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/Williamstown High School
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Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown High School (WHS) has a 5 Star Green Star – Education Pilot Certified Rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) which represents Australian Excellence in environmentally sustainable design. It is the first high school in Victoria to achieve this rating.
WHS was designed as a model school for environmental education, both in its built form and in the curriculum offered to students. Built to a constrained Department of Education Budget, WHS uses passive design principles and well tested technologies to create a naturally ventilated school complex. The building wings reach across their coastal environment, drawing the sea breeze through the spaces and filling them with natural light. The design emphasises volume over floor area, expressed structure and the use of robust and tactile materials.
The built environment has become part of the student’s learning resource at Williamstown by displaying the building’s environmental attributes in a manner that can be readily understood and absorbed by its users. This includes a highly visible rainwater collection system and expressed timber structure. The buildings features a variety of timber construction including external cladding of spotted gum and silvertop ash, hoop pine plywood linings and a fully recycled hardwood floor salvaged from the existing school buildings.
Green Initiatives
- 90% reduction potable water
- 35% reduction energy consumption
- 60% improvement summer thermal comfort
Recognition of Merit
- Interior Design 2008 Awards – Winner Environmentally Sustainable Design
- School Design 2007 Awards – Winner Best Overall School and the Best Secondary School (New or Redeveloped)
- PCA Innovation & Excellence 2011 Awards – Finalist in Public Category
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