Adelaide s Sustainable Industries Education Centre clinches World Architecture Festival award

Adelaide’s Sustainable Industries Education Centre clinches World Architecture Festival awardAdelaide made a splash at this year’s World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards with MPH Architects in association with Architectus winning the top award for Creative Re-use. A long-term WAF sponsor, Rider Levett Bucknall is proud to have provided full cost management services towards Sustainable Industries Education Centre (SIEC). The project is a unique example of sustainable construction transforming mothballed Mitsubishi car manufacturing plant into a 45,000 square metre world-class, energy efficient, training facility. The centre is one of the most innovative and advanced in Australia, combining building, construction and renewable energy trades to promote collaboration. Ninety per cent of the existing steel structure was retained for the new facility, with exposed services and minimal internal applied finishes supporting the building’s role as a learning tool. Energy efficiencies include chilled beams, under floor heating and 7,000 litres of rain storage were incorporated together with urban forests and the largest canopy of rooftop solar panels in South Australia. RLB worked very closely with the integrated design team and Managing Contractor Lend Lease to ensure that this challenging project scope was delivered to budget. Bob Burton, SIEC Project Director commented: “RLB has engaged with the SIEC project at all levels of their organisation. Executive level leadership in the early set up stages of the project has been invaluable. Delicate project level negotiation with a strong understanding of client/end user needs is a feature of RLB’s work. RLB’s “hands on” Project Director led the detail of a strong and disciplined review of the cost implications of design which was instrumental in the achievement of the TFP delivered on time and well within budget. A focus on value for the client, value management and careful assessment of risks and opportunities by RLB enabled a better than budget result for the client.” MPH Architects in association with Architectus also recently won the 2014 Australian Institute of Architects National Award for Interior Architecture for the Sustainable Industries Education Centre.