Who are we?

Archimages Architecture is based in northern NSW, our projects are predominantly community, residential, commercial and industrial projects. We are committed to excellence in design in all our projects and maintain a strong focus on practical design solutions that are environmentally responsible.

Why did we become involved?

Energy efficiency is a priority for Archimages Architecture, not only in our projects but also within our office. With all of our projects we strive to improve environmental performance and promote the use of ethically procured building materials. While we have always been conscious of our own energy usage it was important for us to establish what aspects of our working environment were responsible for our consumption. We could then identify potential savings and relate them to carbon emissions.

Where did we start?

Archimages Architecture moved into a new premises midway through 2010, and through this process maintained an awareness of how our office setup would effect our energy consumption. We made deliberate decisions regarding the fit-out and use of the office, some of which include:

• Energy efficient lighting & IT solutions
• Turning off the Hot Water System
• NOT installing an AC system, we installed ceiling fans instead
• Re-using furniture & electronics from previous office to reduce waste

Following the move we continued the practice of using re-cycled paper wherever possible, minimising the use of artificial lighting during daylight hours, completely shutting down computers every night and where possible running electronics such as the photocopier in 'sleep' mode when idle.

Process Undertaken

Guided by the questions posed in the Reducing Carbon Emissions audit, we collected data such as our electricity and gas usage and vehicle mileage. At this point we suspected that transport would be the biggest contributor to our carbon emissions.

The Reducing Carbon Emissions Audit was a great tool in determining where our emissions were being produced; however in some areas we had the potential to be even more specific regarding the appliances and fixtures we use had the Audit tool accommodated this. For example, the office is lit by compact fluorescent downlights, which are a more efficient means of lighting than regular fluorescent lights, but we could not specify this on the audit

In addition to the audit, we investigated our energy systems by using a portable meter on all electronics, which measured the electricity being consumed both in full use and when the appliance was idle.

The Audit confirmed that our largest contributor to carbon emissions was transport.  This is not surprising, but it is disappointing as it is difficult to minimise when living and working in a non-metropolitan area where public transport is rarely available.  Although air travel for work is rare, carbon emission offsets are always purchased with an airline ticket.

Where are we now?

Since conducting the Reducing Carbons Emissions audit and becoming more aware of Archimages Architecture's carbon footprint, we have installed 25 photovoltaic panels with a total capacity of 4.8KW.  In our area, based on experience from other projects, we could expect this to produce approximately 19.2 KWh per day on an annual cycle, which is approximately 1.5 times our current power usage.

Where are we going?

We are glad to be able to provide our own electricity needs through the photovoltaic panels, as well as contribute back to the grid. We are always exited to learn of new systems and products that have the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the office, and are committed to implementing energy saving measures both within our office and in our projects.

Archimages Architects are planning a refurbishment of the office, and are in the process of selecting materials that will improve the performance of the building, such as increased insulation and energy efficient glazing.

Where possible we are selecting materials that have come from recycled sources, as well as being recyclable themselves at the end of their life.

We look forward to maintaining a dialogue within the office of how we can continually reduce our carbon footprint. The Reducing Carbon Emissions website along with the resources attached to it are a valuable foundation for any office to become more environmentally responsible.