UNSW Sydney’s award-winning building has been recognised for its intelligent sustainable initiatives, incorporating natural materials with efficient energy systems.
The Australian Institute of Architects has named UNSW Roundhouse as the winner of the ‘Sustainability’ category in the 2019 NSW Architecture Awards.
UNSW Roundhouse took home the award for a recent upgrade which has significantly improved the design, function and efficiency of this iconic building.
UNSW Estate Management Acting Executive Director Sancha Cromie said the Roundhouse upgrade is a good example of a building that now not only looks great but is also sustainable.
“Through the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability we are dedicated to building a campus that will thrive into the future. Plenty of collaboration and innovative thinking went into this project, so it is fantastic for the team to get this recognition,” she said.
As part of the project, an excavator dug up an area next to the Roundhouse to prepare the site for a 535-cubic-metre rainwater tank. The tank is designed so that the captured rainwater and runoff will seep below the grass, collect in the tank and then filter through to the Botany Aquifer.
After construction, the underground tank was covered over with organic matter and is hidden by a bed of grass. The tank works with the Botany Aquifer to more sustainably provide fresh, treated water to UNSW.
The Science and Engineering Building (background) shares its energy services with the Roundhouse, making the building more efficient. There is a chiller plant producing energy for use such as air-conditioning in the laboratories, teaching spaces and classrooms on the roof of the Science and Engineering Building.
The key feature of the Roundhouse is its round skylight, which looks like an eye. The 1961 glass dome feature and the glass façade around the building were reglazed to make the most of the natural sunlight as well as more efficiently keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter.
The staircase was renovated by using durable, sustainably sourced Australian spotted gum timber. The walls were made sound-proof before being covered with the same spotted gum battens to beautify the interiors and withstand future use. The timber was finished with a natural oil, made from the Tung tree, which reduced the external pollutants. The refurbishment extended to replacing the flooring in the bars on Ground and Level 1 with marmoleum-brand floorings, which are made from natural renewable materials.
The Roundhouse upgrade is part of a University-wide commitment to sustainability. UNSW Head of Environmental Sustainability William Syddall said that the renovation of the Roundhouse building demonstrates UNSW’s commitment to embedding leading environmental sustainability principles into the planning and operation of its campuses.
“By retaining the original structure and façade the team have preserved the iconic character of the Roundhouse, while substantially enhancing its energy and water efficiency,” he said.
UNSW this year has launched an ambitious Environmental Sustainability Plan 2019-21 (ESP). The plan is designed to address UNSW’s key environmental issues and defines commitments, targets and activities across ten focus areas including climate action, waste and recycling, and energy and water efficiency.
UNSW will switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity, and its buildings will net zero-emission in operation by 2020, as part of the new three-year plan.
The renovations, designed by Tonkin Zulhaikar Greer Architects, honour the original design by NSW government architect Joseph W. van der Steen.
The Roundhouse will join the other award winners in progressing to the National Architecture Awards to be announced on 7 November 2019.
