The Grove Library and Community Learning Centre, jointly owned and managed by the local authorities of Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove and Mosman Park, is an outstanding example of Councils working collaboratively to deliver on community aspirations for a sustainable future.
Peppermint Grove CEO Anne Banks-McAllister said the Council generates its own power, collects its own rain water and recycles all of its wastewater – because that’s what the community wanted.
"The architects at Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland initially designed a "basic" green building, but when the three Councils sought community comment, they received a loud and clear message that residents wanted to include as many green features as possible," she said.
The result is a stunning public building that incorporates an impressive list of environmentally sustainable design (ESD) innovations, winning the 2011 Australian Institute of Architects (WA Chapter) Walter Greenham Sustainable Architecture Award.
All aspects of the building are under the watchful eye of the integrated Building Management System which decides when to turn on a light, pull down a shade or open the louvres to capture a cooling sea breeze – it even checks the weather forecast for the next day to decide how much night air to allow into the building.
Other showcase ESD technologies include an underfloor thermal maze; double glazing and the use of natural lighting; rainwater harvesting; on site treatment and reuse of all wastewater (grey, yellow and brown) in toilet cisterns and on the landscaped gardens; and solar panels and wind turbines which generate electricity for direct use on site.
The pre-existing library dating from the seventies even played a part in the sustainability brief – 80 per cent of the demolition materials were recycled.
The Grove project was one of only 13 projects supported nationally by the Australian Government’s Green Precincts Fund, and the only one in Western Australia.
The total cost of the building was $17 million; the ESD components have been costed at $2.7 million, however, they will contribute to significant whole of life savings in the operation of the building compared to conventional construction.
For more information on the library and the environmentally sustainable design features including a virtual guided tour with Josh Byrne, visit www.thegroveprecinct.com
