The report below aims to provide one (the client) with a concise and detailed review on the sustainable factors which surround the Darling Quarters Commonwealth Bank Place. It is of the essence to explain the buildability, land site features as well as the overall value of the building, in regards to sustainability. The report aims to cover and put forward modern day sustainable practice, thus the use of such features in the Commonwealth Bank Place will be highlighted and reviewed for the client.
The report will consist of three main parts, each assessing issues and explaining theoretical practices in regards to sustainability. The three parts examined in detail include:
Building & Sustainability
Land/Site & Sustainability
Value & Sustainability
The report will aim to give the reader a detailed description and views of the above three factors, thus the client/reader wilt hewn have the capacity to form his/her opinion on the matters relating above.
Buildabuility will be explained through the use of materials and methods of implantation/construction, adhering to the green star rating.
The Land/site section will outline the features of Darling Quarters, moreover how sustainable transport and human movement is achieved.
Finally, the value of the building will be provided on the basis of such cost saving measures, which were introduced and put into every day practice at the Commonwealth Bank Palace Darling Quarters.
Darling Quarters, Commonwealth Bank Place
Instructions: Site Visited is Commonwealth Bank Place, Darling Quarters. for review by Client.
Location: 1 Harbour Street, Sydney NSW 2000
https://www.google.com.au/maps/vt/data=Ay5GWBeob_WIPLDYoIWcfVXxvZu9XwJ55OX7Ag,Tb0Fa20BlqI4hQcbzTlmBqIYmPffNM4MLboYcVGCI6gNTFtl3QKhcS18WzkSLsSDlYn05V5UjBLa3yRBzbSjeAaB7M7NOZBFZSMO7UBBJUkvSXYFV_f5fn8GGNnVM1_EamvT4A
Date of Inspection: 5/09/12
Weather Conditions: Clear
Introduction
The building being researched, Darling Quarters Commonwealth Bank Place was awarded a Six (6) Star Green Rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This building was the first ever building to achieve such a rating in the industry, which was not only a huge milestone, but the awareness and realisation that such a rating, which has an extensive list of positives in many aspects, is feasible.
Building & Sustainability
There are various components that were ingeniously and specifically designed prior to the construction of this project in order to aim to achieve a six (6) star green design rating and achieving world-class recognition in innovation.
These include:
Highly efficient building envelope, which optimises the availability of natural daylight whilst controlling solar loads.
Chilled beam technology throughout office areas
100 per cent fresh air provided to office tenancy, avoiding the recirculation of stale air
Trigeneration plant that generates electricity, heat and cooling which significantly reduces carbon emissions
Black water treatment and reuse for WC flushing and cooling tower water supplies.
Local sewer is used as a reliable source of black water 300,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank. Recycled water is supplied to the public domain
Use of low VOC materials improving the internal environment quality
Motion sensor activated lighting to control unnecessary use of lighting systems and generate electricity savings
About 80 per cent of on-site construction waste was recycled
The buildings' passive and active design features save 2,500 tonnes of carbon emissions per year and reduce main water consumption by 92%.
The buildings internal works are consisted of approximately 12 000sqm of Gyprock EC08 plasterboard, both in impact grade and partition grade, which was used to meet the strict conditions in the 58,000sqm fit-out of CBP. Gyprock EC08 with reCore technology was launched in 2008 and became the first Australian-made plasterboard to have been certified by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA). EC08 is produced with the highest level of recycled content and can be recycled rather than add to the growing waste problem.
The Gyprock EC08 range is now available in three grades - partition, fire rated and impact rated, in 13mm thickness. All three boards in the EC08 range are accredited to the latest GECA 04 - 2011 Panel Boards Standard, which is compliant with the requirements of the GBCA's Assessment Framework for product certification schemes. It was important for Lend Lease to specify a Green Star compliant product, but to also keep the choices open for the contractors in case they want to propose or use an alternative product.
Gyprock ECO8 grades - partition types (only)
Lend Lease was interested in an environmentally friendly plasterboard, specifically one which complied with the Green Star Office interiors version 1.1 credit MAT 3 Walls and Partitions. The Gyprock EC08 range was found to be easy to work with on site, thus was not too heavy and did not soak up layers of paint.
In addition to all of this, GECA certified workstations, chairs, tables, storage and Grade E1 composite timber were amongst other design initiatives installed to target a minimum 5 Green Star Office Interiors rating for CBP Fitout. CBP was designed by a collaboration of architects; FJMT designed the base building, EGO Group and Davenport Campbell & Partners designed the interiors.
After careful consideration in regards to the design of the building, a company by the name of Horiso was acquired in order to deliver three custom manufactured solar control systems for the two 8 storey building. They included interior timber venetian blinds for the western facades, atrium skylight tension blind systems and also interior roller blinds. Adding to this, a motorized system which was able to operate and control the blinds was also introduced, moreover this was a crucial aspect of the projects inevitable success.
Horiso's Interior Timber Venetian Blinds
As a result of all this, the timber venetian blinds, installed on the western side of the two facades, respond to the exact position of the sun throughout the day, by their tilting positions. An intelligent motor-controller is pre-programmed with control requirements such as geographical location and physical orientation of the building's curved design.
These systems are part of Darling Quarter's unique design and the timber venetian blinds, skylight tension blind system and roller blinds integrate to control the daylight, glare and thermal heat gain in the office interiors. Viewing the buildings externally, the timber venetian blinds become an architectural feature that visually creates a warm, animated backdrop in the heart of Darling Harbour's precinct.
Both North and South buildings have central atriums, delivering abundant natural light, and chilled beam air-conditioning. Perforated metal ceiling panels were installed throughout the building to help achieve correct air flow from the chilled beams. Non-perforated System 205 panels were specified for the corridors.
The building pushes the envelope in terms of engineering and architecture, with the full height atria supported by thin steel pillars, intersected with floating pods and cantilevered stairs.
At Darling Quarter, implementation and integration of two 400 kilowatt (kW) MWM natural gas generators into a trigeneration system was done. The two TCG 2016 V8C generators, with an electrical efficiency of 42.2 per cent, supply hot water to a chiller which, at full capacity, can generate 500 kW of cooling in the form of chilled water for air conditioning systems. This results in the ability to monitor the power consumption of the building base load, while also controlling generator output in order to maximize efficiency.
The Verdict
Considering the above information, it is safe to say that the Commonwealth Bank Palace was engineered and constructed to the utmost degree in regards to sustainable practive. Lend Lease had a goal in mind, to achieve a 6 star green rating, thus they did so with numerous "green friendly" building materials and also a proactive approach to sustainable construction.
Land/Site & Sustainability
The Commonwealth Bank project in Darling quarters is located in a pristine position in Darling Harbour. The site itself will have many hundred people passing by it each day, with many large gatherings and functions being taken place on many several occasions throughout the year on the park area located in very close proximity.
It is in close proximity to public transport such as busses, taxis, and the mono-rail system. Darling Quarter links the south end of Darling Harbour to the city. It is located in a pristine area, within walking distance to many famous shops, award winning restaurants, aquarium and wild life park, and the widely know Imax Theatre.
In conjunction with the Commonwealth bank project, a large play area has been constructed and erected to interact the area with the local community, workers and tourists. With this, a new pedestrian link was also constructed in conjunction with the principle project, the Commonwealth Bank, referred to as the Civic Connector. It creates a gateway to Darling Harbour that connects to Town Hall station, Chinatown and the Darling Harbour waterfront.
The public precinct of the area will be renamed 'Darling Quarter', with its main attraction being the4000m2 playground. The central features include an
active water play space as well as a youth theatre. Combined with a further 5000m2 of ground level retail space, this will seek to populate the area and restore a sense of community. An underground car park will also be constructed, however the improved pedestrian links between the city and Darling Quarter will try to stamp out unnecessary use and encourage public transportation. Designated bicycle spaces echo the 'green' ethos of the new area and provide further energy saving measure.
Part of Darling Quarters 4000m2 playground
The precinct has greatly improved public activation by bringing together
commercial, retail and leisure all within the one area. It was essential to emphasize the importance of activating the area as a public space and also to encourage pedestrian flow.
The site's sustainability has been well thought out and designed as it has been constructed to surpass any changes that may occur within its close proximity.
The site's sustainability has been constructed as per a 6 green star rating building, therefore, will comply with any future mandatory construction procedures due to the various issues arising and constantly increasing regarding global warming and the destroying of many natural environments due to human carelessness and humans inability to integrate the natural environment with areas such as construction.
Darling Quarters commonwealth Bank place is an exemplary achievement on the path towards sustainability and energy efficient Design in the twenty first century. The high-performance buildings in conjunction with the public area certainly set the standard for other new designs to follow suit
The Verdict
The commonwealth Bank Place is situated in a very busy area, newly constructed Darling Quarters. Whilst people and traffic were initially seen as a problem, steps were undertaken, through the use of a carpark and numerous pedestrian links to minimize such problems. The location of the site required extensive land planning in order for sustainable measures to be introduced and implemented.
Value & Sustainability
The exterior of the building has been designed to utilize natural energy to maximize energy efficiency. Natural light flows into the building, simultaneously reducing lighting costs and inviting the outdoors in. A huge atrium in the middle of both buildings will also make use of this space and contribute to the open plan style of the offices. High performance glass is used to reduce excess heat accumulation, and automated timber blinds were installed to reduce glare and provide sun shading.
As a result of the experience with global trends, the team was able to identify a high demand for energy and water saving initiatives among premium tenants. By maximizing efficiency levels, the Commonwealth Bank Place places well against projected energy and water price increases, delivering a more valuable outcome for the client.
Through a water reuse and rainwater collection system, the building sets new standards of sustainable commercial and community living. Rainwater harvested through the atrium roof is filtered, chlorine-treated, stored in a 300,000L underground tank and used exclusively to irrigate the public domain landscapes. The black-water recycling system is set to achieve a 92% reduction in potable water consumption.
The plant was designed to fit within the site's spatial constraints, over a mere 200m2 in the basement of the building which helps save up to 60 million litres per year of precious drinking water.
By studying how natural daylight is distributed, reflected and diverted, the façade engineers worked with the project lighting designers to tailor an energy-efficient lighting system, including the use of high-performance low-emissivity glass, internal dimmers, occupancy sensors and glare-reducing blinds. As for the public domain lighting, a 60% reduction in energy consumption was achieved, with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority keen to adopt the same strategy throughout the Darling Harbour precinct.
The values associated with these various sustainable properties have yet to be valued in fine detail, however there is now greater attention being given to the latest innovations that are being introduced into the construction industry.
Environmentally sustainable features such as rain water tanks should be re-assessed and valued according to their use and the part they play in maintaining a sustainable environment. They not only help the environment, but also reduce water usage and water bills. Re-usable water ensures that there is maximum usage of natural rainwater, which is why valuers should re-assess the intrinsic value this feature has on the property.
Theoretically, the value of these properties should be accurately reviewed to illustrate the major positives it has on many aspects such as future sustainability, health, and the environment.
The Verdict
It is a difficult process to determine the overall value of a building, particularly if such extensive features present will actually increase/decrease the overall value. In this case, what can be said, is that the contractor has taken numerous steps to ensure that the Commonwealth Palace building is energy friendly. The facts show that the running costs of the building will be much more lower compared to others, that recycling and treatment plants were installed. These green friendy solutions add to the sustainability of the building, which inevitably must increase the overall holistic value of the building.
