CASE STUDY

MARCH 2012

HIGH DISTINCTION IN DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY

FOR MONASH UNIVERSITY, CLAYTON CAMPUS

The Laminex Group demonstrates their commitment to a sustainable building industry

and Green Star® by delivering a variety of sustainable product solutions to the newest

halls of residence at Monash University (Clayton campus).

When architects BVN and builders BroadAPM embarked on designing and building the latest halls of

residence complex at Monash University (Clayton campus), they turned to The Laminex Group as

one of the suppliers to help them achieve their design and sustainability requirements. The result –

two striking and functional five storey buildings totalling 20,000m2 with a 5-Star Green Star rating.

The identical buildings have been designed to enable residents to interact with each other in and

across the courtyard. Throughout the project, there is a prevailing raw aesthetic such as exposed

concrete, steel structure, and natural timber that also echoes the surrounding nature reserve. This

carries through to the interior, where the warmth of natural timber and raw board products

continues.

According to Richard Middleton from BVN, Monash University wanted a building that was durable

and required little maintenance but still was visually appealing.

“From a design perspective, the robustness

of materials, fixtures and fittings was an

important part of the project brief,” said

Richard.

In addition, the final project was required

to achieve a GBCA 5-Star Green Star rating

for both ‘Design’i and ‘As Built’

ii, all within a

specified budget.

Once the Environmentally Sustainable

Design (ESD) criteria was set by the project

ESD consultants, Norman Disney & Young

(NDY), in July 2010, preliminary discussions

occurred between BVN and The Laminex

Group to establish the most appropriate

use of materials to fulfil the brief and

achieve the desired Green Star rating. By

August 2010, materials were selected and

construction was underway.

Laminex® FSC certified Timber Veneer in

American Oak has been used for the walls

and corridors in the halls of residence. The

product is FSC Chain of Custody (CoC)

certified and on a low formaldehyde E0

MDF substrate, meaning it is able to accrue

both Timber Credits and Indoor

Environmental Quality (IEQ) credits in the Green Star Rating Tool.

Each wing of the building has approximately 30 studio apartments, with a kitchenette, ensuite and

living/sleeping space. There are approximately 600 apartments that are 20m2 in size. To open up

and lighten the space, floor to ceiling windows are a part of the room design and Laminex®

Aquapanel in White Gloss has been used for bathroom walls and shower recesses.

The Laminex Group Specification Representative, Lucia Lord said Aquapanel was also selected for its

non-porous, grout free properties, making it a low maintenance solution as briefed by Monash.

Other products selected to maximise Green Star points included, Laminex® E0 Vertiboard for study

desks, Laminex Compact Laminate for kitchenette benchtops, Trade Essentials® E0 Whiteboard for

internal carcasses and Trade Essentials Plywood for wall linings. The Monash University (Clayton

campus) student accommodation complex was a design and construct project, meaning all suppliers

were highly involved in product specification discussions from start to finish.

“To meet the As Built Green Star rating, we had to make sure that what we initially included in the

design submission was reflected in the final build. This involved rigorous checks to ensure the final

build complied with the requirements to obtain the Green Star rating,” explains Nikki Paton from

BroadAPM.

“The Green Star Multi Residential Version 1 tool was fairly new and untested. Consequently, it was a

collaborative effort between BVN, BroadAPM, The Laminex Group and other suppliers to ensure that

the Green Star rating wasn’t compromised,” she added.

Nikki also stated that suppliers such as The Laminex Group were instrumental to the Green Star

process.

“Without this close collaboration and extra knowledge to draw upon, the end result would have

been very difficult to achieve, not to mention the extensive range of products that performed

extremely well with Green Star,” she said.

Having achieved a 5-Star Green Star Design rating, the Monash University (Clayton) student

accommodation project is in the process of assessment for an As Built 5 Star rating. The project is

part of the Australian Government’s National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) and sets a new

benchmark in student and affordable housing due to its amenity, quality and affordability.

Image 1: Halls of residence at Monash University (Clayton campus)

Image 2: Wall in Laminex® FSC certified Timber Veneer in American Oak

Photography by John Gollings – Gollings Photography Pty Ltd

ENDS

For further information, images or interviews, please contact The PR Edge:

Kieran Stoltenkamp

P: 03 8416 6821

M: 0450 062 335

E: kieran.stoltenkamp@che.com.au

i Design– Put simply this is the ‘design intent’. The designs are submitted to the GBCA with

necessary paperwork for assessment and a rating is awarded. ii As Built – This is more difficult to achieve than ‘As Designed’ rating and is awarded after the

completion of the project. To receive the same rating, just like the Design rating, it must be proven

that what was specified in the design was actually built and nothing was substituted by the builder

or joiner.