Question on Notice: K2 Public Housing
Question on Notice: Mr. Hibbins to ask the Minister for Housing:
In regards to the K2 Raleigh Street, Windsor:
(1) When was the last energy monitoring study of the K2 Building completed.
(2) What were the findings of the study regarding the energy performance of the building.
(3) What is the current performance of the building in relation to the stated performance targets:
(a) 55 per cent less mains electricity;
(b) 46 per cent less mains gas;
(c) 53 per cent less mains water.
(4) How often are maintenance works undertaken to ensure that the K2 retains its energy efficiency in particular maintenance of the solar, water and energy systems in the building.
ANSWER:
I am informed that:
1. Construction of the innovative K2 apartment complex was completed in 2007 and several leading-edge technologies were included in the design, with a commitment from the department to learning from their deployment. As part of the department's ongoing energy and water monitoring programs, energy performance data from the K2 apartment complex is currently collected and reviewed annually.
2.The findings generally indicated the following:
-
While mains electricity usage has been impressively low, some benefits of the passive design features included in the buildings have not been fully realised in relation to the heating and cooling systems, due to the manner of their operation and use of their controls.
-
The solar hydronic heating system and domestic hot water system have performed below their efficiency specifications, with learnings achieved regarding effective design for potential future applications.
3. In the 2018-19 financial year:
a) ; The K2 complex used 84% less mains electricity than a standard development.
b) ; The K2 complex used 3% more mains gas than a standard development.
c) ; The K2 complex used 34% less mains water than a standard development.
4. A regular maintenance program is undertaken to ensure the complex maintains its energy efficiency. As part of the maintenance program:
-
The roof top solar panels are checked and cleaned annually.
-
The heating and hot water systems are subject to preventative maintenance regimes.
-
New increased efficiency gas boilers were installed at the site in 2017.
-
Some of the water saving technology has been decommissioned due to concerns from residents regarding the appearance of the water and limited effectiveness in operation.
The K2 complex remains a great example of the use of sustainable technology and has provided considerable learning regarding the application of these technologies in a public housing context, which will inform future approaches to building energy efficient public housing.
Hon Richard Wynne MP
Minister for Housing