Work has begun on a new $3 million learn ing centre at Gold Creek School in the ACT.
The building will be constructed with low- energy production bricks, plasterboard made largely of recycled materials and certified renewable plantation timber. The building aims to achieve a 6 star Green Star design.
Rainwater will be captured, stored and used for garden irrigation and toilets. Natural cross flow ventilation will cool the building. Solar power will be generated and excess energy will be returned to the grid. The school will also be paid for excess ener gy under the ACT electricity feed-in tariff.
The centre will include two standard classrooms and a special 'wet classroom' with a set up similar to a science classroom. The school plans to use the wet area for a variety of purposes, including to propagate plants for the surrounding gardens.
The Gold Creek School’s project is the first in the southern hemisphere to register for the International Living Building Challenge, which aims to promote truly sus tainable design and construction practices around the globe.
