The Mills Park Centre by Hodge Collard Preston Architects is a pioneer for Local Government's commitment to sustainability, being the first building to receive a 6-Star Greenstar Public Building v1 design rating.

The iconic sporting and passive recreation hub was to be constructed as a two-storey facility that would accommodate passive lifestyle pursuits and offer space for conferences, social gatherings, educational activities and sporting club fellowship and administration. Furthermore, the design of the building was required to creatively respond to the client's sustainability goals, whilst acting as the focal point for the overall redevelopment.

As well as satisfying the rigours of the Green Star rating tool, the Mills Park Centre also needed to accomplish this with financial efficiency. This meant that the project could not accommodate technology to meet its sustainability objectives.

Additionally, the majority of the project team had not previously delivered a formally rated Green Star project before the Mills Park Centre. They were required to learn and adapt to the exacting requirements of the rating system during the project.

The project site's ecology was substantially degraded; it contained a wetland and the entire site was identified as a potential roosting and mating site for Carnaby's Black Cockatoo, a threatened species. These factors increased the stringency of performance requirements for storm water management, landscape design/habitat restoration and construction environmental management.

The dramatic form of the building has been employed as an integral, passive response to the climactic conditions experienced at the site; with generous overhangs and sailing roof planes acting as shading devices for the spaces within.

Substantial rainwater storage for onsite reuse was installed, along with a solar panel system to generate renewable energy.

KEY INITIATIVES

  • The dramatic form of the building has been employed as an integral, passive response to the climactic conditions experienced at the site; with generous overhangs and sailing roof planes acting as shading devices for the spaces within
  • Strong emphasis on sound, passive design principles that reduce water and energy consumption in lieu of systems designed to make up for performance shortfalls
  • Use of construction materials and processes which substantially reduce their associated environmental impacts
  • Provision of substantial rainwater storage for onsite reuse
  • Provision of 30kWp solar panel system to generate renewable energy
  • Substantial ecological regeneration adjacent the building, including wetland restoration, threatened species protection and removal of invasive species
  • Focus on community outcomes, engaging with key stakeholders to ensure that what has been delivered aligns with community expectations
  • Retention of design team post practical completion to ensure that the building operates as designed and that operating shortfalls are identified and remedied

PRODUCTS

SOLAR
Q.CELL 'Q.PRO-G3 265W'

INSULATED PLASTERBOARD
KINGSPAN INSULATED PANELS 'K17/18 INSULATED PLASTERBOARD'
KNAUF 'SHIELD' RANGE PLASTERBOARD

PAINTS
DULUX'AQUANAMEL, LUXAFLOR ECO2, PROFESSIONAL ENVIRO2, PROFESSIONAL TOTAL PREP, WASH & WEAR AND ACRATEX'

PRECAST SYSTEM
BUBBLEDECK

ROOFING
BLUESCOPE ' TRIMDEK, SPANDEK'

ACOUSTIC TIMBER CEILINGS
DECOR SYSTEMS 'SMARTLOOK ACOUSTIC TIMBER CEILINGS'

FLOORING
FORBO 'MORMOLEUM'
POLYFLOR 'EXPONA SUPERPLANK'

URINALS
CAROMA'H2ZERO'

CONDENSING BOILER
MERIDIAN 'M120-0