Desert Knowledge Precinct – Business and Innovation Centre
Designed in association with Susan Dugdale and Associates. The Business and Innovation Centre in Alice Springs is a key facility in the Desert Knowledge Precinct that serves the function of developing business and initiatives based on desert knowledge; as a facility demonstrating key principals of energy efficient and environmentally sustainable design; and as a social hub for the precinct, emphasising the importance of informal communication in developing knowledge and ideas.
During the concept design stages the Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) consultant established energy consumption targets for the Business and Innovation Centre based on combined reference to the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating tool (ABGR), Property Council of Australia Energy Guidelines and the draft BCA regulations for Class 5-9 buildings and prevailing climate of Alice Springs.
ESD initiatives chosen to take into the final design phase were found to yield the greatest benefit in terms of minimising energy consumption and greenhouse gas production within the limitation of the budget and brief, and include:
- air conditioning with economy cycle, and mixed-mode to allow natural ventilation via operable windows
- night purging
- internalised thermal mass
- natural day-lighting
- high reflective roofing
- mass ventilated roof space
- heavily insulated external walls
- external sun shading to all windows
- use of low heat transmitting glass to minimize heat gain through the glazing
- a design temperature of 26 degrees in summer, instead of the typical constant 22 degrees.
The core ideas informing the design include:
- designed for ‘loose fit, long life’
- a rectilinear, compact form to meet the site constraints, develop efficient circulation and to maximise options for wall materials and treatments
- preservation of the endemic corkwoods to enhance courtyard and outdoor spaces associated with the centre
- maximise the north aspect within tight east-west constraints through development of courtyards
- ‘transparent’ staff room to give the facility an accessible human face, as well as to identify it as a ‘meeting place’ open to all members of the precinct
- the Reception and Foyer area provides a visual and pedestrian link through the building
- common facilities located in the centre of the building to be used for functions independently of the office areas.