Melbourne’s New Knox Innovation Opportunity & Sustainability Centre is Dedicated to Eco Education

The <a href="http://www.bayswatersc.vic.edu.au/curriculum/kiosc" target="_blank">Knox Innovation Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC)</a> is a joint project between seven different local schools and <a href="http://www.swinburne.edu.au/">Swinburne University</a> in Melbourne to provide excellent education in the areas of environmental sustainability and responsible management. Designed by <a href="http://www.woodsbagot.com/" target="_blank">Woods Bagot</a>, the KIOSC not only provides space for education on sustainability but is also an energy efficient and eco-friendly building itself. Leading by example, the centre is used as a training hub and discovery center for students in grades 7 through 10.

Completed in April of 2012, the KIOSC combines both sustainable practice in building design along with secondary and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_and_further_education" target="_blank">TAFE (Technical and Further Education) curriculum</a>.

Students in grades 7-10 from secondary schools in the City of Knox can attend the center and participate in an Interactive Discovery Centre, which will provide them with new experiences in the science and technology areas.

Located at Swinburne University of Technology’s campus in Melbourne, students from the university also have a chance to make use of the facility.

The building includes technology-rich collaborative areas, a presentation space for 100 people, discovery laboratories, TAFE laboratories and ancillary spaces, and a Discovery Centre.

As for sustainability, the energy efficiency strategies are immediately apparent just from the facade.

Large vertical louvers on the north side of the building shield the interior from direct solar heat gain, while filling the 2-story atrium with light.

The building also includes sustainable materials, energy efficiency through correct building orientation and integration of siting and building fabric with engineering services.

Recently, Woods Bagot and the KIOSC were awarded top honours by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Victorian Chapter with the award of 'Best New Entire Educational Facility' in the Victorian CEFPI Awards.

KIOSC itself will act as a learning tool for the students and will enable them to develop an understanding of how buildings, people and the natural environment interact.

Through strong industry collaboration, the project is the result of a joint venture between Knox Schools Consortium, Swinburne University, Swinburne TAFE and Woods Bagot.

The 1,800 sq m project was completed in April of 2012 and cost AUD 7.4 million.