We hope you stay safe over the holidays and that this season is a time to bring you and your family together.

Our own family at SEED will be away for the holidays between 21st December 2019 to 5th January 2020. If you need to contact us during this time, please use the Contact Us page and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

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Peter’s knowledgeable background and career in urban and regional planning and design, public administration, and Local Government has seen him receive the Member of the Order of Australia.  And, to add to his many roles, fellowships, and committees – he has just published a book which distills the knowledge brought together over his career into thoughts on how the future growth of our cities could be best managed.

Discussion began with the current state of affairs in our sister cities on the East coast: Sydney and Melbourne.  The inevitability of more congestion, inability to feasibly fund many new projects, the inequality between city dwellers and suburbanites over where public money is spent (mostly within the inner-city ring), and overly centralized employment structures were all mentioned as issues relating to city growth.  The outcomes of which are the creation of a two-tier society comprising an inner city economically rich class and an outer suburban poorer class with inequality becoming more marked by job prospects and their locations within the current system.  Leading inevitably to further serious social issues.

In Brisbane’s case specifically, Peter mentioned how our extremely quick growth and different population density from other cities means that we could never expect to have a city that is similar in style to those in Europe.  And, more importantly, he questioned why we would actually want to mimic a European city when many of these are not actually very livable either?  Our extremely high rate of car use compared to other Australian cities, along with no real suburban working hubs like those in Sydney and Melbourne (apart from our CBD) where factors that Mr. Seamer quoted as being detrimental to our future sustainability here in Brisbane.

The solution?  According to Peter, more public transport won’t solve Brisbane’s issue of congestion and neither will higher subsidies for public transport.  Autonomous vehicles are high on the list of what will assist us though, along with planning and social change to reduce the frequency and extent of travel.  A move to localizing work within our suburbs and providing major suburban hubs to cater for this were also touted, as well as a move to higher rates of working from home and potentially charging more for travel as a deterrent.

Whilst many of Peter’s points were valid, one can’t help feeling that this view of our future city is based on the values and outlook of the baby boomer generation, not taking into consideration the rapid social changes and housing issues facing the 40 and under generations.  Social issues and cultural value were not really discussed either.  It will be interesting to read ‘Breaking Point – Future of Australian Cities’ to see if these absences are actually addressed within its pages.

Care of the Committee for Brisbane and hosted by Hopgood Ganim Lawyers supported by The Suburban Alliance

Thursday, June 27^th 2019 – 5.30 to 7.00pm

https://bda.org.au/event/breaking-point-future-of-australian-cities-with-peter-seamer-am/

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Brisbane’s Green Building Day provided by the Green Building Council of Australia kicked off with a welcome by Jorge Chapa (Head of Market Transformation) and Davina Rooney, the new CEO of the GBCA. Davina has only very recently taken this position after Romilly Madew stepped down after 12 years at the helm to move into her new position as CEO of Infrastructure Australia.  It was a great opportunity to meet the new CEO and hear about some of her plans for the future of Greenstar.

The Keynote Address given by Professor Paul Burton of Griffith University was titled ‘Scaling up: can cities grow green?’.  This talk explored many of the areas that the Cities Research Centre (whom Paul is the Director of) have highlighted as essential to scaling up cities for sustainability.  The essential conclusions to this being that political commitment is the main driver, along with sustainable design being reconfigured as a core process in the building industry – not a fringe preoccupation.

A panel discussion followed between Jorge Chapa, Chris Wade (Director at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation) and David Clark (Partner at Cundall) concerning the current drivers leading the transition to net zero.  Chris Wade mentioned the benefits of Greenstar as a strategic tool for net zero in operational plans as investors increasingly look to net zero carbon plans with their stake holdings.  David Clark reiterated the need for legislative change per the keynote address but also highlighted the individual efforts required to support this shift.  Specifically highlighting Cundell’s approach by becoming a ‘One Planet’ Company, joining the ‘Net Zero Carbon Commitment’ and adopting the Living Building Challenge in their framework for design.  Essentially how they are creating a culture within their company to meet net zero by 2030!

Following on from morning tea, Jorge Chapa unveiled the GBCA’s ‘Future Focus’ agenda to upgrade Greenstar in its many forms.  This began with a nod to the WorldGBC’s commitment to net zero by 2030 through the ‘Global Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment’ (https://www.worldgbc.org/thecommitment) via the ‘Advancing Net Zero Report’ which was released two weeks ago.

The Green Star Communities rating tool was also mentioned, with changes being cited as a response to feedback that the outcomes of the current tool are not always reaching the customer in communicating the benefits of the design approach.  New categories are also included in the framework and it is due for roll-out at the end of 2020.

Afternoon sessions included Karren Greaves of AECOM providing an overview of their sustainable design response at the Yarrabilba site with Australia’s first affordable sustainable display home.  Dr Iain C. Jennings (1circle), Robert Saunders (Calibre Group) and Mark Langdon (Alinta Energy Geothermal explained the process and outcomes of retrofitting an educational facility with geothermal energy solutions in Brisbane via their positive experience of working with Catholic Education and Mt Maria College.  And finally, Terry McCoy from Woolworths spoke of the commitment that his company has made to fitting out every single store in Australia to meet Green Star and a case study of their ongoing commitment to sustainability via the new Heidelberg complex.

Two streams were available for the afternoon sessions with the alternatives being either ‘Social Infrastructure in Focus’ or ‘Increasing Sustainability through Innovation’.  Having already heard many of the speakers from the latter session, SEED Staff chose to listen in to how the Department of Housing and Public Works (QLD), via Axl Driml, is using it’s T3 Initiative and City Smart to resolve the ‘split incentive’.  Following this were case studies around the successful use of Green Star in a variety of situations with a focus on the social aspects of the projects including Sunshine Coast University Hospital (Jeremy Mansfield, Lendlease), USQ Springfield Education Gateway (Alicia Logan, USQ) and the Global Change Institute building at the University of Queensland’s St Lucia Campus (Ron Hohenhaus, UQ Communications).  The session was wrapped up with a networking event which followed.

Key takeaways from the event were the solidification of 2030 as a target in the construction market towards net zero buildings.  Also, the burgeoning need for health, social and cultural inclusion within the design framework moving forward.

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Kris Stewart, the Artistic Director of the Brisbane Powerhouse, focused his talk on the practical ways in which the arts are incorporated into the Powerhouse and what he has learned through his own directing carrier in theatre towards facilitating this.  Audience participation and activating the built environment were key features of this discussion.  Paul Adams of Small Crown Productions spoke of his growth as an artist towards a pragmatic and business minded approach in carving out his niche as a Shakespearean performer.  Both talks highlighted the need for taking an active role in business as part of an arts practice. I particularly enjoyed Kris’ discussion having followed his career and been interested in his approach to managing the Powerhouse.

Cameron Goerg discussing his role as a Technical Director.

Belloo Creative’s Co-Artistic Director, Caroline Dunphy, is a force to be reckoned with as an actor, director, theatre maker, and educator.  Her determination to pursue and maintain her creative career and extend this to other working mothers in her field was inspirational.  Having met Emily Devers of The Third Quarter only recently, it was a wonderful surprise to also have her talk about her role as a Gallery Director.  This new art gallery has been stirring up the Brisbane art scene recently with it’s socially focused business strategy to bring inclusivity back to the arts with a quarter of it’s premises reserved for emerging and marginalised artists free of hire cost in order to break down barriers for commercial opportunities.

There was strong juxtaposition between the talks given by Samir Hamaiel and Christopher Inwood, as both artists explored very different approaches to their work.  Samir is both an architect and artist, and this was quite evident in the formal aesthetic approach he gives to his subjects in the built environment.  Christopher, in contrast, is interested in what lies beneath the veneer of our social and political realms – exploring the notion of supernormal stimuli (an exaggerated form of a stimuli used specifically to engender increased response).  Christopher’s work will be showing at The Third Quarter from the 5^th to 11^th of July, if you wish to see it for yourself.

Michael Rayner discussing the new building addition planned at QPAC.

PHAB Architects have a reputation for their involvement in the arts in Brisbane and it was no surprise to see director, Brant Harris, speak of the recent project they assisted the Gallery of Modern Art to complete for the installation of the unmissable James Turrell work, Night Life 2018.  This piece literally cloaks the GoMA building with colour of an evening and it was an amusing aside into the typical ingenuity exhibited by architect’s to successfully bring a work like this to life.

Blight Rayner also came under the spotlight recently when they won the competition for the new addition to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane.  Being a fan of the new design which incorporates elements of the theatre, movement and flow in its proposed glazed façade, it was a great opportunity to hear Michael Rayner elaborate on this and the collaboration with Snøhetta to achieve the design concept.

– – –

Having worked in the arts and construction industries for just on 20 years now, it is wonderful to see Brisbane really coming into it’s own as a creative centre.  As mentioned by all the speakers – creativity, innovation and good business acumen are the keys to differentiating yourself and creating a sustainable business model.  It looks like Brisbane’s art and design scene is maturing into this.

Article by Jay Dee Dearness, our Sustainability Leader at SEED Engineers and a practicing artist.

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The first speaker of the evening was Dr. Jerad Ford, Strategic Advisory Manager for CSIRO. His message was clear from the onset, change will come to the electricity network and how buildings in particular interact with our power sources. Buildings account for 29% of all energy sector emissions, so the role of HVAC play a critical part in reaching zero emissions.

The building design can play a part in lowering energy peak demands and contributing back energy to the grid. However, during day hours when people are at work there is a far less demand on the grid. This presents as the best time for the charging of electric cars, scooters, and bikes and avoiding overloading the grid. New solar panel technology also presents opportunity for electricity to be generated in unused places and even on the go with integrated panels on bags and cars.

The next speaker was Nicki Palmer, Sustainability Manager for Norman, Disney & Young. The focus of her presentation was to provide ideas and insight into how our buildings can achieve a net zero energy usage. As she followed on from Dr. Ford, her main focus was on Passive Design, or the ability of the building to manage its own energy consumption and comfort. There are several methods for doing this, but Nicki case studied a few of the common options including:

• Increased building fabric performance,
• Widened temperature bands,
• Natural ventilation, and
• Night Purge operation.

In total, the case study showed that up to 60% of energy consumption could be saved over a year using these features. However, global warming and climate change will affect these energy savings. Climate Change Australia has a Climate Analogues tool estimates that, under the current RCP4.5 emissions scenario, Brisbane will have a climate similar to Bundaberg, Beaudesert and Gympie by 2030. This shift in climate will results in higher cooling loads and more stress on HVAC systems to maintain acceptable conditions.

https://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/en/climate-projections/climate-analogues/analogues-explorer/

Ultimately, buildings will have to adapt significantly to alter the course of climate change. We must begin to challenge the purpose and use of buildings in order to create a range of building services other than just commercial or residential real estate. HVAC will play a critical role in this; as the world gets hotter, there will be more demand for electricity and cooling to stay comfortable. Lowering this demand is the biggest future challenge and why sustainably driven design should not just be desired but required.

The post Sustainable Buildings: Preparing for a Zero Emissions Future appeared first on Seed Engineers.

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We have worked tiredlessly to complete the building services design for the 50% Design Development Phase of the project. Consequently, it has recently moved to the tender point and we look forward to proceeding with this project into the next stage. Likewise, we are excited to witness its economically-affordable solutions and sustainable, innovative designs in the real world for the life of the building.

The post Inala Central Plaza Design appeared first on Seed Engineers.

PechaKucha has a unique 20 slides per presentation and 20 seconds per slide with the aim of keeping the presentation lively and to the point. It gives the opportunity for local architects, designers, and innovators to tell their story and the influences from the immediate surroundings that gave them inspiration. The format clearly works, with no one in the audience nodding off or leaving for the restroom during any of the 5 presentations given.

The talks began with Stephen Long from Architectus, who gave a valuable insight into the process of the refurbishment and exhibition in the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery. He emphasised that it was important to allow pieces to occupy their own space, as opposed to the space occupying them. He concluded that by doing this, it allowed the PNG community to come and talk about the collections, as opposed to reading about them like we often do in Australia. The sense of connection was obvious and animated as elders came and described the pieces to the next generation of Papua New Guineans. The connection was even more obvious in a building very different to the norm of the area.

A group from James Davidson Architect presented their recent works in restoring heritage buildings post-flooding and redevelopment. One of the biggest flaws with the modern built environment is that it has lost its character and areas of heavy development have become disconnected with the city they represent. James Davidson Architects work in removing features that covered the Elizabeth Picture Theatre and the old Red Hill Skating Arena to restore it to its ‘former glory’. When you don’t know what suburb you’re in, but you say “I’m five minutes away from the graffiti roller skating rink” then the sense of place has well and truly been established.

Image from: https://www.jamesdavidsonarchitect.com.au/red-hill-picture-pops-cinema/

This sense of place and belonging was also very strong when Jared Gilsenan from Designworks spoke about their work on the Queen’s Baton for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The process of design was to embody the spirit and essence of the Gold Coast through an immersion into the environment. The result was a piece that not only reflected, but belonged on the Gold Coast, embracing nature and lifestyle.

All three of these talks showed strong elements of influence from the surrounding local context, but the two other speakers took a more ambitious approach. Samantha Seljak from Seljak brand and Michaela Chin from QAGOMA presented products and productions that were aimed to impact on the local context as opposed to gaining influence from it. Their efforts to change the way we think about our culture and society drive our cities and communities into another phase of cultural and social evolution. In many ways, this is a Ying that the other three speakers drew their Yang from.

SEED’s own motif is to encourage sustainable design, something which is most effectively done by embracing as much of the local context as possible. Not only is this an effective and impactful method of building and services design, but it influences and enhances the local culture.

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Recently, some of SEED’s staff attended the Brisbane Seminar presented by the Australian Building Codes Board as part of our preparation in keeping informed of the new NCC 2019 requirements. This session reminded us that it is important to continue to make ready for and embrace the new NCC development.

Whilst a preview of NCC 2019 and links to the amendments are now available on the ABCB website (here), make sure to note these few important dates:

• NCC Adoption Date is 1st May, 2019,

• Energy Efficiency provision changes will have a transition period allowance which will end as of the 30th April, 2020, and

• The new Fire Safety requirements will also have a transition period, becoming fully effective as of the 1st May, 2020.

 

If you would like to know more about the new Section J requirements for energy efficiency, SEED will be conducting two seminars on this with the Australian Institute of Architects in Brisbane (9th May, 2019) and on the Gold Coast (21st May 2019).  Get in touch with the AIA to reserve your seat now!

NCC 2019 Important Dates

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