Delivering new sustainable buildings at Robertson Barracks

Robertson Barracks is one of the Australian Army’s major bases in the Northern Territory and also the largest base in the Darwin region. WSP designed several new living-in accomodation (LIA) facilities and a Combined Mess building using ESD principles to maximise Future Ready opportunities for government assets.

Home to the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) 1st Brigade and the 1st Aviation Regiment, Robertson Barracks supports army and aviation operations including Armoured, Engineers, Signals, Infantry, Medical Corps, Aviation and other Combat Service Support units.

Robertson Barracks not only provides the ADF with living, working and training facilities but it is also home to over 2,500 US Marines that live on site for six-month tenures. The site is pivotal in supporting Australia’s strong alliance with the United States and demonstrates security, economic and community benefits for both countries.

The Department of Defence (Defence) engaged WSP to lead the design of the $390 million project to upgrade the Robertson Barracks Mess Facilities, provide six new accommodation blocks and various other infrastructure services improvement works across the site. Construction on the new accommodation facilities and the base improvement works commenced in Q1 2024 and is due for completion in late 2026 as part of the Robertson Barracks Base Improvements Program.

WSP is providing the following services:

Ecological sustainable development (ESD)
Fire engineering and fire protection
Structural
Civil
Acoustics
Building services
Environmental consulting and energy
Waste management and circular economy strategy

Location

Northern Territory, Australia

Client

Department of Defence (Defence)

Project Value

$380m

Project Status

Construction Phase in 2024

Image: Mess dining area

Applying ESD design to respond to climate change through decarbonisation

It is a strict requirement that Defence infrastructure projects consider Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) as part of planning, design and construction to ensure ‘a strategically aligned, affordable, safe and sustainable estate’. There are minimum sustainability standards that Defence infrastructure projects must adhere to within the Department of the Australian Government's Smart Infrastructure Handbook published in June 2019.

Our team identified a range of ESD opportunities that align with Defence sustainability standards, including initiatives responding to climate adaptation, estate energy and water management, waste minimisation and management, materials, pollution prevention and occupant health and wellbeing.

Core ESD design principles are what guides our infrastructure projects. At the project outset, these principles are analysed and this ranges from sustainable transport to humidity risk and stormwater use to waste separation.

“At Robertson Barracks, we’ve applied numerous ESD design principles to meet compliance, provide robust solutions without adding complexity and to create infrastructure that’s resilient, efficient, and Future Ready for Defence.” says Michelle Brownlie, Director of Defence.

ESD Core Design Principles

There are many best practice solutions that are applied to current urban housing projects that respond to changing and warmer climates. To reimagine the new accommodation blocks at Robertson Barracks, we utilised the following ESD principles to ensure the proposed infrastructure met current and future needs: 

Passive building designto determine optimal thermal comfort within the accommodation blocks, e.g., modelling to determine optimum shading hood design around windows to increase shade and reduce glare and direct sunlight exposure by at least 35%. Landscaping canopy covers throughout key corridors to reduce heat and increase annual energy savings.
Delivering decarbonisation by enabling connectivity of all buildings to Building Management Systems (BMS) to track and ultimately facilitate energy and water usage improvements. 
Influencing the way residents move by minimising accommodation car parking and installing general power outlets for charging of e-scooters, plus more bike infrastructure to encourage sustainable travel on base.
Water efficiency by capturing condensation from air conditioning plant in the Mess mechanical design, incorporating energy efficient appliances and equipment within new buildings, provision of energy efficient heat pump dryers and solar boosted heating hot water and efficient outlets for amenity areas.
Electrification of key kitchen equipment to significantly reduce gas demand and installing solar domestic hot water (DHW) systems to meet 75% of demand.

Image: Landscaping canopy covers throughout key corridors to reduce heat and increase annual energy savings.

Applying circular economy principles for better long-term environment and operational performance

WSP was also engaged specifically to focus on applying circular economy principles that “design out waste” across the Robertson Barracks redevelopment project. Our waste strategy addressed the waste management requirements for the new facilities and infrastructure while considering the increased demand of additional personnel. The proposed waste strategy, in alignment with the Government's Smart Infrastructure Handbook (2019) included:

Adopting a towards zero-waste approach to reduce waste generation (e.g., eliminating single use items) and divert as much waste from landfill as possible through extended waste stream separation to increase recycling rates. 
Incorporating recycled content in concrete, road surfaces and backfill applications as far as practicable to embrace the reuse of materials, refurbishment and remanufacturing strategy. 
Food organics collection and processing within the Combined Mess kitchen for potential application onsite as compost.

Glare & direct sun exposure reduction

35%

Electrification of gas replacement & solar installation

75%

Modelling to determine optimum shading hood design around windows, to increase shade and reduce glare and direct sunlight exposure by at least 35%

For the Robertson Barracks development, our team considered how the community within that complex would interact, gather, move and connect to ensure the spaces are productive and supportive to everyone’s wellbeing.

“Robertson Barracks is a prime example of how WSP delivers complex infrastructure in dynamic environments. Our integrated approach ensures Defence assets not only support the evolving needs of the Australian Army, but are built for performance, adaptability, and strategic value.” says Philip Massey, Director, Defence Sector Lead.

Learn more about our Defence work across remote-area indigenous infrastructure projects.

Contact us

Michelle Brownlie

Director, Defence

Australia

Sam Warren

National Defence Sustainability Lead - Ecological Sustainable Development (ESD) and Whole of Life (WOL)

Australia

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Robertson Barracks Redevelopment: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Robertson Barracks redevelopment project?

The Department of Defence engaged WSP to design and deliver a $390 million redevelopment at Robertson Barracks, including six new living-in accommodation blocks, a Combined Mess facility, and wider infrastructure improvement works. Construction began in Q1 2024 and is due for completion in late 2026.

How is sustainability being addressed in the new facilities?

The project incorporates Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) principles such as passive building design to reduce direct sunlight exposure by 35 percent, water efficiency measures like capturing condensation from air-conditioning plants, and electrification of kitchen equipment to cut gas demand. These features align with Defence's Smart Infrastructure sustainability standards.

What role does the circular economy play in the project?

WSP has applied a circular economy strategy to "design out waste" by adopting a zero-waste approach, incorporating recycled materials in concrete and road surfaces, and establishing food organics collection in the Combined Mess for composting. This reduces landfill, increases recycling, and enhances long-term operational performance.