A new university building has become the first six-star building in regional New South Wales.

The University of Newcastle’s Q Building has been awarded six-star Design and As Built Certification by the Green Building Council of Australia.

The rating means that the building was not only sustainably designed but also followed robust environmental practices during construction.

Set to host classes from Semester 1, Q Building will be home to expanded creative industries facilities where students will study communication, media, film and television, events production, sound and music, animation and fine art.

It will also house the University’s Integrated Innovation Hub which connects innovators and entrepreneurs to community, customers, coaching and capital.

It is the first building to be constructed as part of the University’s Honeysuckle Precinct, which is being constructed over ten years on the university’s Newcastle City campus.

The new precinct will form part of the university’s strategy to deliver spaces for research, education, collaboration and accommodation in the heart of the city.

University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky and Davina Rooney, CEO of Green Building Council of Australia with the 6 star Green Star rating

From a sustainability viewpoint, a standout feature of the build was its mass timber construction.

While the building features a concrete core, its remaining internal structure was built using sustainably sourced, cross-laminated timber – much of which is visible from outside the building.

The arrangement enables the structure to capture and store carbon rather than producing it.

It also creates minimal waste during construction, supports the HVAC system to moderate internal building humidity and delivers benefits for health and wellbeing through biophilic design.

Meanwhile, the three sides of the building which have the highest exposure to the sun (east, north and west) have been glazed with 344 panels of an electro-chromic smart-glass system called Sage Glass, which automatically changes its tint to respond to heat and glare.

This arrangement helped to overcome challenges associated with maintaining comfort and heat whilst also delivering on the design intent of maintaining transparency and being open to the public.

It represents the largest installation of Sage Glass panels in the Southern Hemisphere.

Other sustainability features include:

  • 104 solar panels
  • 20kL rainwater capture volume
  • Energy and water efficient fittings – all LED lights and 4 Star rated Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) water fittings
  • Building ‘tuning’ so that HVAC and other systems are running as efficiently as possible
  • 100 percent renewable electricity via a Red Energy contract for 100 percent renewable energy supply.
  • 96 percent recycling rate during construction
  • A sustainable transport plan, including a bike hub with end-of-trip facilities and a hybrid shuttle-bus route.

The rating comes amid broader sustainability initiatives from the University which aim to deliver carbon neutrality by 2025 along with maximum water efficiency and minimal waste.

As well as the aforementioned renewable energy supply contract, this includes the progressive rollout of 1.1MW of solar PV on site and installation of 2.2 million litre rainwater tanks at the Forum swimming pool (for rainwater capture and retention).

It also includes a commitment to aim for six-star Design and As-Built ratings for all of the university’s new buildings going forward.

The Q Building was delivered through a funding partnership between the NSW Government, the University and the City of Newcastle through the Government’s program to advance shovel-ready projects in response to COVID.

It was delivered by Hansen Yuncken whilst EJE Architecture was the principal design consultant, WSP was the sustainability consultant and APP was the project manager.

Green Building Council of Australia CEO Davina Rooney applauded the building’s design and construction.

“The University of Newcastle’s Q Building is a brilliant, world-leading example of how Green Star can be applied within the education sector and is testimony to the University’s commitment to sustainability,” said Davina Rooney, CEO of GBCA.

“This is the first certified 6-star Green Star – Design and As Built project in regional NSW and with innovation at its core from the outset, it certainly sets the benchmark for future developments of this kind.”