Piney lakes melville, wa

In 1998 the City of Melville appointed Ecotect-Architects after a tender submission by a limited number of firms to design a new environmental building in the heart of an A class reserve called Piney Lakes. This wetland site is a unique area where natural wetlands and wildlife is preserved. The community was engaged early in the briefing process and the expertise from the teaching profession help shaped the concept.

Passive solar design was employed in the design of the building to keep the temperature as stable as possible all year round. Low embodied material such as rammed limestone walls and recycled timber in the form of old light poles were used as the key elements of the structure. Night ventilation cooling, mostly natural and enhanced by a low wattage exhaust fan was employed along with ceiling fans as the summer cooling strategy. The building is completely powered by solar and wind and with a bio diesel back-up generator. Solar water heating and solar pumping completes the energy strategy.

Piney Lakes was awarded a Banksia Award in 2002 for environmental design. It also received a commendation from the Australian Institute of Architects.