Southern Cross University (Lismore) - Learning Centre
Overview
The new learning centre is a development at Southern Corss University's Lismore campus. It is a mixed use educational building that combines a traditional library environment with contemporary design and technology to better suit the current and future generation of students. Level 1 is an active and social open plan space with fixed and mobile workstations, while level 3 is a quiet floor with library shelving and individual study spaces as well as a segmented staff administration area. level 2 is a mixture of the two environemnts that incorporates book storage, group study spaces and quiet areas.
Features
Passive House
Operating as a modern library in a comparably warm and humid climate, the building envelope of the SCU Learning Centre has been purpose designed for high performance air-tightness and thermal efficiency, resulting in a comfortable, healthy and very energy efficient building. A well-defined and tested air-tightness is crucial for the entire building envelope. Complementing concrete floors and air sealed fenestration solutions, this necessitates the application of an intelligent air tightness system for external walls and roofs, which is based on smart membranes and durable elastic tapes.
Mechanical System
The building includes provision of heat recovery air conditioning systems fitted with economy cycle operation, underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system, and high level exhaust. high occupancy rooms and spaces with high heat load are supplemented with separate air conditioning units stabilising variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system.
The key components to the air conditioning strategy include:
- Air-to-air heat exchanger air conditioning units complete with economy cycle option
- All outside air supply system, with outside air pre-conditioned by passing through a labyrinth on the west side on Level 1 of the building
- Underfloor supply air plenum
- Swirl type floor outlets
- Return (relief) air at high level
- Exhaust air discharge above roof after heat reclaim at air conditioning units
- Organic response smart lighting control system
- Under floor power and communications reticulation for flexible floor plates. The power system is designed so that the client can easily reconfigure their layouts in future with a minimal of fuss
- Low energy LED lighting
- USB charging stations
- 8m x 2m wall in the entry area to allow for digital signage and interactive media
- Digital signage adjacent to the communication stair for way finding and general information
- Meeting rooms with interactive presentation screen, local PC, local AV inputs, sound reinforcement, hearing augmentation and overall AMX control
- Meeting rooms for general presentations and Microsoft Lync conferencing
- Group study rooms with local content sharing