The Coastal Environment Centre (CEC) is a multi-award winning community environmental learning centre, and Pittwater Council’s environmental flagship. Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches at North Narrabeen, the Centre is committed to delivering excellence in environmental education and engaging residents of the Northern Beaches community in transition towards a sustainable future.
In past years, the focus of our environmental education was interpretation of local ecosystems, coastal and catchment management, conservation of local biodiversity and the value of our flora and fauna. Since 2004, sustainable living has become an increasing part of our work. Plans are now being implemented to boost the role of the Centre to increase the focus on environmental sustainability, climate change and community involvement in being part of the solution.
Demonstration Site Retrofit - To help raise awareness of the energy saving measures we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint and help stop global warming, the Centre is being progressively retrofitted as a community sustainable living demonstration site. The aim is to showcase integrated and sustainable energy, water and waste management initiatives to local residents and businesses.
SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
Although the CEC was constructed in 1990, the building incorporates a range of energy smart design principles that have traditionally kept Australian homes cooler in our hot summers.
Windows & Shading – Deep verandas all the way around the building shade windows from direct sun, supplemented by an adjustable external blind on the western side. Native vegetation casts additional shading, allowing only filtered sunlight to strike the western windows.
Floor – The timber floor is raised 1 metre above the ground, allowing for good air circulation around and underneath the building, in the manner of the old style “Queenslander” homes. Internally, floors are covered with sisal carpet, with thick underlay providing insulation against heat loss through the floor in winter. Sisal is a natural product, made from the leaves of the tropical succulent species Agave sisalana, now grown around the world for its valuable fibre.
Lighting – Energy Australia recently offered the Centre an upgrade and replacement of its lighting, to showcase how easy it can be to reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. The outcomes were an annual saving of around $350 on electricity bills, saving of 3.1 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, and better lighting providing improved comfort and amenity for staff.
Electricity Generation – A 1.435 grid connected PV array of 7 Kyocera panels provides around 50% of the electrical needs of the education centre, which operates core hours 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. The remainder of the Centre’s electricity needs are supplied by coal fired electricity from the grid, offset with purchase of 6% accredited Greenpower. The panels were installed with an Australian Government rebate for community buildings, and a community education program developed which includes regular tours of the energy efficency and renewable energy technology features of the site.
Heating & Cooling – Over its 18 years of operation, air conditioning has never been needed at the CEC. Sufficient thermal comfort for occupants has been provided by cross-ventilation achieved by opening external doors and windows to capture coastal breezes. Warm air is enabled to escape the building by opening high louver windows in the main rooms, and two recently installed hot air exhausts in the ceiling of the new Eco-cinema facility. Heating in winter is provided by 4 energy efficient natural gas heaters located in different sections of the building.
Water Heating – The CEC’s need for hot water is not great, as there are no showers. Hot water is provided to the kitchen sink and bathroom hand-basin by a Rinnai solar hot water system, donated by Rinnai Solar Australia. The system is a single flat-plate collector on an unshaded north facing roof, with a separate hot water tank. The new system, replaces two old electric hot water heaters and has saved an estimated $327 annually on electricity costs and will save 2.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from going into the atmosphere every year.
Appliances – The electric ZIP office water heater is kept switched off, and an Eco-jug used instead for staff tea and coffee throughout the day. The ZIP is switched on occasionally, when hot water for catering large groups is required. Desk-top computers for staff have been replaced with more energy efficient laptops. Some of the Audiovisual equipment in the new Eco-cinema is manufactured by T+A Elektroakustik, whose environmental credentials include energy efficiency, longevity and green manufacturing principles (since 1978). Supplied in Australia by WC Wedderspoon, based at Crows Nest .
Water Harvesting – Rainwater is collected from the roof into a 600 litre ‘rainbottle’ water tank, donated by local water company – the Water Warehouse. At present, the harvested water is only used for watering the garden but there are plans to plumb the water tank to flush toilets at a later stage.
Waste Management – Waste is reduced to a minimum through staff education and awareness. To prevent waste to landfill generating methane (a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2) food scraps and greenwaste from the garden is recycled through two compost bins and a worm farm.
Gardens – The CEC’s no-dig garden provides herbs and veges for use by staff, and provides an opportunity to discuss the issue of “food miles” with visitors to the Centre. A local native demonstration garden has been established to promote the beauty of the local flora and to save on the need for watering
(September 2009) (
