Australia’s 1st Certified Passivhaus Training Facility
Project No. 8041
BEC provided full multi-discipline engineering for Australia’s first Certified Passivhaus Training facility – CTC’s Marshman Building. Following an overt, engaged collaborative design process lead by principal consultant, Deike Richards, CTC stakeholders, & Ecolateral, construction was delivered by Hutchinson Builders. BEC was proudly represented at the official opening of the facility on Thursday, 18 May 2024 by our General Manager, David Halpin.
The new training facility enables vocational students to study industry trades & sustainable building practices – from within an environment that reflects such practices.
Passivhaus focuses on airtightness to limit incidental air/heat exchange through building fabric, & hence the reduction of energy required for climate control. The Marshman Building uses a sophisticated heat-recovery ventilation system, enhanced insulation, & thermal breaks to maximise energy conservation.
Phil Diver, CEO of the Construction Training Centre, advises that the Passivhaus Standard was adopted for the project because:
“The CTC Trust requires us to be an industry leader. The burning platform for our industry is climate, so we built a pathfinder - showing industry how it can be done.”
The design team also facilitated other sustainability initiatives on the project. The floor is constructed using low carbon concrete, in support of Australia’s 2030 emissions target. Ms Lidas (CEO, Australian Passivhaus Association) states that adoption of Passivhaus can help address the issue of mould & related climate risks in Queensland as
“Passivhaus buildings create an environment that mould is unable to grow in”
The project received a Passive House Plus rating, in recognition of the incorporation of photovoltaics in addition to meeting the classic Passivhaus requirements. Together, with Deicke Richards & Ecolateral, we overcame multiple challenges associated with this ground-breaking project.
Check out this montage of the Bob Marshman Building below, as well as Peter Logovik’s feature in the Bob Marshman building YouTube channel where he delves into his experience of design on this job through the eye of a mechanical engineer.
