The award winning Szencorp building at 40 Albert Road South Melbourne, in keeping with its policy to use only the ideal green technology to ensure an environmentally sustainable profile for the commercial office tower, has chosen Nubian’s GT600 Grey Water Treatment System for the building’s greywater.
Managing Director of Nubian Steve Makins: “Nubian is very excited to have been selected by building with such high sustainability credentials as Szencorp. It is a great credit to our technology.”
Nubian’s GT600 Grey Water Treatment System, which was designed in conjunction with Tiller + Tiller and installed in the basement of the Szencorp Building by Sustainable Plumbing Solutions, has already realised good water saving results.
Capable of treating up to 1,500 litres of grey water a day to class A water quality without the use of chemicals, “this biological treatment plant has been a welcome feature to our sustainable building” says Tony Dorotic State Manager Victoria for Energy Conservation Systems.
The Oasis GT600 is set up to receive grey water from two showers and ten hand basins, the treated re-cycled water is then used for toilet flushing. It is estimated that the water savings in a year will be around 78,000 litres.
The idea for the sustainability initiatives of the Szencorp Building was the vision of Peter Szental, Managing Director of the Szencorp Group of Companies.
He was concerned that commercial buildings were major users of energy and water, and on current projections would account for 20% of Australia’s greenhouse emissions by 2010. Deciding to lead by example, in the practical design of the Szencorp building, he has demonstrated how they can become more environmentally friendly.
Szental says “Creating more value from using less resources, to secure the future for our children is one of the greatest global challenges we face.”
Originally a dysfunctional mid-80s office building, Szencorp has been fully recycled into a modern, stylish, sustainable showcase setting an enviable standard for others to follow.
It has achieved the highest possible green rating in Australia including a 6-star GreenStar design rating and 5-star ABGR and 5 Star Nabers.
Usage of power and water day and night is metered and recorded providing information for benchmarking against government and private rating tools, and vital information for sustainable buildings for the future.
Key features of the Szencorp Building
Natural air flow through out the building - Automated opening windows, automated louvers and open air meeting spaces.
The first field trial of a ceramic solid oxide fuel cell in real life conditions in Australia. The full cell converts natural gas into electricity supplying 90% of the hot water and is 85% efficient.
A weather station that works in unison with the building management system was installed to control ventilation and provide data for the heating and cooling systems. The weather station monitors wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, barometric pressure and air temperature.
Lighting design and installation is world’s best practice utilising new generation triphosphor and T5 lamps, dimmable DSI ballasts controlled via an intelligent occupancy based system achieving 1.4 watts per 100 lux.
A low energy IT solution which features LCD flat panel Screens, reducing heat-load on the building.
To improve the quality of the indoor environment an energy saving central vacuum cleaning system was installed.
An upgrade of the lift controls and lift car to modern standards ensured smoother, safer operation reducing the energy consumption.
The underground car park has CO sensing which operates lighting when people are present and the exhaust fans to remove the carbon monoxide when cars are presents.
