Environmentally sustainable design (ESD)

All buildings constructed by UniSC focus on environmentally sustainable design (ESD) to suit Queensland's sub-tropical climate.

Some of these features include:

• passive lighting and natural ventilation to minimise the use of non-renewable energy
• extensive use of screens, fins, sun shelters and tree plantings to reduce direct sunlight on buildings
• chilled water to supply air-conditioning to buildings, where applicable
• integrated building cooling systems, including atriums, breezeways, louvers, thermal chimneys and high loft ceilings to allow for the movement of warm air away from work and teaching spaces
• locating buildings to take advantage of prevailing breezes
• using lightweight building fabric and low maintenance materials

These and other sustainability features are key components of the University's Design Standards and Guidelines.

Master-planned

UniSC has developed Master Plans for its Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay campuses, which are fully owned by the University. Development where campuses are leased or partially owned spaces, aligns with local planning constraints but any built space developed follows the University of the Sunshine Coast Design Standards and Guidelines, which provides more specific guidance on built infrastructure than the Master Plans.

Built sustainably by design

The Design Standards and Guidelines establish sets of principles for site planning, design and placemaking, set out a range of sustainability considerations, and provide architectural design requirements and specific compliance requirements for electrical, fire, security, water and other building management and maintenance systems.

The Design Standards and Guidelines extend to the surrounding landscape to cover issues such as soil quality, drainage, wayfinding and footpaths. Sustainability considerations, in particular environmental and social, are embedded throughout. UniSC is committed to developing spaces that adhere to principles of circular economy, accessibility, health, alignment with the natural environment, renewable energy, smart technologies, and efficiency of water, waste and electrical systems.

Retrospective sustainable improvements

UniSC is a regional university with longstanding partnerships with TAFE Queensland and Fraser Coast Regional Council including long-term leases of buildings. Though we don't own these facilities, we work to increase the efficiency of these buildings through upgrades of HVAC systems, LED lighting changeovers and we ensure all water fittings have efficient WELS ratings.

We have a long-term committed to sustainability of these spaces, with plans to place solar PV arrays on the roofs of UniSC Fraser Coast, UniSC Gympie and linked into the generators at Dilli Village, in addition to the UniSC owned Moreton Bay campus and Thompson Institute.

Award-winning

UniSC's buildings on campus have received more than 30 awards for planning, architecture and construction, and the University has been a joint winner of the Wildcard Award from the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA).

UniSC is the only educational institution in Australia to earn full EnviroDevelopment accreditation from the UDIA for achieving elements of sustainability across six categories—ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.

Moreton Bay

The first building on the Moreton Bay campus was completed in early 2020. The architects from Hassell Studio designed a building with spaces that are both socially and environmentally sustainable. The Rise, study nooks and front lawn provide areas for students to gather.

The internal spaces make use of the ample sunlight that streams through the open spaces and glazed windows. The louvres and overhangs on the Northern, Eastern and Western facades protect the building from the harsh peak-sunlight and reduce peak cooling loads.

Building materials were recycled or sustainably-sourced, where possible, including the one-of-a-kind boardroom table built from timber found at the old Petrie Paper Mill. Water and power are connected to the University's Building Management System (BMS) through individual meters that provide real-time measurement of consumption and efficiency.

UniSC Sunshine Coast

Building B and Building K

These buildings were completed in 1995 as part of the first stage of campus development. Initial features of Building B included louvers, vaulted ceilings and breezeways to enable cross ventilation. This building has been further improved with vents and high louvers to allow heat to escape, and window treatments to reduce heat.

Building K, which includes UniSC's larger lecture theatres, has been fitted with motion detecting air-conditioning, minimising energy usage. The architect for these buildings was MGT who won the Maroochy Excellence in Building and Planning Awards in 1996 for an Institutional Building.

Library

The University library was completed in January 1997 as part of the second stage. The architects John Mainwaring and Associates created sun-lit workspaces reducing the need for lighting, therefore decreasing energy consumption. The great ‘Queensland’ verandah on the northern side of the library in conjunction with tinted windows protect the library from the intense summer sun and reduce air conditioning usage. The library has won numerous awards for design.

Building I and Brasserie

Building I was completed in December 1997 as part of stage three of campus development and includes smaller lecture theatres, academic offices, classrooms and research laboratories. The architects, Down Neylan and Daryl Jackson, created a flexible space which can be used for multiple events. The buildings feature thermal chimneys to allow heat to escape naturally and louvers to regulate heat. Building I has won a number of environment and energy efficiency awards.

Building D

Building D was completed in December 1999 as part of stage four. Architects Bligh Vollier Neild and Thompsett Architecture used passive lighting and cooling wherever possible for this building. They incorporated thermal roof and wall chimneys, operable windows and solar-activated aluminium screen systems. This building also uses materials which need little finishing therefore require less maintenance, further reducing UniSC’s footprint. Building D has won many local, state and national awards in environmental and sustainability categories.

Building J

The Information Communications Technology (ICT) building was built as part of stage five of campus development and was completed in March 2004. The iconic building was designed by DesignInc Brisbane and has large steel screens which shade the six story building reducing energy consumption from air conditioning.

Building H

Building H was completed in August 2006 as a part of the sixth stage. This building was designed by Hassell and uses solar heated hot water in its laboratories. Skylights allow natural lighting, reducing the need for non-renewable sources of lighting. External walkways and wall shading allow air to circulate and cool the building.

Building C

Building C was completed in December 2006 as part of stage six of the campus development. The firm Architectus designed this building, including a 251-seat lecture theatre that uses a motion detecting air system. External corridors improve natural ventilation with skylights providing natural lighting.

Building M Precinct

The Building M Precinct was completed in January 2011 to accommodate both Engineering and Paramedic Science. Designed by Mode Architecture, solar power and hot water were installed allowing students to participate in the collection of data and management of the building's power use. A 'stripped-back' aesthetic has helped lower embodied energy costs with natural ventilation and extensive commercial and industrial louvers being used in the two main flexible teaching spaces.

Building H1

Building H1 is the second phase of what will become the Building H Precinct. Completed in December 2011, the building was tendered as a design and construct project with Evans Harch Builders and Core Architecture. The layout of roof planes has been designed to maximise natural ventilation and day lighting. The sun shading blades and fins form a key element to the building's climatic response and design integrity.

Building E

Building E was completed in February 2014. The architect, Hassell, incorporated mixed mode/natural ventilation, operable windows and two huge thermal chimneys to increase air movement through the building and decrease reliance on air-conditioning. Rainwater is retained in storage tanks and integrated into the existing campus rainwater harvesting system. The dedicated wetland area also allows for stormwater detention and enhances the quality of the outdoor environment through native plantings, sculptures and meeting places in the Buranga garden area.

Building R

Building R was completed in October 2014. The architect, Deicke Richards, designed the building so it responds to climate and context to deliver lower operational costs and a healthy working environment. Sun studies and modelling informed shade treatments to northern and western elevations. Open plan office spaces are also cross ventilated and oriented to maximise natural southern light and naturally ventilated circulation spaces overlook a corner entry plaza.

Engineering Learning Hub

The Engineering Learning Hub was completed in March 2015 as part of a project that included the Engineering Structures Learning Laboratory completed in July 2014. The architect, Brewster Hjorth Architects, ensured the project included 100% naturally-ventilated spaces and HVAC controls on all offices, laboratories and tutorial spaces so that the air-conditioning can be turned off when not in use. Building materials were used from recycled or sustainably-sourced suppliers including the huge timber portals which are a major feature of the structure. Water, power and waste are also all connected to the University's Building Management System (BMS) through individual meters and the campus's wider sustainable practises.