The University of Wollongong’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) was officially launched on Thursday along with its unique solar power system.
Senator Eric Abetz; Minister for Employment and and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, opened the facility.
Made possible through a Federal Government contribution of $25.1 million from the Education Investment Fund, the SBRC has been established to provide a hub for academia to create, develop and implement cutting edge sustainable building concepts.
The Centre is an example of efficient design itself – it is set to achieve a 6 Star Green Star Rating and has registered to become the first Australian Building to be certified by the Living Building Challenge.
Among its many green attributes, the SBRC building generates more power than it consumes; courtesy of the sun and a well designed solar panel array. The 150kW installation involves two elements – 120kW of solar panel capacity on the office roof and a 30kW array on the north facing awning.
The solar power system was designed and installed by national commercial solar provider Energy Matters; which will have an ongoing association with the Centre.
“Energy Matters will be conducting research at this facility with a study to determine the optimal cleaning regime for solar installations,” said Energy Matters co-founder, Nick Brass. “We have installed 6 x 20 kW systems that will be cleaned in different intervals to test the optimal cleaning regime at a cost benefit level.”
The SBRC’s solar energy system was a finalist in the Clean Energy Council’s 2014 Solar Design and Installation Awards in the grid-connect over 100kW capacity category.
University of Wollongong’s Chancellor Jillian Broadbent, who is also Chair of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, said sustainable buildings are an untapped economic opportunity for industry development and innovation.
“This is a place that will drive world changing research and models,” stated Chancellor Broadbent.
Related:
Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) case study
