Charleston Road Campus
Redevelopment Project
FINAL REPORT FOR THE GREEN PRECINCTS
FUND
February 2012
INTRODUCTION
The redevelopment of the Bendigo TAFE Charleston Road Campus has provided Bendigo TAFE with
the opportunity to concentrate their trade training areas located throughout Bendigo into the one
campus. These new contemporary facilities have increased sustainable benefits to the
organisation, the community, and the environment.
Sustainable features were designed into the Charleston Road Campus Redevelopment project.
These features range from the relatively simple to the more technically advanced and are
discussed in depth within this document. These features provide leading examples of sustainable
elements which can be adapted to suit new and existing facilities.
The project has provided lower operational costs with reduced energy and water consumption
and supported the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
This project has proven to be very timely as Victoria recovers from 10 years of drought.
This project now stands as a living and working example of what can be achieved in sustainable
facility development and is used as a showcase for students and the community.
The Charleston Road Campus Redevelopment Project was supported by funding of $724,289
provided by the Australian Government’s Green Precincts Fund. The Green Precincts Fund is an
Australian Government initiative to prepare Australia for a future with less water, and to encourage
local communities to better manage their water and energy use for current and future generations.
This report outlines the benefits gained from this project and features:
•
energy savings
•
water savings
•
project benefits and outcomes
•
education and community engagement
•
lessons learnt.
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY
Direct environmental benefits
Energy
Wall and roof insulation has provided the opportunity to construct buildings with modern and,
highly efficient materials. These materials provide an improved and more stable internal
temperature for building occupants and reduce the need for heating and cooling during
Bendigo’s extreme seasonal conditions. It is not uncommon for Bendigo to experience
temperatures of minus 4 degrees C in winter and 44 degrees C in summer. Building materials with
highly efficient thermal insulation qualities are very effective in reducing the energy load required
for heating and cooling. These features are now also used as a teaching resource.
A two kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) solar array was installed and provides an in-house source of
electricity generation, helping to reduce the demand for grid supplied electricity. This also helps to
reduce costs associated with purchasing electricity while at the same time reducing the
production of greenhouse gases. This system is accessible by students and is used as a teaching
resource on campus. It is unlikely that the PV system will supply back to the grid as the Campus uses
more electricity than can be supplied by the solar array.
The installation of automated lighting controls and energy efficient light fittings has reduced the
demand for electricity; for example, sensor lights automatically sense vacated spaces and switch
off the lights in these areas.
The installation of four solar hot water systems also provides an additional and alternative source of
low cost, energy efficient and environmentally friendly hot water to four buildings on campus. The
systems help to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, while also providing an
educational resource to the campus as students can access the units to investigate and
understand their operation.
The installation of a 204 kilowatt earth-to-air geoexchange air conditioning system has provided
state of the art technology to two new buildings on campus. The system is designed to draw on a
relatively stable ground temperature of approximately 15 degrees C and use this stable mass to
support the operation of the mechanical services equipment. The 15 degree C heat reserve helps
to moderate the operation of the air conditioning equipment in hot and cold atmospheric
conditions. The result is lower operational costs as well as reduced electricity consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions. An explanation of the operation of the system is on display in the entry
to each of the new buildings on campus.
External solar powered lighting has been installed along pathways and in car parks. These standalone lights are not connected to the grid and operate solely on renewable energy thereby
reducing facility running costs.
Direct environmental benefits
Water
The installation of water saving devices has reduced demand on the town water supply. The fittings
and fixtures installed in showers, urinals, taps and toilets have the highest efficiency rating available
for each of the products used.
Rainwater tanks with a capacity of 300 kilolitres (kL) have been installed and connected to the
storm water system of Building L. Water from these tanks is used within Building L and surrounding
areas, reducing the demand and cost incurred from accessing Bendigo’s reticulated water supply
now and in the future.
Connection to a nearby recycled water main provides the campus with access to 11 megalitres
(ML) per annum of recycled water supplied by Coliban Water.
All new toilets associated with the capital works project use recycled water. The supply has also
been extended to the Plumbing Department in Building C for use in training plumbing students.
Recycled water is also available in areas which are earmarked for future landscaping.
Comparison Figures
In the twelve months of operation since completion of the capital works project the campus has
recorded improvements in water and energy consumption.
Water
Consumption figures
Actual for 2011: 1069 kilolitres; Actual for 2010: 1,446 kilolitres
Water consumption in 2011 decreased by over 25 per cent compared to 2010. This is a positive
result particularly since the building footprint has increased by 25 per cent and the campus has
experienced a significant increase in staff and student numbers following completion of the capital
works project. These savings can be directly attributed to the use of harvested rainwater in the
construction area Building L, the use of recycled water for toilets in new buildings and the use of
new efficient fittings.
Energy
Consumption figures
Actual for 2011: 849,580 kilowatts; Actual for 2010: 787,388 kilowatts
Energy consumption in 2011 increased by 8 per cent following completion of the capital works
project. This is a very positive outcome considering the 25 per cent increase in building footprint
following the capital works project which also included extending heating into areas not previously
serviced.
CO2 emissions;
Actual for 2011: 1,155 tonnes; Actual for 2010: 1,071 tonnes
The increase in energy consumption has increased CO2 emissions.
OVERALL BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
Activity deliverables
Solar electricity generation
Based on the information available, the PV solar array appears to average an output of
approximately 15 kilowatts per day. Electricity generated from the system is expected to be in the
order of 5500 kilowatts per annum. Electricity demand is expected to exceed the amount of
electricity being generated on site at any time; therefore electricity generated will not be sufficient
to supply power back to grid.
Uptake of energy and water efficiency measures in other Bendigo TAFE campuses
Following the start of construction on the Charleston Road Campus project, design and planning
activity continued on the extension of the Traditional Trades Training facility at the Echuca Campus.
This project planned to more than double the floor area of the Echuca campus to over 3000 square
metres. The Project Control Group (PCG) considered many sustainable elements for this project
and, using knowledge gained from the Charleston Road Campus project, the PCG installed these
features at Echuca:

waterless urinals

rain water harvesting and retention on site for toilet flushing and/or garden sprinkler system

PV solar cells to generate electricity

T5 fluorescent light fittings in office areas

motion sensors in internal offices and toilets

high level insulation in roof and walls

bicycle storage and on site shower and change facilities

a selection of water efficient plumbing fittings

double glazed window units in the main trade area

a full height atrium to bring natural light into the building

an overhang roof to shade northern windows.
These features provided significant benefits, not only to the environment, but to Bendigo TAFE and
the community.
The Hospitality Project, constructed at City Campus in 2011, refurbished an existing first floor space
in an historic building and also incorporated sustainable features, many of which had been
previously used in the Charleston Road project:

new sinks and troughs which were fitted with a minimum 5 star WELS rated water saving tap
ware

new energy efficient T5 globes and tubes

R3.0 insulation in all new walls and ceiling spaces

recycled PVC vinyl in new floor lining

rooms and walls that allow natural light to be transferred into adjacent spaces.
Education benefits in the Teaching Syllabus
Electro technology
A request has been received to develop training to meet the education needs of State Emergency
Services and other emergency workers on the electrical hazards associated with the installation of
solar panels. Bendigo TAFE is well positioned to provide this training as it has vocational teachers
available and the PV solar panels and systems to work with. This potential opportunity will continue
to be investigated.
The PV solar panels on the electro technology building are used to help train students in electro
technology, design and sustainability. Students learn about the operation of, and the output from,
the system. The system is also linked to SMA Solar Technology AG, via the Sunny Portal, Sunny
WebBox. This portal provides worldwide general public access to monitor the operation of solar
systems and generate reports from the systems. Live and historic operational data of both the
Echuca and Charleston Road PV systems can be viewed via the web site
www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPagesPlantList.aspx then entering Plant Name: *tafe* and
Country: Australia.
More than 200 visitors have viewed the geoexchange air conditioning display cabinets which
detail the operation and benefits of this new technology. Third year electrical apprentices also
study the system.
Plumbing
Sustainable elements of the project are being used to support the delivery of studies in 15 different
plumbing courses. Courses which now include sustainable features as identified through the project
include:

energy efficient plumbing measures

solar heated water systems

alternative urban water sources

water conservation measures

environmental plumbing inspections

domestic water treatment equipment
The Green Precincts Fund project provides students with ready access to highly efficient systems
and technologies associated with sustainable water use.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT
Sustainability
Sustainable elements of the Charleston Road Campus Redevelopment project are planned to be
used within the sustainability and design areas of the 2012 curriculum including:

applying structural and construction technology to the design of commercial buildings

designing sustainable buildings

selecting construction materials for building projects

integrating services layout into design documentation
Future of the project
The Charleston Road Campus Redevelopment project team will continue to work towards securing
funding to expand the installation of PV solar panels as well as other forms of electricity generation,
and the reduction of demand for water and energy across all Bendigo TAFE campuses.
The Charleston Road Campus provides an ideal site to support the generation of electricity via
alternate means to reduce the campus’s highest utility cost, electricity. The annual cost of
electricity is more than 10 times the cost of the next most expensive utility. It is predicted the cost of
electricity will continue to rise each year into the foreseeable future.
As Bendigo TAFE continues to introduce sustainability elements into the curriculum, Charleston Road
Campus will continue to implement sustainability practices into all environments, including
education, training, facilities and community facilities.
Tours of the facilities across several Bendigo TAFE campuses are being undertaken.
The sustainable elements of the Green Precincts Fund project at the Charleston Road Campus
were shown to consultants engaged to develop the new Regional Trade Training Centre.
Bendigo TAFE will continue to follow and monitor the sustainable efficiency measures to help the
project team to accurately determine whether the predicted efficiencies have been achieved.
The project team will continue to engage with the media to promote activities like open days,
industry forums and conferences. The team supports visits from other education and training
providers as well as the private sector and is happy to share experience and knowledge with these
groups.
The project team and campus will continue to promote the benefits and features of the Green
Precincts Fund project long after the completion of capital works.
LESSONS LEARNT
The Charleston Road Campus Redevelopment project has been a complicated project with the
construction of two new buildings as well as extensions and renovations to five existing buildings.
Many challenges were encountered, particularly during construction. Rock had to be removed to
provide suitable foundations for the building works and had to be drilled to allow the installation of
26 ground bores for the geoexchange air conditioning system.
Because of this, the project incurred additional costs resulting in the Project Control Group (PCG)
redirecting funds to ensure the core project, the building works, was still delivered as originally
intended. Unfortunately, funding had to be redirected away from grounds and landscaping works
to ensure that no compromises were made with any of the building works and that the delivery of
education and training services remained unaffected. In hindsight, more work during the
conceptual and design phases may have helped to reduce the effects of these decisions.
Within the original planning of the project, which now dates back several years, provision could
have been made to include a Building Management System (BMS) in the project. This would have
provided the opportunity to use the system technologies on offer to accurately control and monitor
facility access and energy use on campus. It would have provided a valuable and informative
educational resource for the campus.
The project has met and delivered the construction and financial milestones as set out in the
project brief. This was the result of hard work and a close working relationship between the PCG,
consultants and the builder.
Bendigo TAFE supports ongoing engagement with staff, students and the community to promote
the benefits of sustainable design and construction.
The buildings function well and provide an enhanced environment in which to deliver education
and trade training to central Victoria.
Evaluation of project
The highest utility cost for the Charleston Road Campus is electricity. On average, it is 10 times
greater than the cost of water or gas. Therefore, it is natural to assume that the greatest financial
and environmental savings are to be achieved in the area of electricity use and generation.
The savings are likely to come from the use of:

improved building insulation

PV panels

automated lighting controls

external solar lighting along pathways and in car parks

solar powered hot water

geoexchange Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.
This project clearly demonstrates that major gains are to be made in the area of electricity use and
generation. The project could have extended these gains if it had the financial ability to install
additional features such as:

wind turbines

larger and multiple (PV) solar arrays

additional efficient lighting

automated lighting and power controls to all existing facilities

a co-generation plant

a Building Management System (BMS).
The Charleston Road Campus has substantial open space with a total area of 8.64 hectares;
enough space to comfortably house some of the additional features listed.
The campus also has large roof areas which could also easily accommodate substantial PV solar
arrays, additional solar hot water systems and additional rain water harvesting systems. As funding
and grant opportunities become available we will look to build on the sustainable features on
campus and investigate new and developing technologies which may prove beneficial to our
needs, the community and the environment.
The project is making use of recycled water and tank water for non-drinking purposes, which in turn
reduces the demand for, and expense of using potable water. The campus consists of many
buildings which provide a substantial roof area, which is underutilised at this time as far as
harvesting rain water is concerned. The rain water tanks installed at the Charleston Road Campus
Redevelopment Project are planned to provide water to the Horticulture Department for a new
project which is currently under design by the department and will be constructed in stages by staff
and students of the department in the near future. Both tank water and recycled water will be used
in the design and construction of the new grounds, garden and orchard project. The opportunity
exists to install many more rain water tanks for these purposes and will be investigated further when
funding allows, reducing our dependence on reticulated potable water.