University of Queensland building shortlisted for WAN Sustainable Building of the Year 2014

World Architecture News has revealed the six finalists and judging panel for the 2014 WAN Sustainable Building of the Year Award.

The award seeks to promote and celebrate buildings that holistically embrace sustainable practices, without compromising on those factors that are found in good design such as originality, innovation, form and dialogue with context.

Among the shortlisted sustainable projects is University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute by HASSELL.

The building has achieved a Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) 6 Star Green Star Design rating (certified) and Living Building Challenge (LBC) As Built Rating (awaiting rating notification).

Also in the running for the award are:

1 Embankment Place in London, UK by TP Bennett

1 Embankment Place has become the most sustainable building in the UK with a BREEAM Outstanding rating of 96.31% representing the highest score ever achieved in BREEAM’s 23 year history.

Powerhouse Kjøin Oslo, Norway by Snøhetta

By optimizing and combining existing technologies in new ways, the two office buildings from the 1980s were renovated into positive-energy buildings.

Powerhouse Kjøin, Image: Kentil Jacobsen

Te Mirumiru in Kawakawa, New Zealand by Collingridge and Smith Architects

In 2014, the design received a 6 Greenstar Rating (highest possible) from the New Zealand Green Building Council making it one of only three buildings in NZ to receive this accolade, and is the only Greenstar rated early childhood centre in the whole of Australasia.

Upcycle House in Nyborg, Denmark by Ledanger Arkitekter

Upcycle House is an experimental project, aimed at exposing potential carbon-emission reductions through the use of recycled and upcycled building materials. In the case of Upcycle House, the reduction has been 86% compared to a benchmark house.

Upcycle House, Image: Jesper Ray & Polfoto

VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre in Vancouver, Canada by Perkins+Will

The building was designed to align with, and contribute to the Garden’s conservation mission. Through mapping and analysing the Garden’s ecology, the project team successfully integrated natural and human systems, restoring biodiversity and ecological balance to the site.

VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, Image: Nic Lehoux

Judging the 2014 competition will be:

• Ann Marie Aguilar: Associate Director at Arup Associates;
• Chris Castle: Main Board Director at EPR Architects;
• Heidi Creighton: Sustainability Consultant;
• Richard Hyams: Founding Director of AStudio

The winner of the award will be announced in the coming weeks.

Courtesy World Architecture News