by Brianna Crandall — September 10, 2012—A student residential development at Monash University is the first multiunit residential project in Australia to achieve a Green Star rating for sustainable construction. Designed in conjunction with BVN Architecture, the site comprises two five-story buildings, each housing 300 students. The Briggs and Jackomos residences have achieved a Green Star—Multi Unit Residential As Built v1 rating, and are the first Australian university residences to offer students low-cost housing funded through Australia’s National Rental and Affordability Scheme.
Romilly Madew, Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia, says that the rating is an outstanding achievement, and that it demonstrates that “sustainable outcomes are compatible with affordable housing.”
Sustainable features on the project include a greywater treatment facility, as well as a 150,000-liter water storage facility that blends greywater and rainwater. Productive garden beds and orchards enable the students to harvest their own food. A 153kw photovoltaic system is the largest residential solar installation in Australia. The project team also ensured that environmental impact was minimized through modularizing and prefabricating where possible, and by sourcing environmentally sustainable materials.
Brett Walters, Monash University’s Manager of Environmental Sustainability, says the project sets a new standard for sustainable student housing in Australia. He also notes that the university has demonstrated a commitment to achieving Green Star—As Built ratings for new developments. The school has two new laboratory buildings in the design or construction phase, and is seeking Green Star Design and As Built ratings for both.
For Emmanuelle Delomenede, ESD consultant at Norman Disney & Young, the unique challenges of this project provide a benchmark for future projects. “The main challenge was applying the 5 Star Green Star benchmarks in the early stages of development to a student accommodation facility where environmental design was paramount. Incorporating innovative solutions, such as trickle ventilators to increase the provision of outside air to the dwellings, was an important factor in achieving a synergy between a Green Star rating and affordable housing.”
The project has already received a number of awards, including the Victorian Architecture Award for Multiple Housing 2012 and a Royal Institute of British Architects 2012 International Award.
