Nominations are now open for the 7th Annual BPN Sustainability Awards, which will be held in Sydney on Thursday 7 November 2013.

Aiming to recognise the work of those at the forefront of ecologically sustainable building and design in Australia, the Awards reflect BPN’s strong belief in design being a key factor in helping buildings and products endure the test of time.

Notable past winners include Breathe Architecture for The National Hotel, which clinched the 2012 Small Commercial Award, and the Darling Quarter by FJMT Architects, which took home the 2012 Large Commercial Award.

The original building of the National Hotel was over a hundred years old and had previously been subjected to a series of bad renovations. This led the architects to approach the project with a utilitarian sensibility. As a result, no tiling, carpet, chrome, aluminium or plasterboard was used in this project, and the few painted surfaces employed zero VOC paint manufactured locally from recycled engine oil.

The National Hotel. Photography by Andrew Wuttke

Darling Quarter. Photography by John Gollings

The Royal Children’s Hospital by Bate Smarts Architects in partnership with Billard Leece won the 2012 Public Buildings & Urban Design Award.

The judges praised the collaborative efforts of the design team, the carefully considered approach to social sustainability and nature, as well as the psychology of healing a child when designing the building.

"The design of the New Royal Children's Hospital includes a high degree of difficulty and complexity. The reason it is so successful is that it manages to address all the complex systems…[and the] design solution goes beyond the normal built fabric to address social sustainability considerations. It is to be applauded the way it integrates nature with the concept of nurture throughout the entire program of design to improve health outcomes. "

The 2012 Innovation of the Year Award went to TankPro for its TP250, an environmentally friendly, chemical free, water sanitation device that simplifies systems for capturing water – a necessity that will keep growing with time.

 

All entries for the 2013 Awards can be submitted under these 10 categories:

  • Small Commercial
  • Large Commercial
  • Office Fitout
  • Single Dwelling (New)
  • Best of the Best
  • Landscape Design
  • Innovation of the Year
  • Multi Density Residential
  • Public Building & Urban Design
  • Single Dwelling (Alterations & Additions)

Nominations close on 30 August 2013. To enter online or for more information, visit http://bpn.com.au/bpn-sustainability-awards. Enquiries can be directed to Geraldine at [email protected].