Natural Lighting
Designed for natural light, the deep eaves of the roof provide shading for fenestration and walls
Water Efficiency
Rain water collected / diverted for irrigation purposes
Passive Heating/Cooling
The whole building works on a carefully thought out cross ventilation system. All spaces naturally ventilated. The wind from
the land as well as the sea is carefully channeled in to the inner space
Cost effective features
Disintegrated rock excavated from the site used for all walling material
Eco-friendly features
The project sits inside the hill and is totally protected. Colors are meant to blend not stand out. The forest of endemic trees
planted at the entrance are now grown. Shields the building from the North and it also provides privacy for the swimming
pool
Oceanic Climate
Case Study: Chancellery, University of Sunshine Coast / Queensland, Australia
A variety of guidelines for sensitive climatic building design were developed including the use of shaded space and sun control, passive cooling through cross ventilation and the use of lightweight exterior construction of low thermal capacity to avoid the accumulation and re-radiation of heat. A key objective of the Master Plan document was that all new buildings comply with the north east/south west orientation and be designed to produce comfortable interior environments with minimal interference from artificial climate controls.
The site planning principles that form the basis of the Master Plan and Chancellery designs are to orientate the buildings to minimize solar gain, reduce density and modify the building massing to increase airflow though the site. Relatively high wind speeds are needed to achieve cross ventilation with rates of 1 m per second to achieve indoor comfort conditions. High humidity is a key climatic constraint of this site due to its coastal location and topography.
The master planning principles for the University have set up what appears to be a standardized visual and organisational hierarchy. However the climate determinants across the site present very different conditions creating unusual opportunities for environmental design.