Case Studies
William McCormack Place 2
Design Feature
Type of project
Infrastructure
State
Queensland
Location
Regional
The William McCormack Place 2 building (WMP2) was constructed on a site located to the rear of the William McCormack Place Stage 1 building on the corner of Sheridan and Hartley Streets, Cairns.
Completed in 2010, WMP2 has been designed with Cairns' tropical climate at the forefront of the decision-making process. Environmental sustainability and end user liveability were the principle driving forces in the design of the project. CA Architects and COX Rayner Architects masterplanned and documented the building, maintaining close interaction with the client and consultants to ensure the best outcome.
Completed in 2010, WMP2 has been designed with Cairns' tropical climate at the forefront of the decision-making process. Environmental sustainability and end user liveability were the principle driving forces in the design of the project. CA Architects and COX Rayner Architects masterplanned and documented the building, maintaining close interaction with the client and consultants to ensure the best outcome.
Sustainable design with a user focus
WMP2 building has nine storeys with a gross floor area of 12,453 square metres and a net lettable area (NLA) of 9,622 square metres.
The need for a new government building to accommodate over 600 public servants was identified in a review of the demand for government office accommodation in the Cairns CBD, which was undertaken by the QLD Department of Public Works (DPW) for the period 2006-2010.
The purpose of the work was to construct a new government office building that would consolidate individual and related government agencies in the Sheridan Street precinct and integrate government service delivery that would improve accessibility and convenience for the community when dealing with government agencies. Additionally, there was a desire for the design to focus on environmental sustainability, water and energy efficiency, as well as accessibility, life-cycle costing and the delivery of government services.
The common needs of the Government agencies regarding their accommodation were:
The need for a new government building to accommodate over 600 public servants was identified in a review of the demand for government office accommodation in the Cairns CBD, which was undertaken by the QLD Department of Public Works (DPW) for the period 2006-2010.
The purpose of the work was to construct a new government office building that would consolidate individual and related government agencies in the Sheridan Street precinct and integrate government service delivery that would improve accessibility and convenience for the community when dealing with government agencies. Additionally, there was a desire for the design to focus on environmental sustainability, water and energy efficiency, as well as accessibility, life-cycle costing and the delivery of government services.
The common needs of the Government agencies regarding their accommodation were:
- Infrastructure that supports developing technology
- A contemporary and healthy work environment that is accessible for staff
- A CBD-located building with proximity to public transport
- A flexible office space that can adapt to meet organisational change, which reduces the costs previously associated with these types of changes.
Local expertise was used in the design and construction of the building which commenced in September 2008 and was completed in July 2010. The building was fully occupied, by government tenants, as of 4 October 2010. The contribution of an entirely local team created a building that directly responds to Cairns’ sense of place and has raised local awareness for efficient sustainable design within the city’s population.
A large external courtyard/foyer space on the ground floor is a main feature of WMP2. The space spills out into the outdoor environment and embraces the pleasant climate and scenery of the local area. An overhanging ‘living green wall’, native plantings, and natural stone flooring are featured. Staff are encouraged to use this area for informal meetings and lunch breaks through the provision of outdoor furniture and a permanent café counter.
The project was the first building in regional Australia to receive a 6-star Green Star rating from the GBCA, achieving 79 out of 100 points in the Office Design V2 Category. This sustainable building design consequently provides a healthier work environment, with tenants benefitting from improved air quality, daylight, and high-comfort electric lighting.
The office space is an open plan design, with standard workstations placed around the perimeter of the floor with the centre of the floor designated for built zones such as offices and support areas. The central fire stair was designed to provide an inviting alternative to lift usage and encourages physical activity in workers.
The site is in a central location which allows good access to public transport networks and allows for convenient active travel to other CBD destinations. The decision to restrict the car parking to 194 small cars was made to encourage a decreased reliance on traditional vehicular transport and to encourage the use of smaller, fuel efficient cars.
The office space is an open plan design, with standard workstations placed around the perimeter of the floor with the centre of the floor designated for built zones such as offices and support areas. The central fire stair was designed to provide an inviting alternative to lift usage and encourages physical activity in workers.
The site is in a central location which allows good access to public transport networks and allows for convenient active travel to other CBD destinations. The decision to restrict the car parking to 194 small cars was made to encourage a decreased reliance on traditional vehicular transport and to encourage the use of smaller, fuel efficient cars.
Project team
- DPW/QGAO (Client)
- CA Architects and Cox Rayner Architects (Base Building Architect/Designer)
- Queensland Government, Project Services Office Interiors (Interior Designer)
- ARUP (Civil and Structural Engineer)
- MGF Consultants (Mechanical and Electrical Engineer)
- Gilboy Hydraulic Solutions (Hydraulic Engineer)
- Turner and Townsend (ESD Consultant)
- Gamble McKinnon Green (Landscape Architect)
- RLB (Cost Consultant)
- Viridis (Peer Review of Green Star Submission)
- Laing O’Rourke (Builder)
Project Cost
Approximately $79.5 Million
Health Value
- Key environmental design elements in the building provide a healthier work environment, with tenants benefiting from improved air quality, daylight, and high-comfort electric lighting, whilst the combination of air conditioning and ceiling fans allow a higher air-conditioning temperature to provide effective comfort conditions.
- Healthy materials were utilised for the construction of the facility, ensuring low or no VOC emissions which improves the building user’s health.
- The provision of central staircases, bicycle racks and end of trip facilities encourage physical activity to, from and in the workplace.
Economic value
- With all major government departments combined into buildings, workplace productivity could be increased – leading to improved economic performance.
- Healthy building materials and inspiring work environments can reduce employee sick days and lift the overall mood of the space.
- The building’s energy saving initiatives were projected to deliver approximately $450,000 per year in cost savings.
- The construction of WMP2 had a number of positive impacts on the economy including the creation of 32,400-person weeks of local employment, training opportunities and demand for locally sourced materials and services during the design and construction phases of the project.
Environmental Value
- The project was registered with the Green Building Council of Australia as a Green Star project and was awarded a six Star Green Star office design v2 certified rating. WMP2 is also registered for a Green Star Office Interiors v1.1 and a Green Star Office as Built v2 ratings.
- WMP2’s design reduces energy/emissions by approximately 60% (1,000 tonnes per year), compared to a median office building and a 40% reduction in whole-building demand on the electricity grid.
- WMP2 incorporates several passive and active features designed to minimise energy use, minimise waste, improve the indoor environment for staff and visitors and minimise the carbon footprint of the building.
Some passive features include:
- The orientation of the building, wide roof overhangs and extensive window shading minimising direct exposure to the sun.
- Façade design and choice of materials minimise heat transfer to the interior spaces.
- External courtyard/foyer significantly reduce the volume of air conditioned and lit space in the building.
- High ceilings and windows make best use of natural lighting of the office spaces.
- Use of sub-metering on electrical and water systems provide accurate monitoring and reporting capability.
- Material selection to favour recycled, recyclable, and low emission products.
- Integrated fit-out by the contractor during construction minimise waste and rework.
- Facilities for separation and storage of waste streams encourage staff to recycle waste and minimise landfill.
Some active features include:
- A highly efficient air conditioning system, designed to minimise energy consumption and make use of off-peak electricity. The system incorporates chilled water storage, energy recovery technology, ceiling fans and intelligent controls.
- Highly efficient light fittings and intelligent lighting controls to make best use of natural lighting.
- Harvesting, storage and treatment of rainwater and air conditioning condensate for use in toilets and landscaping.
- Highly efficient plumbing fixtures to minimise water use.
Social value
- Keeping the air-conditioned space at a minimum, the foyer has been conceived as a sheltered external space to encourage the interaction with the Cairns climate during arrival, informal meetings and lunch breaks, with a lush green wall, orientated to catch the breezes all year.
- Shared meeting rooms are located at ground level and are bookable online, to avoid duplicating them on every level and thereby reducing the air-conditioned building footprint.
Use value
- The foyer being a sheltered external space allows for out-of-hours uses for community and special functions without the need for air-conditioning.
- Being such an open space, natural supervision ensures safety and good behaviour.
- The building, its environs, services and facilities is accessible to persons with a disability on an equitable basis.
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