School Hall outperforms in sustainability
Funded by the Australian government economic stimulus package (BER - Building the Education Revolution) and brought in under budget by an ethical and skilled Sunshine Coast team including WD Architects, James Burrell Commercial builders and the school community, the Performance Hall at Noosa Pengari Steiner School is a primary example of sustainable building in an educational context.
Employing energy-efficient design responsive to the micro-climate of the site, natural ventilation supplemented, sustainably-sourced timbers, low-embodied energy materials and non-toxic finishes, with universal accessibility, water-saving features, edible gardens and minimal impact on the natural bushland, this project covers all of the bases for truly sustainable building.
Designed by WD Architects to be a useful, beautiful and didactic building, the Performance Hall has been developed in an environmentally responsible and ethical manner in keeping with the principles that underpin all aspects of the school. The architects believe that providing excellent examples of sustainable design and building in an educational setting has the potential to influence children's perception, understanding and expectations of environmental sustainability throughout their school years and thereby lay a strong foundation for their whole life.
The Steiner school has always aimed to do this and this new building fulfills the potential exceptionally well. The fact that the building was built under budget and for less per square metre than the template buildings being built at the majority of state schools, belies the common misconception that building sustainably is expensive or difficult.
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