By Third Ecology Architects
Photography: Third Ecology Architects
Status: Completed 2008
Accommodation:
One learning environment which can be divided into two: commercial kitchen, office space and amenities.
The Bellarine Secondary College Applied Learning Centre has become a leading edge school facility that features a high level of sustainability in relation to energy, water, materials and waste management. The facility has enhanced student and staff productivity, performance and health by providing a superior level of thermal comfort, natural day lighting and indoor air quality.
The ultimate aim was to create a building that would integrate into the educational curriculum to facilitate a better understanding and link between sustainability as teaching concepts and environmental building.
ENERGY
> Maximise the passive solar design and energy efficiency of the building envelope to reduce reliance on fossil fuel based heating systems by over 90%
> Maximise natural cross flow ventilation and energy efficiency to avoid the need for refrigerative or evaporative cooling systems. Any supplementary cooling/ heat purging is provided by exhaust fans
> Maximise the use of 'glare free' natural daylight to reduce reliance on artificial lighting by over 80%
> Utilise solar hot water to provide 70%- 80% of hot water
> High efficiency lighting system with automatic daylight sensors and dimmers
Water efficiency - fixtures, fittings and taps.
> Rainwater to supply toilets, dishwasher and other non-potable uses to reduce mains water reliance by up to 90%
> Waste water treated to a quality suitable for reuse for landscape and vineyard watering purposes
MATERIALS
> Selected for minimising environmental footprint (e.g. reclaimed on FSC timbers)
> Low toxicity finishes for floors, walls, ceilings and joinery to create a healthy indoor air quality environment
Metering and monitoring
> Water metering to identify water consumption for the facility
> Energy metering and monitoring to better understand energy consumption patterns and how occupant behaviour effects and might further reduce energy use
> A fully featured weather station to allow for the recording and analysis of ambient indoor and outdoor conditions, wind speed and direction and rainfall
“At Third Ecology, we design, document and project manage new custom homes, renovations & additions, multi-residential and solar power system installation projects for owner occupiers, investors and developers in the Geelong region, the Surf Coast & Bellarine Peninsula”.
Mark is the founding Director of Geelong based Architectural firms Third Ecology Architects and Land Design Build.
With over 25 years experience designing, documenting, project managing and constructing projects for his clients, Mark is perfectly placed to assist and guide you with the hundreds of decisions that need to be made for every project.