Clean Technology
about that,” says David Waldren, Carlton Brewery General Manager. “The development sector needs to address the fact that buildings are the second-biggest emitters of carbon dioxide.” Not content with carbon zero, the project
team undertook an investigation early in the design process to see whether the building had the capacity to deliver more savings and become ‘carbon neutral’. The goal was to offset not only all the carbon used during the building’s operation, but also the carbon embodied in the materials used in construction. They found that, by modifying the design
and factoring in a 50-year life cycle, Pixel would deliver a net carbon benefit to the environment. “Pixel delivers carbon neutrality in a building
utilising reasonably traditional commercial building materials, and delivers that solution on a 250sqm site without requiring the provision of offsets from off site,” explains Waldren. The building’s ability to produce all its
power needs onsite makes Pixel truly unique. An extensive photovoltaic array on the roof, mounted on a tracking device to improve output by 40 per cent, and combined with the first commercial application of the most efficient 1kW wind turbines currently in production, allows Pixel to generate more electricity than it requires.
SETTING A TREND Concrete is one of the most carbon-intensive products produced in the world, with Portland cement accounting for nearly six per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions every year. To reduce Pixel’s concrete-related emissions, the project team worked for 12 months with Boral Concrete to develop a new structural concrete with significantly reduced embodied carbon and an emphasis on recycling. The result is ‘Pixelcrete’, a special concrete
that uses 60 per cent less cement – up to 92 per cent of the weight of the concrete is industrial waste, recycled or reclaimed material. The mix achieves the same strength as traditional concrete and can be used in the same way as traditional concrete.
GREEN UP TOP Pixel features a combination of green spaces
that are functional as well as aesthetic. Reed beds installed on the northern and western façades filter grey water, and also cool the temperature of the air before it is circulated through the building. With the exception of the wettest month of the year, this means no greywater waste leaves the Pixel site and cooling-related energy costs will be greatly reduced.
Experimental beds of native grasses planted on the roof help control temperatures in the
building. After rainwater falling on the living roof has been used to irrigate the beds, it will be captured and stored in tanks within the building. Once there, it will be treated by reverse osmosis to potable water standard and then distributed to all fixtures and fitting within the building. In this manner, Pixel aims to be completely self- sufficient in all its water requirements.
A GLOBAL HAT TRICK Pixel is also seeking to achieve record-breaking scores under both the US LEED and the UK BREEAM rating systems. Pixel aims to achieve a Platinum rating under LEED, and is hoping that its unique mix of sustainability features will deliver it the highest LEED rating achieved anywhere. Pixel will also be rated under the BREEAM ‘Bespoke International’ tool, and is aiming to achieve the highest score yet out of some 714,000 registered BREEAM projects worldwide.
AMBITIOUSLY INNOVATIVE To show its innovative mettle, the project has claimed 30 innovations. The installation of small-scale vacuum toilet technology, which is similar to a more sophisticated version of an aeroplane toilet, has been sourced from northern Europe where it has been developed for high-quality office and accommodation buildings. The system will reduce water consumption to an absolute minimum and help Pixel maintain water self-sufficiency.
“... by modifying the design and factoring in a 50-year life cycle, Pixel will deliver a net carbon benefit to the environment”
Another standout innovation used in Pixel is the
anaerobic digester installed on the ground level. Comprised of a tank system that will hold all of the blackwater waste from toilets and kitchen facilities, the digester will extract methane from the waste. The gas harvested is then used to replace natural gas for heating and cooling the water system, while the blackwater waste remaining is sent to the sewer in liquefied form, and with reduced methane levels. This result means that Pixel both limits methane emissions and avoids the need for fossil fuel gas to boost the solar hot water system. Under the Green Star rating system, 75 points is the benchmark for a 6 Star Green Star rating. The Pixel building was awarded a perfect 100-point score, and gained an extra five points for innovation. “The Pixel building is a clear example of the shift within
the property and construction sector. Today, we’ve moved beyond the recognition that buildings are merely resource consumers, and are now working on ways to ensure buildings can be producers of resources,” says Romilly Madew, Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia.
Australia China: BEYOND TOMORROW 55
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