Wilam Ngarrang is comprised of fifteen studio apartments and a selection of shared spaces, carved from a tired 1970s block that most developers would've flattened. Rather than knock down our existing structures, with all of their embodied energy and carbon, this project celebrates the opportunity to repair them in a pragmatic and financially viable manner. It incorporates envelope upgrades and mixed mode ventilation into the existing structure, alongside solar PV, rainwater capture and on-site composting. It is all electric – space conditioning, hot water and cooking all liberated from gas.
Improved airtightness, insulation, glazing and heat recovery
33kW rooftop solar system
Centralised domestic hot water heat pump with 24hrs thermal storage
Centralised efficient heat recovery VRV
Induction cooktops
Rainwater collection and reuse in communal laundry and irrigation
Efficient showers, taps and toilets
On-site composting
Retained double brick structure
Avoided MDF joinery
Cork internal floor finish
Repurposed existing roof sheeting, splashback tiles, marble and furniture
We modelled reductions of 108% in grid-supplied energy, 35% in mains water consumption, 60% in waste sent to landfill and 80% in embodied carbon comparative to constructing an equivalent building. This reduces resident bills by 80%. It is Australia's first plus-energy retrofit of an apartment block. The homes are managed by not-for-profit HomeGround, two of them below market rate.