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Inveresk Apartments

Inveresk apartments

The University's National Rental Affordability Scheme apartments at Inveresk are located on the banks of the North Esk River beside the University's Inveresk campus. The development consists of 120 apartments and some common areas across two three-storey buildings. The apartments were completed in February 2016.

The Inveresk apartments are Tasmania's first prefabricated timber-framed multi-storey residential development, combining prefabricated, lightweight timber framing with structural cross-laminated timber (CLT) in favour of traditional concrete and steel. The building was designed by local firms Morrison and Breytenbach and Circa Morris-Nunn Architects, with technical expertise from the University's Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood and the team's structural engineers.

Working with local manufacturers, trades and construction firms, the design team developed a prefabrication enterprise. The 120 apartments, constructed by principal construction contractor Hutchinson Builders were prefabricated as complete, individual modules in a warehouse close to the site. The prefabricated apartments were then transported from the warehouse to the site and installed as a modular build process.

Environmentally sustainable design principles and elements include:

  • passive solar design to minimise space heating requirements
  • natural lighting for day-time lighting requirements
  • use of plantation timber, which is a renewable resource and carbon sink
  • natural ventilation for indoor air quality and cooling, including the first use in Australia of an innovative trickle ventilation system
  • a 40kW photovoltaic array generating on-site renewable energy
  • a system for capture and re-use of rainwater for toilet flushing and fire suppression.

The project is being assessed for a Green Building Council of Australia, Green Star rating.

Designed to foster a community feel and situated on a major transport corridor close to the amenities of the Launceston CBD, the facility is also socially sustainable; studies show that this is likely to result in well-connected and well-settled students who are more likely to perform well, both socially and academically.

The development continues the enhancement of the Inveresk precinct through a sensitive response to the site's underlying urban structure, its heritage, its natural amenity and its place within the Launceston city context.

For information on how to apply for accommodation in these apartments, see the Inveresk Apartments Accommodation page.