Building Sustainability Evaluation & Retrofit Plan Report 2015 of UTS Faculty of Design...

UTS Faculty of Design Architecture and Building Sustainability Evaluation & Retrofit Plan Report January 1, 2015

1

Building Sustainability

Evaluation & Retrofit Plan Report 2015

UTS Faculty of Design Architecture and Building (Peter Johnson Building)

720 Harris Street, Sydney

Content

Executive Summary

Page 2

Property Overview

Page 3-6

Sustainability Facts

Page 7-10

Retrofit Plans

1-13

Calculation of Efficiency in Water Saving

Page 14

Calculation of Efficiency in Energy Saving

Page 15-16

Conclusion

Page 17

References

Page 18-19


2

Executive Summary

Background

There is a growing demand for urban development that recognises the

importance of improving buildings sustainability in large-scale. The

climate-change awareness drives the group of urban property

stakeholders include developers, practitioners and researcher across the

globe including in Australia involving a competition of creating and

retrofitting buildings with sustainable technology (RICS 2013). The

concept of sustainability building is to design an integration of eco-

friendly technology and aesthetical building that high-functional in

accommodating various human activities while maintain energy

consumption and renewable resources for the building (RMI 2015).

Aims

The objectives of this report are determining sustainability aspects of UTS

Building 6 in 720 Harris Street Ultimo Sydney and providing solutions to

improve the quality of the building in the future. This assessment for UTS

Building 6, also known as Peter Johnson Building, is a part of UTS Campus

Global Vision to be a leader in sustainable building as well as creating

sophisticated teaching and learning facility. The evaluation assesses the

quality of indoor and outdoor environment of the property, energy

system, water management, building management system, materials,

architectural design, and the dynamic of human activities in this building.

The existing issues of sustainability in this building will put on analysis,

calculation, and estimation as a basis of submissions.

The Retrofit Plan

The retrofit concepts then will address in five years with three different

terms that include short-term, mid-term, and long-term. The idea of

dividing time in the renewal plan is to create efficiency base on the

possibility in adopting and adapting the plan by UTS to overcome every

particular sustainability issue on the building. The solutions will offer

smart investment ideas of the low-cost project but high-impact in

financing and maintaining the property of UTS Building 6.


3

Property Overview

Key Facts

UTS Building 6 was designed by Cox Richardson from Cox Architecture

firm in 1999 for Faculty of Design, Building and Architecture (DAB) and

the construction finished in 2000. This property has several names such

as UTS Building 6 or DAB Building but, for the very first time this building

namely after former UTS Vice-Chancellor, Peter Johnson. The main

purpose of this project was to merge the three different departments of

DAB in one building that link to UTS Tower Building to create City Campus

in the inner cities (Architecture Australia 1999).

This property designed as a mixed-use building for academic and

commercial purposes. The building has seven storeys with different

functions such as car parking, workshops and studios, student centre and

common areas, lecture theatres, exhibition rooms, faculty office, open

space and coffee bar. (Cox Architecture 2015)


4

Key Features: Design

The facade of the Peter Johnson Building is typical of a dominant brick-

layer horizontal building along the Harris Street combined with square

glass windows and canopies panels joint with steel structure.

The Atrium in this building located in wings of level 4. The primary

function of these outdoor atriums is daylight-provider for the building as

well as a pedestrian entrance that connects to the Ultimo Pedestrian

Network. The other function of these atriums is provided fresh air space

for students and staff of the Faculty of Design, Building and Architecture

(DAB) for muti purposes such as eating, reading, discussing and socializing

(Cox Architecture 2015).

Figure 1 the Facade of UTS Building 6, Credit; Cox Architecture

The Pedestrian Bridge is also noticeable as main design elements of the

building. This bridge is across over the Harris Street to link Peter Johnson

Building to UTS Tower Building. This bridge also uses as a shortcut for

pedestrians that going to the Central Railway Station Devonshire Tunnel

and The Ultimo Pedestrian Network. In addition, for access inside the

building there are escalator, elevator and stairs for vertical transport.

Figure 2 and 3 the Entrance Access of UTS Building 6

Credit; Survey & Lost on Campus


5

Key Features: Teaching, Learning & Research

Guthrie Theatre is a principal lecture auditorium in this faculty building

with 330 seats. This modern lecture theatre is fully equipped with

sophisticated visual and audio technology. There are two other

collaborative auditoriums in the same level 3 of the building.

Figure 4 the Guthrie Theatre, Credit; Lost on Campus

There are 47 collaborative classrooms, 20 Studios, ten labs and

workshops that design with various interior designs such futuristic and

minimalist elements, as well as supportive learning technology attached.

Learning commons area are available at every level for students for

informal learning activities such group discussion and self-study activities

(Lost on Campus 2015).

There are also two galleries; The UTS Gallery and DAB research gallery in

the level 4. The UTS Gallery is open to creative practitioners in the art.

The DAB research exhibit is limited to the students.

Figure 5 the Labs & Workshops, Credit; Survey & Lost on Campus


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Key Features: Social Spaces

There are several social spaces for students and staff of DAB such as the

UTS DAB Cafe, the Atriums and the communal learning areas.

The UTS DAB Cafe is situated in level 4 close to the Atriums, classrooms

and labs. The location in the central of the building is easy to access from

any direction and it is only up to 5 minutes to reach the Cafe.

Figure 6 DAB Cafe, Credit; Survey

The Atriums is ideal for students and staff to relax and get fresh air in an

outdoor environment of the building. It is supportive place for social

interaction with warm sunlight exposure.

The public learning spaces are available for students’ activities inside the

building.

Figure 7 An Atrium & Common Space, Credit; Survey


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Sustainability Facts

The sustainability assessment in UTS Building 6 collected from

various resources including an interview with the building

manager, site inspection and building energy consumption report.

Water

The water supplier of the building under New South Wales (NSW)

state water corporation namely Sydney Water.

There is no recycling water system.

There is no water collection system for stormwater.

The water consumption in 2012, 2013, and 2014 in average was

11.000 kiloliter.

Figure 8 Water Fixtures, Credit; Survey

Energy

The building has a major problem with the extreme heat that

increases the amount of energy to cooling down more than

heating inside the building.

The use of electricity for campus lighting and HVAC is high-

demanding.

There are some additional air conditionings in level 5-6.

There are fewer sensors for lighting, temperature, and doors.

There lighting still on when rooms or spaces are no longer use for

any activities.

The average use of electricity was 2.500.000 kWh in 2012, 2013,

2014.

The gas is not use for this building.

HVAC heating water is supplied by UTS Building 1 central plant.

Figure 9 Plant Room, Credit; Survey


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Figure 10 Air Conditionings & Light Sensors, Credit; Survey

Figure 11 Empty Classroom with lighting in the daylight, Credit; Survey

Daylight

The natural light is sufficient but it is not use sufficiently in

building, especially from the west side of the building.

Figure 12 the Daylight, Credit; Survey


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Green Spaces Element

The number of plants in open spaces is less in level 4 and 5.

The trees are in the front of the building along the Harris Street.

Figure 12 the Vegetation, Credit; Survey

Building Management System

The building control system has been used for 20 years since the

initial use of the building.

There are some partial upgrading at least ten years ago on energy

monitors, air conditioner and energy use, but not universal

throughout the whole campus.

Power control from plant inside the building and automatically

setting mode with less manual.

Figure 13 the Control Management System, Credit; Survey


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Sustainability Recognition

There is no environmental rating for this building by the Green

Building Council of Australia.

Figure 14 the Environment Recognition,

Credit; the Green Building Council of Australia

Work/teaching/learning environment

This building is the home for 213 DAB staff and approximately

2000 students.

The peak hours on campus start from 7am – 10pm, especially in

from Monday to Friday.

Figure 15 Learning Processes,

Credit; Survey


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Retrofit Plans

Element Facts Solution Short-Term

Mid-Term

Long-Term

Water

The water supplier of the building under New South Wales (NSW) state water corporation namely Sydney Water.

Installing water recycles technology to conserve water uses.

●

There is no water collection system for stormwater.

Applying Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) concept to captured stormwater.

●

There is no recycling water system. Installing water recycles technology to conserve water

uses. ●

The water consumption each year in 2012, 2013, and 2014 in average was 11,000 kiloliter.

Install smart water sensors to automatically controlling water consumption, mainly in toilet flushing, urinals and taps.

●

Energy

The building has a major problem with the extreme heat that increases the amount of energy to cooling down more than heating inside the building.

Reducing glare with plants along windows and pot

plants.

Reinstall windows that could be open to allow air

circulation in the daylight and minor use in the night.

●

●

The use of electricity for campus lighting and HVAC is high-demanding whether during peak/off-peak hour with fewer energy sensors.

Install smart lighting control with motion sensors to

reduce energy use for vacant rooms, labs, workshops,

toilets, and corridors.

Audit survey of energy use per floor and user patterns.

●

●

There are some additional air conditionings in level 5-6

Staged refitting of air conditioning units

●


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Mid-Term

Long-Term

The average use of electricity was 2,500,000 kWh in 2012, 2013, 2014

Installing renewable energy resources such solar cell panels

●

The gas is not use for this building Fine

HVAC heating water is supplied by UTS Building 1 central plant

Fine

Daylight The natural light is adequate but it is not use sufficiently in building, especially from the west side of the building.

Design sunlight reflector to produce low-warm luminosity inside the building during daytime

●

Green Spaces Element

The number of plants in open spaces is less in level 4 and 5.

Design a green roof, green walls and green spaces

●

The trees are in the front of the building along the Harris Street.

Design a green roof, green walls and green spaces

●

Building Management

System

The building control system has been used for 20 years since the initial use of the building.

More manual control inputs in staged phases because

BMS is expensive.

●

There are some partial upgrading at least ten years ago on energy monitors, air conditioner, and energy use, but not universal throughout whole campus

Continuing to upgrade CMS in other section.

●

Power control from plant inside the building and automatically setting mode with less manual

More manual control inputs in staged phases because

BMS is expensive.

●


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Mid-Term

Long-Term

Sustainability Recognition

There is no environmental rating for this building by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Sustain a commitment in retrofitting to meet

assessment criteria of environmental rating. ●

Work/teaching/learning

environment

This building is the home for 213 DAB staff and approximately 2000 students.

Rearrange floor plan and rooms schedule based on

energy consumption for lighting, computers, elevator

and electrical facilities. ●

The peak hours on campus start from 7am – 10pm, especially in from Monday to Friday

Rearrange floor plan and rooms schedule based on energy consumption for lighting, computers, elevator and electrical facilities.

●


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Calculation of Efficiency in Water Saving

Figure 16 UTS Water Consumption Breakdown 2013 Credit: UTS 2013-2015 Water Management Plan

Short-term

Installing Water Efficiency Sensors in Water Fixtures

Assumption in water efficiency calculation is to use average annual water consumption of

UTS Building 6 in 2012-2014 which is 11,000 kilolitres.

If approximately of this property size is 6,000 m2.

Water usage charge is $2.232 a kilolitre the fixed price from Sydney Water*.

By using $70.30 a quarter as the fixed price from Sydney Water for this typical property

1,000 – 10,000 m2 in stormwater service area, the bill calculation will be shown as below.

= ($70.30/quarter x 4) + ($2.232 x 11,000 kiloliter)

= $281 + $24,552

= $24,833 *http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/accounts-billing/understanding-your-bill/our-prices/index.htm

For instances, By installing sensors in double flushing toilets which is possible to

implement swiftly as well as detecting users duration in use to improve efficiency

compare to double flushing system from 9 litres/4.5 litres to 3/4.5 litres*. By using

UTS Water Consumption Breakdown 2013 for toilet, approximately 6,000 litres/day

water are using by UTS Building 6 for toilet. In calculation, the water use efficiency

will improve roughly 50 percent and save $6,696/year in cost. *www.enware.com.au/estore/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=2170&CategoryID=2738

Long-term

Water Conservation with Integration of Recycling Water System and Stormwater Collection.

This is a major projects and investments that integrated in UTS City Campus Masterplan and possible to achieve in City Campus water conservation

project not partially in building.

Water Consumption on Cooling Towers will be reducing with retrofitting energy system plan and green walls and spaces plan.


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Figure 17 UTS Energy Consumption Breakdown 2013 Credit: UTS 2013-2020 Energy and Greenhouse Plan

Short-term

Providing Green walls, roofs and spaces in the building

Assumption in water efficiency calculation is to use average annual

water consumption of UTS Building 6 in 2012-2014 which is 2,500,000

kWh.

If using electricity price projection 2014/2015 is 16.2 c/kWh*. *http://cfsites1.uts.edu.au/find/isf/publications/Isonetal2011energypricesto2020.pdf

By using the data, the bill calculation will be shown as below.

= 16.2 c/kWh x 2,500,000 kWh

= $405,000

By using UTS Energy Consumption Breakdown 2013, approximately

$251,100/year water are using by UTS Building 6 for HVAC and

$72,900/year for lighting.

“A tree in full leaf can block 70 to 90 percent of solar radiation”*.

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/beatheat.htm

By design green walls in the facades of high-sunlight exposed and

provide more plants in the atriums; it is possible to reduce heat and cost

of energy in the building*. This is relatively quick and cheap applying in

building and lower cost maintenance. *https://www.gbca.org.au/gbc_scripts/js/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/Living_Wall_and_Green_Ro

of_Plants_for_Australia_Report_230712.pdf

If average assumption for vegetation plans to reduce heat is 75

percent, it will be reduce 62 percent energy consumption to

46.5% or save almost $116,761.5/year.

Short-term

Installing Low-cost Smart Lighting Sensors

“Studies indicate that advanced sensors and controls have the

potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by 20-30

percent... ORNL's new wireless sensor prototype could reduce costs

to $1-10 per node by leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques

such as additive roll-to-roll manufacturing”*. *http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150227144825.htm


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Mid-term

Installing Renewable Solar Cell for Alternative Energy

Australia is one of the most potential solar cells investments because it is naturally high-exposed to sunlight*. Since 2012, solar cell plant for

households and commercial purposes is more affordable in large scales such as City Campus because the value of investment

*http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/uploads/497bcd1f058be45028e3df9d020ed561.pdf

Long-term

Examination of Rooms’ Energy Consumption and Floor Plan Rearrangement

This method are low-cost and effectively to identify the accuracy of energy consumption for long-term plan. This concept primarily focus on

examines the pattern of students and staff of DAB Faculty in consuming energy in electrical appliances and how energy consumption pattern to

support activities in building at peak or off-peak hours.

The examination of energy consumption will record heat production from computer, lighting and people activities in every room in the

building. This information helps to design energy distribution system in the building precisely and saving energy from unnecessary energy

waste. The estimation of efficiency from this concept is approximately up to 60 percent because base on the building inspection, there were

excessive energy use in the building to support empty rooms or few people activities.

The floor plan rearrangement aims to design a communal use of learning and teaching spaces as well as social spaces in the lower floors and

nearby the windows in daylight. This concept plans to reduce energy use on elevator and indoor lighting both on daylight and day night

activities. These two concepts will be integrated with green walls and water conservation.


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Conclusion

The Assessment of UTS Building 6 in 700 Harris Street shows the facts of building inefficiency in sustainability elements such as water conservation, energy

waste, less using of natural light, less green spaces and green design, and unmanaged activities of students and staff in this building. These issues altogether

burden in the high-cost maintenance of this building for UTS.

However, there is possible submission provide to solve all this disadvantages that time-sensitive, creative and inexpensive. The solution of use emerging

technology such as motion sensors in water facilities helps improving the efficiency of water consumption. The energy consumption rate also predicts to be

lower after use sensors to control redundant lighting in empty rooms and spaces. Another benefit in sustainability aspect will be achieved by investing

green infrastructures such green walls, roof, and vegetation. In addition, the most innovative concept is resetting floor plan and examining the pattern of

human activities and energy consumption in every room and spaces. This plan is important to design a system that provide accurate energy demands for

the building.


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References

Architecture Australia 1999, ‘UTS has named its Cox Richardson-designed Building 6 (containing Design, Architecture and Building) after a former USydney Architecture Dean, Peter Johnson. He retired as UTS’ Chancellor late last year’, Architecture Australia, July 1999, viewed 11 April 2015, <http://architectureau.com/articles/headlines-67/>.

Climate Commission 2013, The Critical Decade: Australia’s Future–Solar Energy, The Climate Commission, Potts Point, viewed 15 April 2015, <http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/uploads/497bcd1f058be45028e3df9d020ed561.pdf>.

Cox Architecture 2015, Project, viewed in 11 April 2015, <http://www.coxarchitecture.com.au/#/project/12730>.

Enware 2015, Touch-Activated Dual Flush WC Standard Flushing System - Duct Access, viewed in 18 April 2015, <www.enware.com.au/estore/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=2170&CategoryID=2738>.

Institute for Sustainable Futures 2011, NSW Business Energy Prices to 2020, UTS, Sydney, viewed in 17 April 2015, <http://cfsites1.uts.edu.au/find/isf/publications/Isonetal2011energypricesto2020.pdf>.

Lost on Campus 2015, CB06 - Peter Johnson Building, viewed in 11 April 2015, <http://lostoncampus.com.au/164>.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory 2015, ‘Energy use in buildings: Innovative, lower cost sensors and controls yield better energy efficiency’, Science Daily, viewed 16 April 2015, <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150227144825.htm>.

Rocky Mountain Institute 2015, How to Calculate and Present Deep Retrofit Value: A Guide for Investors, RMI, Colorado, viewed 20 April 2015, <http://www.rmi.org/retrofit_depot_deepretrofitvalue#calculateform>.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 2013, Sustainable Urban Retrofit Evaluation, RCIS, United Kingdom, viewed 15 April 2015, <http://www.rics.org/uk/knowledge/research/research-reports/sustainable-urban-retrofit-evaluation/>.

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 2012, Living Wall and Green Roof Plants for Australia, RIRDC, Canberra, viewed in 17 April 2015, https://www.gbca.org.au/gbc_scripts/js/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/Living_Wall_and_Green_Roof_Plants_for_Australia_Report_230712.pdf>.

Schrock D. 2010, ‘Beat the Heat with Landscape Plants’, CSU/Denver County Extension Master Gardener, viewed in 17 April 2015, <http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/beatheat.htm>.


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Sydney Water 2015, Our prices, viewed in 18 April 2015, <http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/accounts-billing/understanding-your-bill/our-prices/index.htm>.

University of Technology Sydney 2013, 2013-2015 Water Management Plan, UTS, Sydney, viewed 15 April 2015, < https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/WATER_MANAGEMENT_PLAN.140301.pdf>.

University of Technology Sydney 2013, 2013-2021 Energy and Greenhouse Plan, UTS, Sydney, viewed 15 April 2015, < https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/ENERGY_GREENHOUSE_PLAN.140301.pdf>.

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