Australia’s first education building to achieve the highest possible Green rating has won a top Queensland environmental award for global engineering and design company ARUP.
ARUP (in conjunction with Bond University ) won the Sustainability in the Built Environment category at the 2009 Queensland Sustainable Industries Awards for its creation of Bond University’s Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building on the Gold Coast.
Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones presented the awards at a gala dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) on Friday night (12 June).
“The Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building at Bond University is an inspiring place to teach degree programs such as sustainable development, carbon management, urban development and sustainability, environmental management,” Ms Jones said.
“The facility includes an interactive ‘Living Laboratory’ for sustainable education for Bond University students, as well as self-guided tours for the wider community.
Ms Jones said the 6-star Green Star rated building included state-of-the-art sustainability features.
“There is a rooftop weather monitoring station that adjusts air-conditioning, a one-kilowatt wind turbine, and an elevator that uses regenerative lift technology to harness electricity as it descends,” she said.
“The building embraces world’s best practice sustainable processes, achieving an amazing 80 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
“Energy consumption is minimised by making the most of natural light and combining natural ventilation with mechanical cooling.
“Photovoltaic solar cells produce about 27,000 kilowatt hours of energy each year, and water tanks and greywater recycling mean less reliance on the local water supply.”
The design also uses recycled materials, low-emission paints and environmentally friendly carpet.
Ms Jones said the winners at the fourth annual Queensland Sustainable Industries Awards demonstrated that sustainable practices could deliver enhanced profits and market advantages.
“The impressive quality of all the entrants highlighted the effort being made by many businesses to profit from innovation while doing the right thing by the environment,” she said.
“They rightly take their place among the business leaders, companies and technologies that are setting new benchmarks in environmental performance.”
The winners of the 2009 Sustainable Industries Awards were:
- Bob and Chris Cameron, Rockcote Enterprises – Premier’s Award for Leadership in Business Sustainability
- Food Connect – Minister’s Award for ClimateSmart Leadership
- Queensland Complete Printing Services (QPrint) – Corporate Sustainability Award
- Mitchell Enviro Industrial Estate – Industrial Eco-efficiency Award
- Cooee Products – Innovation in Sustainable Technologies Award
- ARUP – Sustainability in the Built Environment
- Noosa Community Training Centre – Sustainability Partnerships Award
- Camreay Holdings – Rural Sustainability Award
More information about the awards can be obtained at www.ehp.qld.gov.au or through the Communication and Events unit on 3225 1524.