We consider sustainable design principles to be a critical and integral part of the design process. Most things that make a design sustainable have been part of good architectural design for thousands of years:

• Consideration of and response to the surrounding context
• Efficient use of space
• Responsible use of materials
• Creative Daylighting design
• Effective thermal response including passive thermal design

With newer technology, additional responses have become available:

• Energy generation on site (eg PV solar panels and many others)
• Recycling of heat and “coolth” (heat exchange air-conditioning etc)
• Automatic shading and ventilation
• Phase change materials

Examples where our designs have been recognised with certifications include:

• William McCormack Place stage 1 – when it was completed, this was the highest rated office building in Australia with ABGR 5 stars
• RPS (Conics) Building – this was the first Greenstar Rated refurbishment in Cairns with 4 stars under the Office v2 rating tool
• William McCormack Place Stage 2 – this was the first project to receive 6 stars in the tropics under the Greenstar Office v2 rating tool

We have also completed off-grid (ie no mains electricity or water) projects:

• McClintock Residence, Kuranda
• JCU Daintree Rainforest Observatory

In addition to our environmentally sustainable design approach, CA Architects performs Green Star building assessments for office buildings using the Green Star rating tool – fast becoming an important part of the design process in Australia.