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Business View Australia - September 2015 15
Australia’s construction industry,
which has vast experience in operating
in these conditions, has developed
skills and techniques that have given
it the expertise to create resource-
efficient buildings that perform well
in extreme climates. Recognising
this ability, Australian companies
have bagged prestigious overseas
projects that exhibit advanced green
construction techniques, including
the Beijing National Aquatics Centre
(the Watercube) and Arya Residences
in the Philippines.
In addition to the Green Building
Council of Australia, the country
has several other institutions which
are world-leaders in developing
technologies that help reduce the
industry’s carbon footprint. One of
these, the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation,
has developed OptiCOOL, which
is helping building owners across
Australia and the United States reduce
their energy consumption while
improving comfort level of occupants.
More than 60% of the energy
consumption in Australian commercial
buildings comes from heating,
ventilationandair-conditioning (HVAC).
The OptiCOOL system intelligently
alters the operation of a building’s
HVAC control system according to
settings for cost savings, occupant
comfort and energy efficiency.
Argonne National Laboratory in
the U.S. has independently tested
OptiCOOL and found that the system
reduces HVAC energy consumption by
up to 45%.
The Australian building industry has
taken a number of steps to promote
green causes and has made massive
strides in implementing sustainable
building practices. These initiatives
have resulted in huge savings in
operational costs in addition to
achieving the goal of meeting energy,
water and material efficiency targets.
A great deal of progress has also
been made in waste reduction and
management. All these factors have
strengthened the Australian building
industry and prepared it to meet the
challenges of the future which will
see greater stress being laid on green
practices and the need to preserve
the environment.
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