GHD design achieves 5 Stars

A new office building in Mount Cambier, South Australia, for which GHD designed the engineering services, has been awarded a 5 Star Green Star - Office Design v2 Certified Rating.

The award represents ‘Australian Excellence’ in environmentally sustainable design (ESD).

The building houses the Department for Families and Community, a government agency responsible for providing quality services that protect and enhance the community’s wellbeing.

As one of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies, GHD was responsible for the ESD, mechanical, electrical, fire, civil and structural engineering works on the project.

The building’s design incorporates a raft of sustainable features including controlled daylighting, water-filled Trombé walls, extra low water consumption sanitary ware, harvested and recycled rainwater, as well as natural ventilation through automated motorised louvres. The site’s irrigation is served from reclaimed greywater using a reed bed to provide suitable water treatment to the harvested wastewater. In addition, stormwater is collected on site, filtered, treated and discharged into an on-site aquifer, resulting in no stormwater leaving the site boundary.

Another feature is the building’s heating/cooling system which leverages a thermal plant to reduce running costs and minimise energy consumption.

Commenting on the award, Paul Whatnell, the company’s Sustainability Manager in South Australia, said, “This is the first GHD-designed commercial building granted a 5 Star rating in South Australia. We’re excited to further develop our capability in this space.”

The project also won an Award of Excellence from Engineers Australia in 2010.