The original brief for Pixel was for carbon zero, meaning all of the carbon generated annually in running the building would be offset by renewable energy.
Not content with carbon zero, the project team undertook an investigation early in the design process to see whether the building had the capacity to deliver more savings and become ‘carbon neutral’.
The goal was to offset not only all the carbon used during the building’s operation, but also the carbon embodied in the materials used in construction, through the use of renewable energy over a period of time.
Grocon’s team found that, by modifying the design and factoring in a 50-year life cycle, Pixel would deliver a net carbon benefit to the environment.
“Pixel delivers carbon neutrality utilising reasonably traditional commercial building materials, and delivers that solution on a 250sqm site without requiring the provision of offsets from off site,” explains David Waldren, Grocon’s National Design Manager
An extensive photovoltaic array on the roof, mounted on a tracking device to improve output by 40 percent, and combined with the first commercial application of the most efficient 1kW wind turbines then in production, allows Pixel to generate more electricity than it requires.
Over time Grocon will offset all of the carbon that was generated in manufacturing and installing construction materials.
