Project Details
- Client: Morrison & Breytenbach
- Type: Residential
- Location: Launceston, Tasmania
- Date: March 2015
- Estimated Lifespan: 60 years
- LCA authored by Rob Campbell from Cerclos
The Inveresk apartments is a student housing building that integrates sustainable structure, fabric and infrastructure technologies into its design. Located in Launceston and forming part of the University of Tasmania, the innovative building contains 120 apartment units across 3 stories. The units consist of a series of modular, prefabricated timber apartments built into a predominately timber structure. Facades will mostly comprise of either corrugated steel or timber cladding.
eTool were tasked with completing Life Cycle modelling of the building to both inform design teams and complete the Materials Life Cycle credit as part of the Green Star certification. eTool conducted a whole of building Life Cycle Assessment on the building and presented the findings of 11 environmental impact categories. The credits awarded for life cycle assessment contributed towards the overall awarding of 5 star Green Star ‘As Designed.’ eTool modelling software eToolLCD is compliant with the international standard EN 15978 methodology and the scope and system boundaries align closely with the requirements for the Green Star Materials Life Cycle credit.
Project Features
- The project was assessed according to the Green Star Materials Life Cycle credit and has a proposed design life of 60 years.
- A unique foundation system whereby timber piles are hammered into the ground significantly reduces impacts associated with foundations.
- The innovative energy strategies used provide significant savings over a business as usual BCA compliant design
- The students living in this accommodation will not only have a low carbon footprint for housing, but will also benefit from the close proximity of basic amenities and work and thus will achieve a low impact lifestyle overall.
Results Summary
| Impact Category | Unit | % Saved Against Green Star Benchmark |
| Global Warming Potential | kg CO2e /m2 | 60 % |
| Stratospheric Ozone Layer Depletion | mg CFC11e/m2 | 1 % |
| Acidification | kg SO2- e/m2 | 38 % |
| Eutrophication | kgPO4e/m2 | 27 % |
| Tropospheric Ozone Formation Potential | kg C2H4 e/m2 | 42% |
| Abiotic Resource Depletion | kg Sbe/m2 | 61 % |
| Human Toxicity | mDALY/m2 | -4 % |
| Land Use | m2 /year deprived arable/m2 | -110 % |
| Fresh Water Depletion | m3/m2 | 34 % |
| Particulate Matter | kg PM2.5e/m2 | 1 % |
