AF NZ-first 5 Green star eco award for industrial building

Media Release
23 November 2011

AF awarded NZ's first 5 Green star eco award for industrial building

The New Zealand Defence Force received a ‘5 Green Star Industrial Design 2009 rating’ from the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) for the design of its new Maintenance Support Squadron (MSS) purpose-built facility currently under construction at Base Ohakea, near Bulls in the North Island. A 5 Green Star rating signifies ‘New Zealand Excellence’ in sustainable design.

Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell says “We are delighted to receive the first 5 Green Star rating for an industrial building in New Zealand. The project team has worked hard to ensure that the building design meets the NZGBC criteria and provides ‘fit for purpose’ working accommodation that will serve our needs well into the 21st Century.”

The MSS building houses the workshops, maintenance areas and training facilities required to service the new NH90 and A109 helicopters. The building is made up of a collection of large workshop areas for the maintenance of airframe components and complete aircraft, specialist rooms for particular maintenance requirements and office areas.

Sustainable features of the building include efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; lighting that has been designed to be effective while striving to consume as little energy as possible; cold water systems that reduce water consumption; and sustainable use of rain and wastewater. Noise attenuation has also been addressed with the use of sound absorbing natural materials.

New Zealand Green Building Council Chief Executive, Alex Cutler, says “The internationally recognised mark of a green building, Green Star, is the proof that this building has been designed to be more prepared for the future than standard buildings. Green buildings facilitate improved working environments, higher productivity in staff and reduced operating costs. This is a sensible as well as commercial choice for owners of long term assets”.

Green Star is a comprehensive national, voluntary environmental rating scheme that evaluates the environmental attributes and performance of New Zealand’s buildings using a suite of rating toolkits developed to be applicable to each building type and function.

ENDS

Backgrounder

The ongoing support of the RNZAF at Ohakea and Whenuapai and the purchase of new aircraft have required the construction of new facilities at these bases. The Maintenance Support Squadron (MSS) Workshop Building houses maintenance areas and facilities required to service the new NH90 and A109 helicopters as well as components from other RNZAF fleets, for example, cargo parachute maintenance.

The building is made up of a collection of large workshop areas for the maintenance of airframes and complete aircraft, specialist rooms for particular maintenance requirements (e.g. x-ray inspection, carbon fibre grinding, helicopter engines, life support equipment etc.), and office areas. Because of the wide range of activities, an equally wide range of building services has been provided to meet these varied needs. These are described in greater detail below.

Sustainable features of the building

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) for the Maintenance Support Squadron building caters to a wide range of requirements dependant on the use of each space. Heating water is heated by two natural gas boilers and circulated to heating coils in air-based systems and radiant ceiling panels. Chilled water is cooled by two air-cooled chillers and circulated to cooling coils in the air handling units.

Lighting has been designed to be effective while striving to consume as little energy as possible. There are thus greater potential for energy savings. To achieve this, daylight detection has been installed in applicable spaces, as well as energy efficient fixtures. Exterior lighting consists of photocell lighting to all regular access doors to the building, and indicator beacons required as the building is on an active airfield.

There are two cold water systems in the building. The first is a potable system which serves all taps, showers, dishwashers, eyewashes, washing machines and mechanical services. The second is a non-potable system which serves as flushing water for the toilets and can be used for the cargo chute wash. The non-potable water is collected from a section of the roof when it rains, and stored in two 26,700 litre tanks that sit in front of the building. Points were awarded for this building system as the system will reduce the potable water consumption of the building occupants.

Rainwater from the rest of the roof is diverted to the stormwater system. Water runoff from paved areas is first directed to grass swales. The stormwater drainage system discharges water into Makowhai stream. Wastewater from the building is connected to the Ohakea Bases own waste water treatment system.”

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