Earth - the bricks and mortar of 60L

60L was designed to minimise its impact on the environment: the building structure, choice of materials; location and physical orientation; the methods to be used by the builders; the way the building would function once completed - all these were considered through the 'lens' of sustainable environmental practice.

The general principles adopted for the 60L Green Building were to:

  • Create a quality building that is commercially viable;

  • Minimise the consumption of materials and maximise their reuse;

  • Protect the natural environment by astute selection and use of materials; w Minimise energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions;

  • Minimise the consumption of mains water and maximise recycling of treated wastewater, and

  • Adopt environmentally sound and healthy work practices, during both construction and occupancy.

Instead of being a side issue, environmental design, energy and resource use became the critical focus of the building design.

Building for sustainability

60L is different. It breathes.

There are exposed brickwork walls which are a feature instead of something to be hidden. The bricks are either originals or have been recycled, and cleaned without the use of acids.

In many buildings, all of the wiring and pipes are neatly hidden, which may look nice and sterile, but is incredibly wasteful as it effectively puts a blanket between the building mass (floors and ceilings), trapping heat which then has to be removed by expensive air-conditioning.

At 60L there is an aesthetically pleasing interplay of ceiling tiles and exposed areas which creates an intriguing pattern.

Some of the beautiful hardwood door frames are so obviously recycled there are still old nail holes. They have been left that way to remind people that old, reused materials can look every bit as fine as the new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The extensive application of reused and recycled materials created one difficulty which was not entirely foreseen at the outset. That is, how could we explain to tradespeople and builders what was an acceptable level of 'finish'?

For example, should we paint black pipes white? Should we use metal angle pieces in corner plaster work? A host of small detail specifications turned out to be necessary throughout the building process to help tradespeople used to working with today's energy- and waste-intensive construction methods adapt their way of working.

This lesson was very important to us - involve as many people who will be undertaking the building task as early as possible, and specify as clearly as possible.

It's not that you are asking people to do something environmental. You are asking people to do something different.