open mic night e-book - ndy open mic night ebook_2013.pdf · open mic night eboo foreword on 19...

OPEN MIC NIGHT E-bOOk

OPEN MIC NIGHT E-BOOK

Foreword

On 19 September 2013, for the second year running NDY hosted an “Open Mic Night” to celebrate World Green Building Week. The theme this year was ‘Greener Buildings, Better Places, and Healthier People’.

The Open Mic Night is an opportunity for anyone from the building industry to share an idea with their peers, by speaking for 2 minutes, using just one power point slide.

This year we had 27 speakers and 60 attendees, with plenty of interesting ideas raised, followed by some lively discussion and networking over a drink and some tasty food.

Some of the topics covered included: modular construction; intelligent lighting controls; cool roofs; green walls; product chain of custody certification; a voting-based control strategy for HVAC zones; timber frame construction; waste to energy generation; solar water purification; vacuum waste systems; and smart building energy reporting software.

If you weren’t able to make the event, we hope you enjoy reading through this summary of the presentations given on the night, and look forward to seeing you next time.

Chris Nunn Sustainability Leader Norman Disney & Young [email protected]

All images and copyright belong to original owner.


1.Chris NunnNorman Disney & Young

Modular Buildings

Chris Nunn discussed four case studies of recently constructed modular buildings:

1. The Broad Sustainable Construction Group T30 Hotel at Dongting Lake in Hunan province, China. This 17,000m2, 30 storey hotel opened in January 2012, and was constructed in just 15 days. If you haven’t seen the you tube video check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdpf-MQM9vY. The same company is now planning to use this system to build the tallest building in the world – Sky City in Changsha, China, which will be a 202 storey, 838m high building, which will be 10m taller than the Burj Khalifa, but 1/3 of the cost. It is due to built in April 2014.

2. The Little Hero apartments in Melbourne by Australian company Unitised Buildings consists of 63 modular units over 8 storeys. Built in June 2010, it was erected in 20 days. The modular system reduced construction time by 50%, delivered cost savings of 20%, reduced the weight of the building by 75%, lowering embodied carbon, and produced 75% less waste.

3. The Restart pop-up retail precinct in Christchurch, NZ is made from made from reused shipping containers. It was built after the devastating earthquake of Feb 2011 as a temporary retail mall to serve the city centre until the landowners build more permanent buildings. The entire shopping precinct can be dismantled and reused at a new site.

4. The Lake Macquarie Private hospital extension by Australian company Quicksmart claims to be the first modular healthcare building in Australia. The project is a 1200m2 extension of an existing hospital with 31 beds and a surgical ward. It cost just $12 million and was completed in 6 months. The overall construction time was reduced and it was a more cost-effective solution than a traditional building process.

Modular building could dramatically change the construction process in Australia resulting in:

» high quality,

» cheaper buildings, with

» Lower environmental impacts.


2.Chris Duffield & Danny BishopOrganic Response

The occupancy inForMaTion cloudA school of fish moves effortlessly in complete harmony with nature, with individual fish continuously making small decisions in response to the actions of their immediate neighbours and the environment. Each fish operates independently, yet is part of an elegantly flexible system of Distributed Intelligence that solves complex problems easily without centralised control.

Organic Response has applied this approach to lighting control, with startling results.


3.Felipe KovacicOrigin Energy

Types oF cogeneraTion sysTeMs Technology Today is FlexiBle

Market conditions force solution providers to adapt and change to meet evolving aspects of supply and demand. Flexibility is key, while maintaining focus on delivering core capabilities which are of value to the client.

This way cogeneration and trigeneration should be seen today more as energy conversion technologies and devices, which taken a diversity of energy and fuel inputs, transforming these into useful electricity and heating, as well as cooling if required.

These inputs can range as widely as the sun, biogas, syngas, biomass, natural gas, to mention a few.


4.Jose L.C AguilarUTS

BeneFiTs oF using cool rooFs

Cool roofs reflect most incident solar energy and radiate absorbed heat to the sky. In Sydney with cool roofs high energy savings occur for the cooling system compared with a small increase for the heating system. High roof solar reflectance, intermediate roof insulation R-value and low infiltration is the preferred combination.


5.Mark ThomsonSchiavello Group

reconnecT wiTh naTure

The findings of the “Revitaliser” demonstration ,a office prototype built for the ISIAQ 2013 International Healthy Buildings Conference proved the potential for healthy plants to contribute to healthier buildings. When combined with “Ecofilters”, vegetation balances carbon dioxide levels and can be a net oxygen producer, creating fresh air for internal environments.


The Steel Industry is developing a world leading scheme called Responsible Steel this is an independently audited supply chain certification scheme with a recognizable label from mining to recycling.

For more information go to www.steelstewardship.com

6.Ross DaviesBlue Scope Steel

sTeel liFe cycle a fOcUS ON ThE ENTiRE valUE chaiN

There are a number of business risks and value creation opportunities becoming more relevant driven by increased public awareness and desire and business scrutiny particularly via social media, stockholders , Financial and investment institutions

There is a need to avoid: Legal risk, regulatory risk, licence to operate issues, consumer issues, brand protection issues

Equally there are opportunities to: Differentiate, open new markets, meet growing consumer need, improved customer loyalty, realise value out of intangible assets, drive change, and challenge the norms of current business.

Stewardship for us is about being able to distinguish ‘good’ supply chains - raw materials suppliers, manufacturers, fabricators, transport, packaging, reuse, etc. - from poor.

This is life Cycle thinking.

It’s also about risk mitigation, regulation, social licence to operate and taking responsibility for what constitutes your structure/ building/ product. It’s also equally about opportunities in markets and differentiation of product.

In the end it’s about measuring good business practice and mitigating purchasing risks for our customers.


7.Nicola KarczSchneider Electric

sMarT Building Trends

Smart building technology is only improving and Building Management Systems are being extended past their traditional roles of measurement and control into the modern era of ‘big data’. This evolution is represented by the further stages of visualise, analyse, and optimise.

Visualising data displays trends and puts data into context which allows building occupants to better understand their use patterns. The next stage, analysis, allows facilities managers to focus on improving the performance of their building. Finally, predictive optimisation is an emerging area which enables a proactive approach to building management to prevent undesirable asset, comfort, or energy events before they occur.


8.Jonathan ClarkeNorman Disney & Young

are you in conTrol oF your energy?

The 60 Miller St project in North Sydney involved designing and implementing a unique new controls strategy which improved the NABERS Base Building Energy rating from 2.5 Stars to 5 Stars, and resulted in annual energy savings of 37%, and cost savings of $54,000 in the first year. These results were achieved through controls optimization using a “Zone Voting Technique” that involved implementing a software engineering solution & commissioning of the system. The new control strategy dramatically cut down on reheat, which was a key part of the energy savings achieved.

himself as a lapsed Chemist and researcher into all aspects of the environmental impact and sustainability of buildings. Nigel is a former Director of the Center for Sustainable Construction at BRE in the UK responsible for developing the BREEAM environmental Rating tools, the Green Guide to Specification and EcoHomes. He is former Vice President and CTO of the US Green Building Council responsible for getting LEED piloted and implemented in 5 versions across the US, Canada and India. Nigel recently completed Project Management of the BPIC Life Cycle Inventory Project to establish a single consistent level playing field methodology for LCA for construction products in Australia. Nigel was also author of the Materials and Resources section for the AGIC IS Rating Tool.


9.Stephen MitchellTimber Development association

a Tall TiMBer revoluTion

Forté at Victoria Harbour is the world’s tallest contemporary timber apartment building and an outstanding example of the use of a modern engineered timber product cross-laminated timber (CLT). CLT delivers a much lower carbon footprint compared to concrete and steel, modular design versatility, shorter builds and safer sites. See www.woodsolutions.com.au


10.Scott ClarksoncSR limited

csr house BUilDiNG RESEaRch cENTRE

CSR House demonstrates how a contemporary 8 Star energy efficient home can be practical and affordable. The project helped identify optimisation opportunities, while providing a platform to conduct ongoing operational research and to showcase CSR’s innovative product range.

A focus on the building science proves similar principles apply for all building types. Some of the findings include:

» Attention to detail improves energy efficiency, comfort, internal air quality and acoustics at low cost.

» An 8 star home has a theoretical heating and cooling load 45% lower than a 6 star home. Air control measures took this reduction to over 65%, significantly impacting operational costs.

» A simulated energy rating on twenty different locations around Australia found the energy rating was robust around the country.

» Reducing excessive frame elements improves the speed of electrical, plumbing & insulation installation and reduces thermal bridging.

» A thermally efficient home requires smaller air conditioning systems, reducing both up-front and operational costs.


11.James KralUmow lai

pushing engineering Boundaries

Once you fully understand the engineering, you can challenge the thinking and ask the question “what can be done better”?

At Legion House we have disconnected the building from the grid and generate all of the building’s energy from gasified waste paper briquettes. The building is 6 star Greenstar, 6 star NABERS (commitment agreement) and is carbon neutral.


12.Stuart SwaddlingTPR Group

living green walls

Our indoor environment is crucial to our wellbeing. Living plants can play a huge role in this by improving

the indoor air we breathe.

Current research shows having plants in the office environment achieves the following:

» 12% improvement in productivity

» 30% reduction in confusion

» 38% reduction in fatigue

» 60% reduction in sick leave

On a strictly business case, no office or retail complex can afford to be without living plants. Green Walls provide a space effective, flexible and dramatic solution.


13.Will Rayward Smithlaing O’Rourke

suMMary

Why is it that research and development (R&D) spending in the built environment is so low when it is where we spend most of our lives and it has the biggest impact on the sustainability of our society? Laing O’Rourke, the fourth largest construction company in Australia, is changing the industry, leading the way in off-site manufacture, digital engineering (BIM) and R&D. The Engineering Excellence Group (EnExG) is a dedicated innovation team whose doors are open to others with the same ambitions, to work as an industry that innovates better results - ‘Greener Buildings, Better Places, Healthier People’.


14. Wil Parkerhalytech Pty ltd

suMMary

Halytech provide monitoring technology to measure building performance. Halytech systems draw information from a wide range of sensors to log (record) data, generate alarms and automatic data reports and control local devices. The system is suitable for small single sites up to large multi-site projects. The system uses open data protocols meaning that Halytech technologies work with other systems and web sites.


15.Richard Keetleyaustralia Wide Solar

suMMary

Australia Wide Solar installed the first on-grid solar PV system in NSW in 1992. Since then AWS has installed thousands of solar power systems for homes, schools and businesses throughout Australia. As utility and operational costs continue to increase for businesses (with or without CPRS/Carbon tax implementation) and environmental compliance and green credentials become mandatory, businesses are now implementing energy efficient systems and strategies to assist in reducing costs, maximising profits and securing long-term financial sustainability. The future costs of electricity are unpredictable but are forecast to continue increasing dramatically over the foreseeable future. With solar systems having a design life of several decades, solar can provide predictable savings long beyond the term of any energy supply contract.


16.Arne HansenSwitch automation

suMMary

Switch Automation is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud-based platform for comprehensive energy management, environmental monitoring and building automation solutions for commercial and multi-residential applications. Switch can integrate external data sources and onsite third party systems and devices to provide monitoring and control with simple tools for comprehensive analysis and reporting.


17.Stuart EastaughfcUBED australia Pty ltd

suMMary

F Cubed a Victorian based company has developed a world first in direct solar desalination with the Carocell.

The Carocell modular design allows it to operate as a single unit or multiple units connected together for greater water volumes., and the added benefit of rainfall harvesting providing a sustainable water supply.

Following the natural water cycle (evaporation and condensation) it eliminates bacteria, pathogens, and removes chemicals and heavy metals to produce pure water from most water sources. In addition to producing pure water the Carocell has the ability to dewater contaminated waste water.

The F Cubed Carocell is completely solar-driven. It requires no power, has no moving parts and produces no GHG emissions. It does not require replaceable membranes or filters or chemicals.

The product was a Finalist in the Australian Clean Tech Awards 2013,Awarded the 2013 Australian Landfill innovation award for the onsite processing of leachate.


18.Tony KutraEnvac australia Pty ltd

Envac is a vacuum tube waste collection system. Envac designs, installs and operates vacuum waste collection systems that transport waste from within a building via vacuum tubes, to underground waste collection storage containers, which are then emptied by truck. Users open a door to the tube system, throw their waste into the inlet where bags of waste are stored temporarily above a closed valve. When the control system senses that it is time to empty the inlets, a fan system starts creating a vacuum in the pipe network. A supply air valve opens, storage valves beneath the inlets are opened one by one, and waste bags are sucked down the tubes to the waste collection station over distances up to 2km from the waste inlet. The collected waste is compressed and stored in a sealed container, where it is collected by truck. This creates a single waste collection point, which can be for multiple buildings. This reduces traffic impacts and avoids manual labour. As the system is sealed, the litter does not attract pests or insects or release odours.

The higher up front costs of the system can be offset by lower operation and maintenance costs.

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