Project Details

The Faculty of the Arts Building, The University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
Environmental Sustainable Design is used to give a sense of identity with a contempory building imagery

The Challenge

The University of the Sunshine Coast is a relatively new player in the University system in Australia. Created on a rural campus it seeks to use its architecture for giving the campus a contemporary image and identity. In this respect it has followed a path of using Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) for master planning the campus and establishing building design principles. Of particular interest is the concept for the master planning. This was based on the Jeffesonian principles of university planning giving a strong figure ground composition of axis, open space and building hierarchy. These formal composition and ordering strategies are juxtaposed with the environmental strategies.

The context for this work takes advantage of the rural coastal location and sub tropical climate. This has resulted in a number of innovative, climate-responsive design strategies to be adopted in the buildings. The use of a courtyard concept is not a common approach for this type of building, in addition the use of a bio climatic wall for shading and ventilation whilst derived from the traditional verandah is utilised in a unique manner.

The Faculty of the Arts Building represents one of four buildings, which challenges the norm of educational buildings in recent years by attempting to reduce energy use by adopting passive design strategies whilst still providing comfort for the occupants. The advantage of this approach in theory is that energy use is curtailed since the building does not rely extensively on electrical and mechanical systems for climate control.

This approach differs from the active, HVAC approach to building design where mechanical plant and equipment are used for climate control. Issues such as energy conservation and energy efficiency are paramount in buildings designed for an active systems approach.

Thus with the passive building system, whilst comfort is not guaranteed as in an air conditioned active system building, other benefits such as those of a health nature can be found. In recent years the concerns for air quality and problems from sick building syndrome are cited as growing problems in air conditioned buildings, whilst passive naturally ventilated buildings are cited as far better.

More over the active and passive design approaches are as different as chalk and cheese in architectural terms. The points of departure are very different and establish different discourses about the design approach, procurement method, engineering principles, user expectations, facility management and thermal performance. The aim of this case study is to be largely descriptive, setting out the design intent for the building, then analysing the strategies used and the climate response as measured by on-site thermal performance measurement and post occupancy methods.

The clients design team and occupants have taken a brave step in bucking the trend towards the air conditioning of educational buildings and have gained a building prototype that forms a model for further buildings of this function type.

The architect's energy concept as described in the sectin is evident;
the primacy of developing ventilation routes through what is a dense building configuration

Project Details

1. Building type ie hospital Education building

2. Building area (m2) Office area: 1300 m2 approx. Classroom area: 1500 m2 approx. Total: 4000 m2

3. Number of occupants 90 approx.

4. Nature of occupancy (hours per week, days per week) Continual occupancy, academic work periods reduce occupancy in the summer and winter months

5. Activities carried out within building Classrooms and academic offices

6. Number of storeys Two

7. Building address Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast.

8. Owner occupied or tenanted Owner occupied.

9. New or refurbished building New building.

10. Building cost (AUS$) Total cost: $6,000K

11. Estimated ongoing operating costs and expected savings compared with reference point The passive design reduces heating and cooling costs. Materials selection to reduce maintenance costs

12. Completion date 1999

Design Intent and Design-Phase Evaluation

Client Brief

Faculty of the Arts building is part of the Stage 4 development of the University of the Sunshine Coast. A standard lump-sum contract was used with the architects, Bligh Voller Nield appointed as lead consultant after interview and invitation to submit a fee proposal (Walker Morris: 2000)

The brief for the Faculty of the Arts building evolved from a number of factors, the master plan for the Campus, the site, and the microclimate, culture and like style. Also it responded to the characteristics and design approach of the precedent buildings on the campus. The main requirements were for a multi disciplinary program, which included the Students Administration and Student Services Departments with in the Faculty of Arts. The spatial configuration called for an even split between purpose dedicated computer based arts design laboratories and general teaching laboratories. The University environmental policy called for a number of issues to be addressed where possible. These issues included life cycle costing, utilizing low maintenance materials and passive design principles for lighting and cooling .

Modelling Work

The design team used design-phase assessment to examine the design intentions of the building. The initial design concepts were modelled using computer fluid dynamics modelling. This type of modelling is useful for indicating the airflow through the building. The work was focussed on key parameters such as the orientation, site footprint and program. The parameters were tested and this assisted with the prediction of psychometric parameters, daylight levels and other variables (Walker-Morrison. A., 2000).

Climate parameters for the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, (source Hall J.D., DA Sketch Pad Program), the yellow shading refers to the upper and lower limits of the comfort zone. The red shaded areas refer to the upper and lower limits for temperature and humidity