UnitingCare Elanora Aged Care

Project Name: UnitingCare, Elanora Residential Aged Care Service

Location: Shellharbour

Installation: 4 passive WINDCATCHER ® units

Control System: INVent

Architects: Calder Flower Architect

Main Contractors: Grindley Construction Pty. Ltd.

Status: Complete

 

4 WINDCATCHER systems have been installed in the 100 unit Elanora residential care service to ventilate the upper floor common areas such as lounge and dining rooms. Designed by Calder Flower Architects, Elanora which is centrally located on the Illawarra coast behind the Stockland Shellharbour shopping centre was designed to promote sustainability and innovation in the evolving aged care building industry.

Elanora contains eighty low level care rooms and twenty high level care rooms. As a Service Group of UnitingCare NSW ACT, UnitingCare Ageing is the single largest provider of aged care services in New South Wales and the ACT, with around 14,000 people in their care. UnitingCare Ageing seeks to provide positive lifestyle choices for older people that result in enriching and fulfilling lives, through offering care in a range of accommodation settings. The organisation continually strives to develop services by seeking knowledge, responding to and meeting community expectations, and by developing innovative approaches that will provide the best possible care for the people it serves.

As part of UnitingCare’s unique sustainability strategy, Calder Flower utilised the WINDCATCHER systems for the following reasons:

  • Occupants will be treated to constantly replenished fresh, healthy air all year round.
  • Patented control system enables the WINDCATCHER to run on a 4 season programme, meaning on the days where it is too hot or too cold, the units will open and close accordingly.
  • CO2 sensors ensure CO2 levels are always below 1000ppm.
  • Night time cooling function will assist in maintaining the fresh internal environment, even during Summer months.
  • Client was offered an energy and maintenance free solution.
  • Units operate silently.

UnitingCare has always targeted a high level of sustainable building outcome and a lot of work was undertaken in the design phase to maximise occupant comfort and minimise energy and other resource usage.

Such measures included:

  • Double glazing and smart building automation
  • Measurably improved building fabric performance
  • Solar power and hot water supply.

The building has set an aged care industry benchmark for environmental and sustainable energy-efficient design. Its use of the latest technology will enable greater independence, safety and individualisation of care.

The WINDCATCHER units were successfully commissioned at the end of April, and the Service is nearing completion and due to open in September 2011.