Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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ItemThe lIfe cycle performance of Monomur in Australian residential construction(Green Building Council Spain, 2014)Brick veneer is the most dominant construction type in Australia; however it is not necessarily the most advantageous for the climate. Mass wall types, where massing is evident on the interior of the building, can help to achieve greater thermal performance. Monomur thermal blocks are a thermal mass system, based on single leaf construction. They are resistant to compression, transfer of heat, and are made from natural clay. Monomur has shown to benefit construction in Europe, most predominantly France, where the push for low energy buildings is high on the national agenda. This study aimed to determine the life cycle energy performance of the use of the monomur system in Australian residential construction. A life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) was used to quantify and compare the life cycle energy performance of two case study houses, one built from monomur and one from brick veneer. It was shown that there is minimal difference in the performance of these two construction approaches, paving the way for the potential use of monomur in the Australian context.
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ItemAn early-stage life cycle model for low-energy buildiings(Green Building Council Spain, 2014-10-30)The aim of this study is to demonstrate the application of a model previously developed by the authors for low-energy building design, to show how the availability of comparable energy performance information at the building design stage can be used to better optimise a building’s energy performance. The life cycle energy demand of a case study building was quantified using a comprehensive embodied energy assessment technique and TRNSYS thermal energy simulation software. The building was then modelled with variations to its external assemblies in an attempt to optimise its life cycle energy performance. The alternative assemblies chosen were those shown through the authors’ early-stage life cycle energy model to result in the lowest life cycle energy demand for each building element. The study showed that significant life cycle energy savings, up to 45%, are possible through the modelling of individual building elements for the case study building.
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ItemConcept and barriers for the economic value of low-energy houses(Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, 2015)This study explores the market revealed price of low-energy residential buildings and why the economic value of low-energy housing products is less transparent in active residential markets. It explores Australian and Japanese conditions and examines the proposition by using embodied energy, operational energy and market price data of selected housing stock in Australia. The study aims to examine a new perspective towards understanding the barriers to ascertaining the economic value of low-energy buildings. In particular, the study examines the composition of energy consumption associated with the residential property life cycle. Operational energy is linked to consumer preference by its inter-temporal value estimate of future expected utility or benefit flow. A ‘low’ embodied energy house is an environmental construct, which does not appear to currently link to short-term market value perception. It does not strongly link to an expected (intuitive) benefit. This ‘gap/disconnect’ creates a barrier to estimating a holistic economic value of low-energy residential property.
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ItemExploring the relationship between Melbourne’s water metabolism and urban characteristics(State of Australian Cities Research Network, 2015)Cities can be seen as complex urban systems that mobilise local and global resource flows to meet the needs of their inhabitants and their manufacturing sector. However, the local consumption of resources can be responsible for major local and global environmental changes that impact the human health and wellbeing inside and outside of the boundary of the urban system. With global urban population expected to continue to grow, the mitigation of further future environmental pressures from urban consumption is of critical importance. The complexity of the interrelationships between the local social, political, cultural, economic and environmental facets of a city as well as the interrelationship between these local characteristics and urban consumption, dictate that each city will have a different set of parameters that drive urban consumption. This research will investigate this issue by exploring the relationship between Melbourne’s water metabolism and its urban characteristics. In practice, this study will correlate the spatially disaggregated water use of Melbourne with local factors such as demography, average income, territorial organisation, etc. It will then be possible to identify which urban characteristics have the greatest influence on water use and ultimately help to inform the development and implementation of the most appropriate and best targeted policies for reducing water use across Melbourne Metropolitan Area.
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ItemAgile housing for an ageing Australia(The Architectural Science Association and The University of Adelaide, 2016)By 2055, Australia’s 65+ population will have doubled and, if current strategies are followed, it is likely that the housing available will be inappropriate. Today’s housing stock will still be in use yet few developers and designers are capitalising on the potential of agile housing and, more broadly, the creation of age-friendly neighbourhoods. Current changes in design and prefabrication technology, along with government initiatives for ageing at home in preference to institutional care, have the potential to transform the way we consider housing design to support changing demographics. This research considers agile housing for an ageing population from the perspectives of urban planning, design, prefabrication, sustainability, life-cycle costing and social gerontology. We highlight the need for interdisciplinary perspectives in order to consider how entrenched policy, planning, design and construction practices can be encouraged to change through advocacy, design speculation and scenario testing to deliver right-sized housing. A cradle-to-grave perspective requires the exploration of the social and practical benefits of housing in multigenerational communities. This research links to concurrent work on affordable housing solutions and the potential of an industry, government and academic partnership to present an Australian Housing Exposition, that will highlight the possibilities of a more agile housing approach.
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ItemPrefabrication technique for low cost housing in Assam(RMIT University, 2017)he housing Pattern of North Eastern part of India can be categorized in three different types. The old primitive type of housing known as Assam type houses are predominant in the North-eastern region. These are mostly residential houses maximum upto single story. The house is generally made of timber. The vertical Post, roofing are made of wood, bamboo supported biomass wall cladding for wall panels are used. With the passage of time this unique method of construction gained importance and newer technology with the use of brick masonry, R.C coloumn and timber roof are being adopted by the local people. This transfer of technology from generation after generation led to the present housing scenario which can be termed as non engineered houses mainly modular and non modular type of construction and R.C.C structures. These non engineered houses have very low vulnerability and poor comfort. The construction type for these houses are dependent on weathering conditions. Therefore there is an urgent need to provide housing with basic facilities for improving living standards without disturbing the natural resources and creating employment opportunities for the local communities. This research aims to investigate the modernisation of the physical structure, construction processes, use of prefabricated components, composite materials, affordability and sustainability of the housing types in Assam.
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ItemTowards the environmentally sustainable smart village(The University of Melbourne, 2018)Environmental sustainability is a critical global challenge. Housing and infrastructure demand huge quantities of resources and result in significant environmental effects. The creation of ‘smart villages’ offers a unique opportunity to redefine how housing and infrastructure systems interact with the natural environment and explore solutions for improving their environmental sustainability. The concept of the Smart Village has a heavy focus on using technological solutions to enhance the existing networks and services available within a village community. This inevitably leads to an increase in resource use (both for construction and operation) which can be counterproductive to improving the environmental sustainability of villages. With environmental concerns becoming increasingly integral to decision-making, the design and implementation of Smart Villages must consider the potential environmental implications and performance of Smart Village solutions if they are to be considered truly ‘smart’. This paper introduces a four-step process for identifying, analysing and implementing solutions for achieving an environmentally sustainable Smart Village. This involves an integrated design process where the current environmental performance of a village is assessed (step 1), the local context is analysed to determine what resources, skills and expertise are locally available (step 2), potential Smart Village solutions are identified and analysed (step 3), and the Smart Village is designed and implemented, with the assistance of trained professionals and village communities (step 4). A village community located in Assam, India is used as a case study to demonstrate the application of step 1. By using this process in the design and implementation of Smart Villages, greater confidence is able to be placed in ensuring that potential solutions, both technological and non- technological are not creating greater environmental issues than already exist within villages. It can also be used to provide a better understanding of current village performance and that of potential Smart Village solutions so that opportunities for further environmental improvements are able to be identified and prioritised.
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ItemLife cycle analysis of cross laminated timber in buildings: a review(The Architectural Science Association and RMIT University, 2018)Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased for the last three consecutive years in Australia, and this directly threatens our ability to meet our 2030 GHG emission reduction target under the Paris Agreement. Despite progress in reducing building-related GHG emissions, little focus has been placed on the indirect GHG emissions associated with building material manufacture, and construction. Cross laminated timber (CLT) is an alternative construction material that has been subject to numerous comparison studies, including many life cycle assessments (LCA). The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the recent literature on the environmental performance of CLT construction for Medium Density Residential (MDR) buildings and to identify knowledge gaps that require further research. Studies reviewed were sourced from web-based research engine, direct searches on global wood promotion websites, and the review was limited to peer reviewed publications. This review provides a useful basis for informing the exploration of important gaps in the current knowledge of how CLT buildings perform from an environmental perspective. This will ensure a comprehensive understanding of the environmental benefits of CLT construction and inform decision-making relating to structural material selection for optimising the life cycle GHG emissions performance of buildings.
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ItemTowards an assessment framework for the environmental performance of alternative, multi-residential housing models(The Architectural Science Association and RMIT University, 2018)Reducing the environmental impacts of building whilst improving urban liveability has become a key challenge for the Australian multi-residential sector, as recent projects have been criticised for their poor environmental performance and internal amenity. Alternative models for multi-residential development – such as the Nightingale Model – are a recent response to this challenge. Employing an ‘architecture of reductionism’, the Nightingale Model seeks to deliver superior environmental and occupant outcomes. However, given the infancy of the model, an assessment of its performance is yet to be conducted. Assessments of building performance are critical to developing new and emerging approaches, yet existing evaluation methodologies are plagued by limitations. The most notable limitation is the lack of holistic frameworks that concurrently consider life-cycle ecological impacts and occupant wellbeing. The absence of such frameworks limits the ability to identify interrelationships between areas of performance and may possibly promote problem shifting. To develop an approach that can address this key limitation – and subsequently assess innovative housing models targeting a holistic approach to building performance – the paper concludes with a series of recommendations for approaching the creation of an integrated framework of assessment, which will quantify impacts to ecological and human systems in parallel.
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Item5x4 Hayes Lane Project: learning from a grand design(The Architectural Science Association and RMIT University, 2018)The 5x4 Hayes Lane Project was built in response to some of the current housing issues being exacerbated by a rapidly expanding global and urban population. One of its main aims was to minimise operational GHG emissions without compromising liveability or lifestyle. It appeared on Grand Designs Australia in 2015 as an exemplar of environmentally sensitive design. The design intent was to eliminate fossil fuel-based energy through omission of gas to site, a high performance envelope, geothermal heat pump, energy efficient appliances, a roof and wall mounted grid-connected solar power system, and the purchase of 100% renewable energy from the grid. With the building having now been occupied for three years, this paper presents the results of an operational performance evaluation to understand whether the project’s minimisation of GHG emissions goal has been realised. Operational energy-related GHG emissions were calculated based on energy use and generation data collected from energy bills and on-site meters. The study found that the 5x4 Hayes Lane Project would have resulted in net operational GHG emissions of 13.8 kg CO2e per day without the purchase of renewable energy from the grid. While this is lower than average Melbourne households, there is still room for improvement. The findings of this study provide an opportunity to re-evaluate current building design and performance and set more ambitious, but achievable energy use and GHG emissions targets for future housing. The 5x4 Hayes Lane Project demonstrates a different approach for addressing some of the challenges that come with a need for higher density housing. It shows how infill housing can be used to capitalise on under-utilised land with high amenity and liveability while at the same time achieving improved environmental performance. However, it also shows that a substantial reduction in operational GHG emissions is not necessarily easy and ongoing monitoring and improvements are often needed to achieve optimal performance.