Striving towards a Zero Carbon Community and looking to create resilient buildings, the innovative inner-Melbourne council delivered a Hub that sets high standards of environmental performance including low-energy use and high-comfort to support the health and well-being of users. The AUD$30.1m Hub will become the new home for:
- Glenroy Library
- The Glenroy Memorial Kindergarten
- Maternal child health services
- A community health provider
- Neighbourhood learning and childcare services
Render courtesy of DesignInc
Brenda Kingston, Director – Sustainability says, “WSP is extremely proud of our involvement in the Glenroy Community Hub. We look forward to continuing to work with the project team including Merri-bek City Council to monitor and tune the building to realise the design aspirations in practice.”
Living Building Challenge
A green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualises the ideal for the built environment, the Living Building Challenge uses the metaphor of a flower because the ideal built environment should function as cleanly and efficiently as a flower.
The overall goal is that buildings become self-sufficient within their site, for instance through producing more energy than they use; as well as healthy and beautiful spaces which connect occupants with nature through the creation of biophilic environments.
The Glenroy Community Hub has achieved ‘Petal Certification’, through specifically targeting the Energy, Equity and Beauty + Spirit petals and is the first community centre in Australia to be Passive House-certified. This reflects Merri-bek City Council’s commitment to deliver high quality buildings that contribute positively to their community.
Render courtesy of DesignInc
Sustainability Benefits
Sustainability and resiliency features of the Glenroy Community Hub project include:
ENERGY
- Reduced operating costs
- Increased resilience in periods of extreme heat
- Increased levels of thermal comfort due to the significant improvements to the building’s thermal envelope
- 125% of energy needs met via solar PV and Storage
WATER
- 150 KL Water Tank – largely reducing mains water use
- Water efficient appliances, fittings and fixtures
- Water sensitive urban design – rain gardens, gross pollutant traps, landscape buffer and detention basin – meaning less pollutants ending up in local creeks
PASSIVE HOUSE
- Airtight & Thermally Efficient Building Envelope – largely eliminating heating and cooling bills and keeping the building comfortable year-round
EQUITY
- Promotion of Human Scale Building with high-quality design
- Recognition of Universal access within the design of the building
- Increased emphasis on community garden, pocket park and integrated biophilia and art
BEAUTY
- Education programs created to bring increased public awareness of Merri-bek City Council’s sustainable commitments on the project
- Elements introduced throughout the development which delight the human spirit
Award wins
- Winner, Best Public Buildings at the 2022 Sustainability Awards
- 2022 Master Builders Awards in Victoria: Best Sustainable Project Award and Award for Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings ($20m-$30m category)
