Ms Mahalath Halperin, FRAIA, B. Arch, B. Sc (Arch)

ANZSES Chair, RaIA Country Division Deputy Chair Mahalath Halperin Architects Pty Ltd Armidale Australia 2350

Ph: 61-2-6772 2263 fax: 61-2-6772 2900 email: ozarch1@tpgi. com. au Introduction:

In refurbishing the Cowra Administration Building, Mahalath Halperin Architects transformed a concrete and glass building of the 1960s into an energy efficient and environmentally responsible building, yet looks to all intents and purposes like an ‘ordinary building’.

To some, it is simply a newer, nicer building with bright colours, open spaces and a pleasant work environment. But whilst not necessarily being outwardly different in issues of being a ‘green building’, the resultant building shows that there are many small yet easily achievable ways to be green. That it is not hard, and is in fact beneficial, to reduce energy consumption and overheads, take advantage of the sun (despite its poor orientation) and take on environmental responsibility.

Key Design Issues of the Brief —

In 1968, Cowra Shire Council, in regional NSW, Australia, built new council chambers — lots of glass, bare concrete, stained timber and single-glazed space framed windows — built in a style and manner typical of the era, but with little consideration for environmental functions or energy usage. With the growth of the Council over the years, and staff and services spreading to another building across the road, the original building had become increasingly impractical and inefficient to run, difficult to heat and cool, resulting in poor staff moral as they worked their way around the rabbit warren that resulted. The original building was riddled with asbestos, too hot in summer and too cold in winter, acoustically challenging, and unfriendly and cramped to work in.

In 1998, we were engaged to consolidate all services into one, refurbished building, bringing it in line with modern business practices (including IT requirements) as well as making it more functional and practical. Within the limitations of the existing site (3 exposed faces excluding the southern-hemisphere’s desirable north) strong priority was given to ESD considerations. However, whilst the budget did not extend to implementation of technologies such as on-site power generation, the resulting building, even though now bigger than the previous two buildings combined, and now with full HVAC system, has achieved major inroads as an ESD-based building benchmark. The new building is more efficient to heat and cool and generally accepted as a pleasurable place in which to work.

The brief was to turn the larger building into something bigger, better and more efficient in every possible way, consolidating all Council services back into the one location, and also keeping overheads low and making a statement of responsibility for the Council. The driving issues for the Council were on the one hand to reduce running costs and ensure a secure and worthwhile investment was being built, with a responsibility to ratepayers, whilst on the other hand implement principles of being environmentally responsible and creating a better and healthier work environment for both staff and public alike.