REALISE YOUR VISION The strength of aluminium, the insulation of polyurethane and the design freedom of EDGE combine in one product –our U-MAXTM thermallybroken aluminium framing systems.

U-MAX™ represents a revolution in Australian architectural glazing. Our advanced Pour-and-Debridge technology allows our U-MAX™ thermally-broken frames to retain 93% of the structural integrity of pure unbroken aluminium. This allows for the safe design of bigger, more spectacular windows and doors, whilst still retaining all the energy efficiencies of a thermallybroken system.

U-MAXTM also features all the other benefits of our premium products, driven by EDGE’s extensive R&D. Like the WatershedTM drainage system, which eliminates drainage holes in the faces of sills and transoms. Our high-performance gaskets, made from co-extruded Santoprene. Our captivated glazing beads, which can’t unseat themselves. Dozens of little things that make up the EDGE DNA and keep our customers coming back.

Sourced from Australian aluminium and manufactured locally, what other reasons do you need to go EDGE? Get in touch today to find out how we can help you.

EDGE Architectural Glazing Systems – Take your vision from design to reality.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASES ECOPLY PLYWOOD HELPS TAKE SUSTAINABLE LIVING TO NEW HEIGHTS Building with a tiny footprint on a tiny footprint requires lofty ideas. Ownerbuilder Ralph Alphonso aimed for the stars with his 5 x 4 metre, four storey mini-skyscraper in East Melbourne, made almost entirely from sustainable Australian timber, including a wide range of Ecoply® plywood manufactured

by Carter Holt Harvey. In fact, ninety percent of the timber used in the project came from certified sources.

Comer & King was given the task of creating the interior colour scheme, sourcing a selection of interior finishes and fixtures, and specifying sustainably produced materials such as locally made Ecoply structural plywood. In an interesting twist, Formrite® – which is usually reserved for concrete formwork – was re-purposed as carcases for the interior fit-out. Ecoply was expressed throughout the interior spaces as multi-purpose built-in cabinetry and joinery. Ecoply plywood, a low cost material, adds warmth and depth to the compact space.

Environmental responsibility was the driver for all material choices at 5x4 Hayes Lane from the geothermal heating and cooling; the solar panels; the automation system that will measure the on-going energy use; right through to the materials used, including Ecoply plywood. The sum of which have helped make this mini-skyscraper not only incredibly well designed, but also more sustainable.

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LOW-MAINTENANCE ALTERNATIVE TO TIMBER CLADDING

SKILE INNOVATIVE LIGHT PANELS With Skile light panels • • • • • •

Simulate the beauty of nature Generate gentle and even light Replaceable images Low voltage and efficient LED lights Compatible with different ceiling/wall/floor systems Easy installation and low maintenance

skile.com.au | 07 3112 2634

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Covet’s Ever Art Wood™ aluminium screens and cladding provide a new benchmark in realistic low maintenance alternatives to timber.The unique Japanese range offers natural visual, and in some cases textural timber alternatives as well as contemporary metallic finishes. Designed for exterior applications, its composition has excellent resistance to UV and weather extremes. It also performs exceptionally well to Australian fire standards.With a service history of over 20 years in Japan, it offers meticulous attention to detail and is offered with an array of profile sizes, cladding panels and simple, yet unique, installation options.

The Ever Art Wood range is predominantly specified for batten cladding, cladding panels, and screens.

Covet is a Melbourne based company offering designers unique building products from Japan and Australia. www.wecovet.com.au

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The fastest to dry hands hygienically with HEPA filtered air.

Concentrated Airblade™ technology.

Slim and compact profile.

Original Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer.

Acoustically re-engineered to reduce noise by 50%.

Airblade™ hand drying technology in a tap.

Wash and dry hands at the sink.

For more information: 1800 426 337 www.dyson.com.au

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eSelector Systems+ BIMWizard™

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Specialty Ceilings Design Studio

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