Innova21 wins National Award for Sustainable Architecture

DesignInc is excited to announce The University of Adelaide Innova21 project has won the National Award for Sustainable Architecture at the 2011 AIA National Architecture Awards, announced at the Museum of Modern Art in Hobart last night.

Earlier this year the project took out the Sustainable Architecture Award at the 2011 SA Architecture Awards, as well as a commendation in the Public Architecture category.
 
“This Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, whose mission is to benefit the Australian community by providing excellent research facilities, leads, as it should, by powerful example.


The commitment of this building to excellence in sustainability is demonstrated in every aspect of its robust design, which achieves a 6 Star Green Star Education (V1) rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. The building combines and balances sophisticated mechanical systems and technologies with a basic principles approach incorporating orientation, natural airflow and appropriate material selections.


A gas-powered trigeneration plant located on the roof provides for the building’s needs in electricity, heating and cooling. It produces 17 percent less emissions than the alternative brown coal generation. The load on this plant is lessened significantly by externally expressed thermal chimneys that induce natural, healthy airflow through the entire building at appropriate times.


The internal environment is further enhanced by active slab technology incorporating embedded hydronic cooling loops, heat rejection to computer server rooms via geothermal loops, a low-E double-glazed cladding system, sensored lighting and a building management system. In addition, rainwater is harvested and stored to provide toilet flushing and irrigation, and materials throughout were selected for their eco-preferred content.


The sustainability-driven systems that were incorporated have certainly informed the robust external expression of this building, which sits proudly within the solid masonry context of the university campus. It is a showcase of the University of Adelaide’s commitment to ecologically responsible design for the future.”
 
DesignInc is proud to have been recognized for this landmark sustainable project, and extends congratulations to everyone involved.

Author: DesignInc Melbourne
Categories: Project News