Students take on green design challenge

An Australian-first green energy project is slated to launch later this year in Sydney that promises to pave the way for more Australians to access solar power.

The Stucco Co-operative, with the support of a City of Sydney “Environmental Performance – Innovation Grant”, is demonstrating Australia’s first photovoltaic solar electricity system with battery storage in a multi-unit residence.

The project is overcoming the significant obstacles to renewable energy being rolled out in Sydney’s largest and most rapidly growing housing sector, which includes apartment blocks, strata complexes and community housing.

Bjorn Sturmberg and Louis van Rensburg are driving the project, alongside a group of Sydney university students. Together the members of Stucco seek to minimise their impact on the environment; living communally and sharing many resources for instance helps achieve this.

Beyond this, Stucco is also a near-ideal site for photovoltaic solar energy: the building has large, flat, unshaded roof-space; the population density of three storey apartments has been shown in recent research to be roughly optimal; and the total energy consumption is relatively low due to the absence of appliances such as air-conditioners.

As well as covering 80% of the student’s electricity use, the project will illustrate how it’s possible for both landlords and tenants to benefit from the installation of solar systems.

Essentially the students will buy the power from the building owner, which is a student cooperative. Currently just one per cent of Australia’s two million rental properties have solar on their roof, meaning millions of people are missing out on the chance to use clean energy.  

The students leading the project have been invited to address solar and sustainability conferences around the country.

The next one is next month in Sydney: http://renewablecities.com.au/speakers/louis-janse-van-rensburg/