Archdiocese Of Adelaide Goes Green (Australia)

A new building featuring rooftop solar panels and energy-efficient lighting being developed by the Archdiocese of Adelaide to house SA Water and facilities for St Aloysius' College will be South Australia's first six-star green office building.

Adelaide Now reports that the $100 million building is the latest project of Hassell architects which is focusing on green designs.

The block will house 800 employees. Among its major green features will be under-floor airconditioning, designed to deliver fresh outside air under most conditions, and roof-top solar panels.

Other green features of the building will include energy-efficient lighting, high-performance glazing, a full-height atrium to take advantage of natural light and extensive monitoring of energy and water use.Architect David Homburg told Adelaide Now that the South Australian property industry and State Government are taking the environmental challenge seriously.

"We have got an ESD (ecologically sustainable development) plan in place that basically gives us almost a default position that we go to our clients with," he said.

Mr Homburg said the solar panels on the roof would generate some electricity and the under-floor airconditioning would help minimise bacteria in the air which could lead to illness among staff.

"We find that it certainly costs more (to build this way) but not a huge amount more," he said.

"It is a financially viable proposition because there are benefits with running costs in the long term and productivity. Our default position is to encourage people to design an environmentally friendly building."

Other green features of the building will include energy-efficient lighting, high-performance glazing, a full-height atrium to take advantage of natural light and extensive monitoring of energy and water use.

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