Sustainability

Weathertex Sustainability eBook 2017

2017

T

he finalists and winners of the 2017 Sustainability Awards make clear that the architecture, design and construction sectors are serious about making the built environment much more sustainable, and about significantly reducing their impact.

This year’s awards – which represented the 11th annual program – were the culmination of decades of research and industry application for many of our entrants, the fruits of which were patently evident with the winners on the night across all 1 3 awards categories.

The Multiple Dwelling category in particular received an overwhelming number of entries.

In many ways, this is not surprising, as industry strives to keep up with the needs of a growing and densified population in Australia’s major cities.

According to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), one in every four (or 25 percent) of all new homes built in Australia today are classified as multiple dwelling structures. The ABS estimates that roughly 200,000 homes are built in Australia each year, which makes at least 50,000 of these of the multiple dwelling variety.

This increase in multiple dwelling construction comes down to a range of factors, including the nature of land supply and affordability considerations, along with a desire to reside near employment centres and amenities. Given that these factors are likely to increase in importance, this type of housing is expected to continue to play an even more important role in the housing supply of the future.

Companies like Weathertex, which produce sustainable timber exterior wall cladding systems, are set to play an increasingly important role in this changing housing climate. Many of the company’s products have been designed for detached housing and multiple dwellings, as well as for apartments and townhouses.

With their recent PhD accreditation and listing in the Declare Label program, Weathertex has shown that they are committed to providing transparency across all their products and manufacturing processes, meaning that they’ll also be working to ensure this new wave of housing stock is as responsibly built, high-quality and sustainable as possible.

- Branko Miletic, Infolink Editor

The Awards Jury

Kate Harris CEO Good Environmental Choice Australia

David Palin Sustainability Manager Mirvac

Envirotecture

Elizabeth Watson Brown

Steve King

Design Director Architectus

Director Linarch

Rory Martin Sustainability Manager Residential Frasers Property

Caroline Pidcock

Dick Clarke Director

Architect PIDCOCK - Architecture + Sustainability

Sustainability Awards 2017: Q&A with Jason O’Hagan Managing Director of Weathertex

T

he Sustainability Awards 2017 are only a few months away, and Architecture & Design is proud to announce Weathertex as the official sponsor for the ‘Multiple Dwelling’ category.

Architecture & Design spoke to Jason O’Hagan, Weathertex’s managing director, about the value of third-party certification and the history of Weathertex’s manufacturing processes.

Weathertex recently received the first Platinum certification from GreenTag globally for their ‘Natural’ range of timber products. In light of that, could you explain the difference between an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and a Lifecycle Analysis (LCA)?

Essentially, an EPD is a lifecycle assessment, although an LCA can be produced by a manufacturer, who may be making favourable assumptions about a product that can skew the results (regarding its longevity, [for example]).

On the other hand, an EPD is issued by an independent programme operator, such as Global GreenTag. [It follows] a set of product category rules [that ensure] the products are assessed in a consistent and unbiased manner.

This process is controlled by International (ISO) and European (EN) standards. An EPD assesses the environmental impacts of a product through its entire lifecycle, taking into consideration the manufacturing, transportation, assembly, use and disposal of the product.

What makes Weathertex’s cladding more sustainable than other products?

We’ve been through a rigorous evaluation from Global GreenTag to determine our “green performance” compared to others in the market.

[We] were the first manufacturer globally to receive a GreenTag Platinum certification with a GreenRate Level A for our natural range products. We also received Gold certification for our primed flat cladding and wall panel sheets, which is also a great achievement.

In order to obtain those accreditations, GreenTag had to perform a lifecycle assessment, and evaluate the environmental and health impact over the life of our products as well as eco-toxicity. Our manufacturing process, which uses 97 percent sustainably-sourced Australian hardwood timber and 3 percent added paraffin wax (without any added chemicals or toxins) – paired with our product being 100 percent biodegradable and our better than zero-carbon footprint, meant that we excelled in these categories. All of our timber is PEFC-certified [meaning] we can support the sustainable management of Australian forests and the workforce of Australia.

For the same reasons, we’ve been able to meet the requirements set by the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) Green Star program [and achieve] maximum rating points for wall cladding and panels. We were also the first company to obtain a Global GreenTag Product Health Declaration (PhD), and the first cladding company to be [listed] in the Declare Label Program.

In terms of design, what type of projects are your products mostly used in?

We predominantly supply [for] detached housing and multi-dwellings, [meaning] apartments or town houses up to four storeys high. However, our products are extremely versatile due to their flexibility, light weight and durability, so they are also often used on pre-fabricated buildings, internal applications, school halls, exhibition centres, shop fit-outs and ceiling linings.

How has GreenTag certification helped your brand?

It [has] certainly played a large role in being voted Architecture & Design’s #1 most-trusted brand, and it goes to show how consumers today want to make responsible purchase decisions that benefit the wider community. Our transparency and ability to provide our customers with certifications from independent reputable third-party programs has undoubtedly given us a competitive edge in the market.

I suppose it also gives consumers some peace of mind.

Definitely, it’s one thing to say your product is sustainable, but it’s another to actually back it up with third-party independent certifications.

This, coupled with our recent PhD accreditation and [listing in] the Declare Label program, again shows how Weathertex is committed to providing transparency of our products and manufacturing processes.

Have you found there are a lot of issues with nonthird-party certification?

There’s always been an issue – especially in the building industry – with “greenwashing”. [This is] where companies can talk about their products being sustainable without substance. What we decided to do was spend the money and investment on thirdparty certifications in order to provide our customers full disclosure on our products through independent evaluation programs and EPD accreditation.

Have you found that your undertaking with the certification has expanded that venture within your market?

What it’s done is [create] a higher level of credibility and trust in Weathertex and our products, evident in us being voted the number one most-trusted building brand, both overall and in the exterior cladding category. This is particularly true for specifiers, who have real accreditation certifications they can rely upon with the Weathertex products.

When they specify us, they can see that accredited, sustainable, quality products can still be competitively priced in the market.

Have other brands since followed suit?

It’s probably best to ask GreenTag. But we’re proud of being the first cladding manufactured product globally to achieve a Platinum certification for our Natural range.

Looking back, when did Weathertex first begin to focus on sustainability as a key pillar of its product messaging and positioning?

Our factory was built in Raymond Terrace [in] NSW in 1939. Since 1964, Weathertex [has] shifted focus to be at the forefront of environmentally sound building products. As I mentioned previously, our manufacturing process is the only one of its kind in the world, making our products entirely unique to the market. We only use certified state forest or private hardwoods from controlled sources, and that makes up 97 percent of all our products. The logs are then chipped, pulped and pressed with natural wax – the remaining 3 percent – to make Australian timber products that are all natural and extremely durable.

What are the biggest changes that you would say have happened within your product segment in the past decade?

I’d say the biggest changes that have happened – and still are happening – are around greenwashing, because it is a very topical subject.

Most manufacturers or suppliers within the building industry – not just cladding – have typically focused on environmental manufacturing and bringing sustainable building products into the marketplace. At this point, ‘sustainability’ and [similar] words get bandied around a lot. [We] wanted to get our third-party certification to show

that what we’re saying about our products is true. We can vouch for it now with GreenTag, the Declare Label and with PhD. PhD is the first of its kind in the world and is intended to help consumers make healthier buying decisions by rating businesses on the amount of toxic ingredients used in building materials.

Declare is also a world-renowned certification scheme. It’s similar to GreenTag’s PhD program, although Declare looks specifically at products.

[It displays] all the raw ingredients and [provides] transparency in that way.

People might wonder why it’s worth investing in certification schemes that address similar areas.

Our thinking behind it is that, as more people are clued in, customers and specifiers will be asking, “What products can we specify that specifically [have] this Declare label, or GreenTag label?”

Despite the prevalence of greenwashing, do you see the future of sustainable design as being a positive one?

Consumers want ‘healthier’ eco-friendly products. This can be seen across their personal and business purchasing decisions. Businesses these days don’t have much of a choice but to implement environmental sustainability strategies as part of their standard practices.

Affordable building designs that are sustainable are a positive aspect and it’s here to stay. Consumers are savvier these days and expect businesses to be transparent about their products and services.

Do you have any plans in the future moving forward with Weathertex?

Without any glues or chemicals needed, our manufacturing process is exceptionally unique – and this process will never change. What we want to continue to do is [to] lead the way in the field of sustainable building practices and provide transparency to our customers and those in the building industry.

Lastly, are there any standout projects from an environmental or social perspective that you’ve seen recently?

The prefabrication market in Australia is evolving.

You can see prefabrication of housing and units, and medium-density is gathering momentum, and that [in turn] lends itself to [builders and specifiers] using sustainable building materials as part of their product selection and construction processes.

Strongbuild is building the first eight-storey timber high-rise, with a focus on timber and the sustainable building practices that go with it. That’s probably the most recent [that is] at the forefront of innovation, design and sustainability.

We only use certified state forest or private hardwoods from controlled sources, and that makes up 97 percent of all our products.

Jason O’Hagan, Managing Director of Weathertex

Multiple Dwelling

Townhouses, duplexes and residential complexes (Class 2).

Category Nominees:

Richmond Green Edge Armsby Architects

Natura And Urbane Melbourne Design Studios

Gen Y Housing David Barr Architects

Award Winner Gen Y Housing David Barr Architects

We would expect some great exemplar projects to arise from the White Gum Valley precinct, and Gen Y does not disappoint. It challenges some conventional notions of living space, without compromising liveability and utility.

- Judges’ comments

Award Winner: Gen Y Housing David Barr Architects

How greenwashing threatens environmental practice

E

nvironmentally conscious development is on the rise across the Australian construction industry. This has occurred as the result of increasing awareness within the industry about the risks that climate change poses, and increasing expectations from consumers to combat those risks.

However, this uptake in concern – and corresponding demand for environmental sustainability – has been matched by the topic’s contrivance, which threatens to reduce a serious issue to a collection of catch phrases and empty logos. This practice, known as ‘greenwashing’, involves “the misleading claims of environmental benefits attached to a product… designed to portray a product or company as caring for the environment”.

This can occur through words, graphics, vague or unprovable claims, exaggeration of compliance, or deliberate exclusion of information.

In the construction industry, greenwashing makes it harder for architects, specifiers and clients to make informed decisions about the products and practices used in a project, and encourages the spread of greenwashing as unsubstantiated claims are further distributed.

The widespread practice of greenwashing has taken place across all business sectors – not just within architecture and design. However, accurate and sufficient benchmarks for sustainability are paramount for the construction industry, given it makes up 23 percent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions and has significant potential to reduce that figure.

At best, the greenwashing of inadequate products and practices is undertaken to increase sales without impacting the environment directly either way.

(Even then, the practice of greenwashing contributes

further to the idea that sustainability is a trend in the market and not worth long-term consideration.)

At its worst, greenwashing deceives consumers into believing that their choices are beneficial when they are the opposite. As an example, the common phrase ‘all natural’ does not necessarily rule out the use of naturally occurring yet harmful substances such as chlorine or lead in a specified product. The best way to combat this is through transparency and thirdparty verification, to ensure the materials used live up to the manufacturer’s claims and are also safe.

The same approach can be taken to guarantee environmental sustainability, i.e. through transparency and third-party accreditation. There are a number of third-party green standards that are well-regarded within the Australian construction industry and worldwide.

These benchmarks include global and local initiatives such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Star, and the Living Building Challenge for holistic projects; or GreenTag, Declare, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC), and Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) for individual products. All of these standards, along with others, have gained their reputation over time via consistently reliable and stringent benchmarking and their own commitment to transparency. Making the accreditation process as straightforward as possible ensures it’s easier for interested parties to take up their challenges.

Most of these standards do not operate on the premise of pass/fail but rather a scale from good to the best, meaning that steps can be taken towards environmental sustainability even when budgets are tight, for instance.

Australian owned and operated, Weathertex have continually strived to produce environmentally

sustainable, high-quality products for the unpredictable Australian climate. As the ideal solution for any builder, architect or designer in search of environmentally conscious materials, Weathertex’s timber weatherboards and architectural panels are made from PEFC-certified, locally sourced and manufactured native hardwood timber. Weathertex have proven themselves as industry leaders for sustainable accreditation, as demonstrated by their nomination as the number one most reliable brand in the building industry by the 2016 Architecture and Design survey.

Weathertex timber cladding – made from 97 percent hardwood and 3 percent paraffin wax – is both 100 percent natural and 100 percent safe. This has been verified by the Living Futures Institute’s Declare program, a voluntary self-disclosure program that aims to cast a light on healthier products through ingredient transparency.

Furthermore, Weathertex’s Natural range of timber weatherboards and architectural panels was the first manufactured product range to receive a GreenTag Platinum certification with a GreenRate Level A globally, along with a secondary Gold certification for their primed flat cladding and wall panel sheets. Ecospecifier Global GreenTag Certification is one of the largest product sustainability certification systems in Australia and across the world, and the only Certification Mark approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

With their timber cladding backed up with a 10-25 year guarantee not to rot, split or crack, Weathertex is leading the way in sustainability measures and natural, long-lasting products.

Architecture & Design is proud to announce Weathertex as the 2017 ‘Multiple Dwelling’ Sponsor for this year’s Sustainability Awards.

Intelligent manufacturing: Weathertex and the production of natural timber panels

A

s the first manufactured product globally to achieve Platinum-rated GreenTag certification, Weathertex’s Natural Range of timber weatherboards and architectural panels represents a significant step towards conscientious sustainable development. GreenTag has been certifying products in the architecture and design industries since 2010, reaching high levels of respect and distribution due to its insistence on stringent, consistent testing methods. These methods are defined by International Standards and based on the entire lifecycle of a product and its individual components.

To achieve a Platinum rating, no toxins whatsoever can be used at any stage in the product’s lifecycle. The recognition that Weathertex has received for their Natural Range of timber products has come about as a direct result of tried and tested manufacturing processes and material choices.

Weathertex’s Natural Range not only prohibits the use of toxins and other harmful additives, but the entire range of Weathertex timber products also have a better than zero-carbon footprint, storing carbon that would otherwise be emitted into the environment within the timber itself.

The manufacturing process begins with the processing and mulching of native hardwood trees, sourced from PEFC-certified forests. Weathertex maintains full Chain of Custody Certification for the timber to ensure it has come from a sustainable source and to provide peace of mind for consumers.

Unlike other timber products, the water repellence of Weathertex’s Natural and Primed Ranges is provided with the three percent addition of natural paraffin wax to the timber, which permeates throughout the product.

Once the timber is mulched, it gets injected with high-pressure steam. This pulls apart base fibres and pre-cooks the chips, thereby removing most of the sugars and starches from the raw timber that termites would normally look for. A refining process reduces the fibre size further before excess water is drained and the now termite-resistant boards are formed.

At this point, typical timber cladding products would rely on the addition of binders, resins or glues in order to amalgamate the separate fibres to ensure durability. Instead, Weathertex utilises the natural lignin within the timber, liquefying it within a hot press and allowing it to bond to the fibres.

This mimics the composition and durability of the original timber.

The hard boards are re-humidified to a stable 8 percent moisture content and planed down to the nominal 9.5mm thickness. From there, they can be made into any of the products that Weathertex have on offer – cut to size and run through moulders in order to give the panels standard profiles.

The fact that the Natural Range’s characteristics and weather ability are afforded without the use of any external products means that sustainability does not need to cost any more than unsustainable construction.

The standard ranges of Weathertex timber panels are not Platinum-rated due to their use of paint primer. Despite this, they have been certified with the highest possible Gold rating. This is due to the fact that, unlike many similar products, the primer itself contains no heavy metals. The lifecycle assessment shows that, even with toxins, correct management removes any chance of health and environmental impacts.

Weathertex undertakes regular quality assurance testing in order to confirm that all of the products shipped out comply with Australian and international standards. Their products have been tested and approved for use in bushfire prone areas, including and up to BAL 19, and are inherently termite-resistant due to the manufacturing process.

All of their timber products ship with a 10-25 year guarantee not to rot, split or crack, demonstrating that long-lasting, high-quality architectural products need not hurt the environment.

Architecture & Design is proud to announce Weathertex as the 2017 ‘Multiple Dwelling’ Sponsor for this year’s Sustainability Awards.

The Mode Project, a case study in Sustainable design

T

his home from Mode Project takes the cake for show stopping design, and as a result they took out the MBAV award (Best Custom Home $600k - $800k) in 2014. The project uses Weathertex’s Weathergroove 150 Natural panels that have been stained and aged to achieve this unique look. The 150mm grooves in the Weathergroove panelling are akin to the modern angular design of the overall structure, however the linear design is softened by the naturally aged panels, rust textured garage door and hardy Australian garden. This building unites the traditional Australian outback with modern suburbia.

With Mt Martha South Beach and village cafe strip only 400m away, the large windows and balcony area showcase the panoramic view of the Bay. Combined with the low maintenance garden with alfresco area and fire-pit, this home was built with the relaxed Australian lifestyle in mind.

Interior Design by Sisalla completes the look.

Weathertex’s Weathergroove 3660 x 1196mm panelling is the largest in Australia and allows for quick installation while still being able to achieve

the look of small sized vertical cladding. These panels are made from 97% Australian hardwood timber and 3% wax for water repellence. Left in the sun they will age naturally and this feature combined with staining can be used to achieve a look that’s totally unique to each project.

While proudly being an all-Australian product, Weathertex also attempts to keep up with global environmental standards. Weathertex’s natural range has been through a rigorous lifecycle analysis and is Platinum GreenTagCertTM certified, meaning they are ‘World Leaders’ of environmental standards in their ‘Unprimed Flat sheets and Weatherboards’ category.

Whether next to the beach like this project, or in the snow, sun or wind, Weathertex is able to withstand the contrasts that come with Australia’s extreme climate. They test their products to make sure they fit within the requirements of the Building Code of Australia, and have a 25 year warranty not to split rot or crack, and a 10 year warranty on the natural range. Choose Weathertex for your next project for cladding you can rely on... naturally.

Stealth density in suburbia: Step House a sustainable first home for Gen Y Australians Geraldine Chua

G

en Y / Step House by David Barr Architects and Landcorp may look like a single-family residential home, but its Colorbond steel and fibre cement façade hides what lies within: three separate apartments.

First conceived in response to a Gen Y Demonstration Housing competition in 2013, which invited young West Australian architects to submit ideas that encapsulated the Gen Y lifestyle and living requirements, the Gen Y House is out to prove that medium density can be achieved in a single home lot.

In the current, heated property market, the project architects sought to design homes that would give younger generations – who are increasingly being priced out of the ‘Great Australian Dream’ – a step up. Or, a Step House, as the completed project is aptly named.

Instead of creating a bigger multi-residential unit, David Barr Architects came up with a hybrid design that sits in the middle of a freestanding home and a ‘traditional’ apartment building. Their proposed vision enclosed three one-bedroom, one-bathroom units into a compact two-storey footprint on a 250 square metre block.

Compared to the average Australian house size of 241 square metres, this efficient use of a suburban block created the potential for increased density without sacrificing liveability. Rather than downsizing the apartments to make them fit, each unit has private and communal external areas, clever storage spaces, generous ceiling heights, private outdoor living spaces, and high thermal efficiency.

“A collection of small and affordable apartments, the project is based around a standardised core wet area and kitchen, with the three separate homes having a combined internal area that is less than the average Australian home,” the architects explain.

“Each unit is strata titled to contain private ownership of interior and exterior spaces and shared common property.”

The project also speaks to a desire for community. Amalgamated productive gardens, gathering spaces and storage areas (for bikes, kayaks and scooters, for instance) create an external area that is shared between units and with the street.

“The project suggests a deliberate blurring between outside and inside – be it outside an apartment or outside the site – and provokes social and ecological interaction.”

Meanwhile, on-site car park slots are reduced, going against the perception that every apartment or house requires a car.

Completed in 2016, the Gen Y demonstration house meets the essential requirements of the ‘Liveable Homes’ accessibility standards.

It is furthermore accredited with a ‘gold medal’level life-cycle analysis by E-tool, and meets the principles of the ‘One Planet Living’ sustainability framework.

According to LandCorp, a key aspect of the project’s environmentally sustainable design is its climate responsive layout, which integrates solar passive design principles to ensure natural light and cross-ventilation to each apartment.

Sustainable ‘green concrete’ (using low-carbon furnace slag) was specified to provide thermal mass, while the robust and durable materials that line the façade minimise ongoing maintenance requirements.

The apartments themselves are constructed with lightweight timber framing to all walls, with a suspended floor and pre-finished refrigerant roof panels. The wall studs, which are larger than normal, permit excellent thermal insulation and an air gap.

Other ESD initiatives include a 9kW PV system with battery storage; a 10,000L underground rainwater harvesting tank, and performance monitoring for all key services. The landscape design incorporates recycled materials and waterwise planting, with shared recycled brick planters for herbs and edible plants.

Accessibility was another priority for the project team. Wider doors and reduced thresholds, as well as allowances for the future installation of optional accessibility aids, ensures the project caters for occupants and guests with disabilities, and meets the changing needs of residents as they age.

Providing stealth density in medium density areas while integrating well with its streetscape, Gen Y / Step House reconceptualises the possibilities that come when community,

sustainability and affordability are equally prioritised in residential design.

Its flexible housing design model also ensures it can be easily replicated in the current WA property market.

The Gen Y Demonstration Housing Project is the subject of a four-year research project by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living and Curtin University. The research project monitors and assesses how energy-efficient design, technology performance and occupant behaviour impact energy use.

6 wooden ‘plyscrapers’ around the world that push sustainability boundaries Geraldine Chua

T

he wheels of the engineered timber revolution, three years ago just in their infancy, are now well into maturity. While Lendlease’s Forte in Melbourne once claimed the title of the tallest timber apartment building in the world, more and more architects, engineers, builders and developers are starting to experiment with large-scale mass timber residences.

Below, we explore six wooden ‘plyscraper’ projects from around the world that push the boundaries of sustainability and engineered timber construction.

Terrace House By Shigeru Ban The developers at PortLiving are billing Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban’s first Canadian project as the tallest hybrid timber structure in the world.

Currently, this title is held by the University of British Columbia’s Brock Commons student residence; the first mass wood, steel and concrete hybrid project in the world to have reached 18 storeys in height.

Featuring a series of cantilevered balconies, the tower is set to begin construction this year. Delivery is expected at the end of 2019.

Although not much information about the size and height of Ban’s project has been released, renders show a sloping roof building towering over Coal Harbour in Vancouver. The upper levels of the structure will feature an engineered timber frame supported by a concrete and steel core. The wood will be sourced exclusively from British Columbia.

Hypérion By Jean Paul Viguier In Partnership With Eiffage And Woodeum Named after the tallest living tree on earth, Hypérion is a 50-metre-tall residential tower in Bordeaux that will be built with a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), and a glulam post and beam substructure.

“In environmental terms, the project is representative of a new generation of low-carbon buildings,” the architects say. “The lightness and stiffness of solid wood CLT, combined with the strength of glulam and LVL technology, takes timber construction to new heights.”

Dalston Lane By Waugh Thistleton Architects Waugh Thistleton is no stranger to CLT construction, having had the honour of delivering the “original timber tower” – London’s Murray Grove – in 2008. Today the firm continues to set new records, with Dalson Lane, its landmark project, set to be the world’s largest pure CLT building.

The 10-storey, 121-unit development is made entirely of CLT – from the external, party and core walls, through to the floors and stairs. The fact that the structure weighs just a fifth of what a concrete building of the same size would weigh also meant the building could reach greater heights than was previously thought possible on a neglected brownfield site.

Trätoppen By Anders Berensson Architects Anders Berensson Architects was commissioned to design a skyscraper that would replace an old but famous car park in Stockholm’s city centre. Rather than demolishing ‘Parkaden’ – perhaps Sweden’s most famous car park, designed by Hans Asplund – the team designed a slender wooden ‘plyscraper’ that would stand inside the car park, leaving its existing façade intact.

According to the design team, the new CLT building will be 40 storeys tall, and be retracted six metres from the existing car park’s façade.

The CLT façade will act as a continuation of the numerical pattern already feature in Parkaden.

Aside from drawing attention to the tower’s height (the building could be the tallest in

Stockholm’s city centre), the façade will also act as a sun screen to keep the building “cool and energy-efficient”.

31 of the 33 floors that protrude from the existing car park will be dedicated to residential units.

rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency”.

“The housing component of the project accommodates residents earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income,” LEVER Architecture adds.

Framework By Lever Architecture SHoP Architects’ plans for a 10-storey residential timber tower in Manhattan may have been axed, but its fellow winner from the 2015 United States Department of Agriculture Tall Wood Building Prize competition, LEVER Architecture, is moving forward with their 12-storey tower in Oregon.

Framework is anticipated to be the first timber high-rise in the United States, made of a mix of CLT and Glulam column and beam construction. It is to function as a mixed-use project, combining retail and public exhibition on the ground level with five floors of offices and 60 units of affordable housing.

The commercial tenants of Framework will be ‘B corporations’, “businesses certified to meet

HAUT By Team V Architecture Billed as a serious contender to become the tallest timber tower in the world, HAUT is to be a 21-storey residential building by the River Amstel in Amsterdam. The design features an energy-generating façade characterized by strong, clear lines of light grey floor bands and tail windows, and an apparently random pattern of cantilevering balconies.

Designed in collaboration with Arup, HAUT will contain approximately 55 apartments of different sizes, offering buyers freedom to determine both the size and layout of their units.

HAUT is slated for completion in 2019.

While Lendlease’s Forte in Melbourne once claimed the title of the tallest timber apartment building in the world, more and more architects, engineers, builders and developers are starting to experiment with large-scale mass timber residences.

Designing for people, not profit: The story behind a multi-residential housing model changing the way we live Geraldine Chua

W

hen Breathe Architecture took out the Best of the Best category at the 2014 Sustainability Awards for its multiresidential project, The Commons, we could not have imagined what would come in its wake. We certainly did not expect the practice to launch a new model of apartment living that is changing the way Australians view city dwellings.

The Commons was designed as a “triple bottomline development”, meaning it is environmentally sustainable, financially viable, and socially responsible. In addition to a strategy of dematerialisation, cross-ventilation, and exposed thermal mass, some of the project’s more notable ESD initiatives include doing away with car parking spaces, mechanical cooling systems, and individual laundries and washing machines. By getting rid of the luxuries that Australians have long come to expect and demand from a home, the multi-awardwinning project, which boasts an average 7.5-star energy rating, made a bold statement that could not be ignored.

“At its core, The Commons is about people, not architectural form,” the architects said in 2014.

“The architecture serves as a catalyst for the way people use the building and interact, and the sense of community garnered. Designing to build more with less, giving space and height, light and air, The Commons attempts to give people what they needed not what the marketing agents thought would sell.”

In a 2016 interview with Fairfax, Breathe’s principal architect Jeremy McLeod explained that getting The Commons from the planning to building stage had been a challenge.

McLeod and his partners had raised funds for the development, believing that if they could prove the profitability of a triple bottom-line development, other developers would be prompted to take that model on.

Unfortunately the Global Financial Crisis happened, which could have prevented their proposal from ever being realised if not for ethical investors, Small Giants. Founded in 2007 by Danny Almagor and Berry Liberman to support, nurture and empower businesses and entrepreneurs that seek to create a more social equitable and environmentally sustainable world, Small Giants helped the team move to construction once the planning permit was granted.

Despite sweeping up a whole host of awards and being recognised for its fresh and innovative take on sustainable living, The Commons failed to make a lasting impact on the industry. Developers weren’t jumping at the opportunity to adopt a similar model for new apartment buildings in the city.

The time came for a direct challenge. Not long after The Commons opened its doors, McLeod sent an email to other architects in Melbourne, and asked them to build on what had already been laid out and achieved.

“I asked them to invest $100,000 each in Nightingale,” McLeod told Fairfax. “In the time it took me to hit refresh on my computer, I had two architects, Andrew Maynard and Six Degrees, writing back to say they were in.”

Architecture Architecture, Clare Cousins Architects, MRTN, Robin Boyd Foundation, Wolveridge Architects, Hip V Hype and Hip V Hype Sustainability also responded positively, and the

Nightingale Model was born. Twenty-five investors provided the seed financing for Nightingale 1.0, the first project to be built based on the model.

More encouraging though was the response from potential buyers. Soon, over 60 people were applying to live in the five-storey building on 6 Florence Street, Brunswick, which only has 20 apartments.

Yet good things rarely come easy. Nightingale 1.0 gained the support of Moreland Council, but Chaucer Enterprises, who planned to develop neighbouring plot 8 Florence Street, challenged this approval. The developers lodged an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing that it was unfair that Nightingale 1.0 was exempted from the planning car park provisions they were subjected to.

Their appeal was successful, and VCAT Senior Member Russell Byard noted that while the first generation of Nightingale 1.0 residents may have been vetted and would not require car parking spaces, successive generations as well as guests of the residences would demand the parking provisions in the future.

The next project proposed by Six Degrees Architects based on the model, Nightingale 2.0, went through a similar fate. The project’s approval by the Darebin Council in May 2016 was challenged by a group of 17 local residents, who questioned the impact the building may have on

pedestrians and traffic, as well as its inadequate car parking spaces.

But all is well that ends well. Although the design team had to concede by adding three car slots – whilst sacrificing 27 bike spaces – to get the project past the line, Nightingale 1.0 topped out in March and will be completed later this year. In February, VCAT also issued a planning permit approval for Nightingale 2.0 to proceed.

Then there are the other wins by the Nightingale force, which continue to increase in both scale and number.

For example, Melbourne-based Andrew Maynard Architects (who are designing Nightingale 3.0 in Melbourne) and Brisbane’s James Davidson Architect, announced they will be collaborating across borders to bring Nightingale to Queensland for the first time. EHDO Architecture has also been awarded a license to design the first Nightingale Housing project in Western Australia, with the project now undergoing equity raising.

“In 10 years, there might be 500 [Nightingale projects] running,” McLeod suggested in a 2015 TED Talk.

“But the idea is that we catalyse an industry change from the ground up, with architects leading the charge.”

To find out more about the Nightingale Housing model and upcoming projects, visit nightingalehousing.org.

For more resources: 1800 040 080 weathertex.com.au

Photography credits in order of appearance Photography Courtesy of LandCorp and D avid Barr Architects, Gen Y House Photography Courtesty of Weathertex, Jason O’Hagan Product examples and Mode Project Tim Da Rin, Sustainability Awards Annie Spratt, Unsplash Shigeru Ban, Terrace House ?, Hypérion Photography Courtesy of Team V Architecture, HAUT Photography Courtesy of ABA, Trätoppen Photography Courtesy of LEVER Architecture, Framework Photography Courtesy of Nightingale.org