A new library and community centre in Surry Hills is being praised for setting new standards in sustainable design and paving the way for environmental systems in public buildings.

The Surry Hills Library and Community Centre (CHLCC) includes a library, child-care facility and community centre with a 125 person function room, small meeting rooms and neighbourhood centre.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the building sets a new benchmark in green building design and will be a starting point for the development of a green rating system for public buildings.

“It demonstrates important sustainable design possibilities and is an innovative example for other developments,” she said.

Simon Barr, from FJMT told Architecture & Design no current ‘green design tool’ exists for public buildings which required the firm to use the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Greestar Office Design Guide V2 as a guide to best practice” to ensure the sustainable accountability of the development.

“We ran into complex and often conflicting programmatic requirements which required development of innovative solutions with respect to construction, services and security to satisfy the clients brief” he said.

He said a new benchmark design tool and or system for sustainable design in the public sphere is essential to raise awareness and promote innovative developments in the future.

“Without defined parameters, clients don’t understand what value is integral to sustainable design philosophies and until clients can see the real value in sustainable design strategies they are less inclined to pursue innovative solutions” he said.

“New standards will create certainty in the industry and promote sustainable design on a broader level.”

Experts claim a new system would deliver benefits to clients, architects, designers and the environment and pave the way for future development.

Louise Wallace

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