GIW is committed to the delivery of a sustainable built environment. Recognising that every project is unique, we work closely with the design team to provide high quality, and purposeful engineered solutions.
Where
Nature Meets
Science
ESD Services
What We Do
Comprehensive Planning
& Design
- Sustainable Management Plan or Sustainable Design Assessment
- Water Sensitive Urban Design Reports
- Conceptual Building Services Design
- ESD Masterplanning
- Green Travel Plan
- ESD As-Built Verification Reporting
Sustainability Certification
- Green Star / LEED / WELL Project Delivery
- Climate Active Certification (Carbon Neutral)
- NABERS
Existing Building Retrofitting
- NABERS Assessment and BEEC
- Building Energy & Water Audits
- Building Improvement Plan
- Carbon Neutral Operations
Code Compliance
- NCC Section J Compliance Reporting
- NCC Section J Alternative Solutions Reporting incl. JV3 Energy Modelling and Expert Judgement Assessments
- Nationwide House Energy Rating NatHERS
Modelling
- Energy / Thermal Comfort Modelling
- Ventilation / Air Quality (CFD) Modelling
- Daylight Modelling
- Life Cycle Assessment / Value Engineering
- AFRC Assessments
- ESD
- Green Star
- Sustainable Management
- WSUD
- BCA Section J
- JV3
- Energy Rating
- Building Simulation
- AFRC
- Green Travel Plan
ESD Consulting
GIW provides a comprehensive suite of ESD Consulting services. Principally, we seek to provide objective engineering advice in relation to sustainable design concepts, processes, products and engineering systems.
Conceptual building services design and life cycle assessments undertaken by GIW provide rigour to the value engineered processes. Knowing that the investment in ESD will yield the top returns is prudent in the decision making process.
We have the technical expertise to advise on emerging renewable energy technologies, insulation systems, glazing systems and hot water services. GIW can provide analysis of renewable energy system integration with consideration of building energy use, economics and carbon emissions.
Green Star
GIW is a member of the Green Building Council of Australia and has an in-house Green Star Accredited professional. We have vast experience in the delivery of major Green Star projects in Australia. Green Star is an environmental rating system which evaluates the environmental design
Green Star projects in Australia. Green Star is an environmental rating system which evaluates the environmental design credentials and construction of buildings and communities in Australia. This entails a rigorous and robust qualitative and quantitative design and assessment process which seeks to showcase environmental leadership within the built environment sector.
For this reason it is the most recognised green building rating tool in Australia and allows developers to confidently market their projects as leading sustainability icons.
We are currently engaged in the delivery of two multi-unit residential 4 Star Green Star projects in Victoria.
Sustainable Management Plan
The Town Planning process will typically require the submission of an Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Report or Sustainable Management Plan (SMP) as part of the development application.
Formalised under ‘Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process’ (SDAPP), these reports will outline the environmental credentials of the proposed building.
These Reports become an endorsed document and the development will be bound by the information therein. For this reason, it is essential that the sustainable design nominations reflect sound engineering principles and practices.
Water Sensitive Urban Design
Australia has experienced below average rainfall for a period of 12 years preceding 2010 when the country rapidly transitioned from El Niño to La Niña conditions.
Post-2010, heavy rains and flood events have increasingly occurred. The result of these conditions is a renewed emphasis of both water conservation and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD).
GIW provide technical advice including minimising amenity water demand, water metering strategies, fire system check, water reuse, recycled water and stormwater reuse applications including WC flushing, rain gardens, swales and sediment ponds and wetlands.
We have vast experience in delivering WSUD solutions through the application of the Melbourne Water’s STORM tool.
BCA Section J
BCA Section J Compliance Reporting is an integral part of the building permit process.
This activity entails a detailed assessment of the contract documentation against the BCA Section J: Energy Efficiency – Deemed to Satisfy Provisions Parts J1 – J8. This includes an assessment of architectural and services plans and specifications. At the conclusion of this process a Section J Compliance Report is provided to the Building Surveyor which confirms that the documentation is compliant.
GIW’s strength as a specialist ESD consultancy is that we have delivered many hundreds of these BCA Section J Assessments. We actively seek to add value to the process by delivering recommended product specifications, identify suitable optimisation measures, and provide third party verification of contract documentation.
Verification Method JV3
The prescriptive BCA Part J compliance pathway is efficient in its formulation. It is, however, rigid and limited in its ability to take consideration of complex architectural forms.
BCA Section J provides a range of alternative solution compliance pathways. “Verification using a reference building (JV3)” has become the preferred assessment method for building surveyors given the delivery of a verifiable outcome. This assessment method is used to validate compliance with Section J Performance Requirements (JP1).
The process of JV3 Energy Modelling entails the creation of a comprehensive three-dimensional energy model of the proposed building, comprising the design depicted on architectural and services plans and specifications. Overlayed are a range of schedules for occupancy, lighting, HVAC and other integral equipment.
The intent of this process is to prove that the “Proposed Building” will have a predicted annual energy performance equal to or exceeding that of a “Reference (DTS) Building”. The process allows for integrated and optimised energy efficient building design.
The JV3 pathway has a range of project benefits including:
- A streamlined compliance pathway
- Fine tuning of the building thermal envelope
- Potential to reduce construction costs
- Predicted building energy use
GIW is highly proficient in the delivery of JV3 alternative solutions due to our technical engineering and computational modelling expertise. We continue to work with architects, local government, and developers in the fine tuning of buildings for energy efficiency outcomes.
Energy Ratings
The BCA mandates that new houses and apartments be assessed under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS).
The NatHERS scheme allocates a performance Star rating to express the annual heating and cooling energy use. Minimum BCA requirements are 6 Stars average and 5 Stars minimum for Class 2 Multi-Unit Residential buildings. House Energy Ratings involve building a simplified energy model of the residence in FirstRate5.
The Energy Ratings require the energy modeller to have knowledge and an understanding of the details of building fabric construction, insulation systems and installation, window framing and glazing configurations.
GIW’s in-house technical engineering and building science knowledge mean that we can streamline the compliance process by delivering pragmatic thermal envelope solutions. This translates into operational efficiencies and a cost-effective compliance pathway.
Building Simulations
GIW provide a comprehensive suite of building simulation services including:
- Energy modelling
- Thermal Comfort Modelling
- Daylight Modelling
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Computer simulation is used to test design solutions and provide measurable outcomes.
Building Simulation can be used to substantiate design choices whilst potentially lowering final construction costs and delivering an improved internal environment.
Through a consultative and iterative process, we aid design teams in fine tuning building elements and delivering a succinct and responsive solution. GIW has a broad range of experience in delivering technical building simulations with total consideration of architectural and engineering design attributes.
AFRC Assessments
GIW provide assessments of combined glass and framing systems to determine combined total system performance values. This provides the building industry confidence that the proposed glazing will achieve the Building Permit Star energy rating / Section J requirements.
Green Travel Plan
GIW provide Green Travel Plans to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport. We demonstrate that suitable infrastructure is available or can be upgraded for successful travel plan adoption. The plan includes targets and actions for activities including walking, cycling and the use of public transport and carpooling.