Legacy Living Lab launches

The Legacy Living Lab (L3) development was officially launched at the Fleetwood Australia production yard in Perth this morning, giving attendees a glimpse into the exciting project, which will feature Quantify’s technology.

Quantify was lucky enough to attend the launch for the trial building project which is being coordinated by Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute (CUSP).

Not sure what the living lab is and what this all means?

The construction industry accounts for 40 percent of the man-made carbon footprint. The living lab is aiming to buck the trend of classic construction techniques and showcase more sustainable methods of construction to limit our carbon footprint.

As announced on 1 March, Quantify signed a Heads of Agreement with Curtin University to have their home automation products featured throughout the living lab. Quantify and Curtin will work on the trial alongside organisations who employ innovative and sustainable technologies to increase building efficiency and reduce material consumption and waste.

For example, Curtin has partnered with LandCorp, who work to realise the sustainability potential of land and infrastructure developments in Western Australia.

Matt Read manages and leads the LandCorp Metropolitan South program and said the building, which will be built in East Village at Knutsford in East Fremantle, WA, will trial a range of initiatives, products, materials and technologies to inform the construction industry of the alternatives available.

“In doing this, the industry can have confidence using these technologies moving forward as [L3] sets new benchmarks for sustainability,” Mr Read said at the event.

Alongside LandCorp is Fleetwood Australia, who specialise in the design, manufacture and installation of modular buildings. The living lab’s modular design will enable it to be disassembled and transformed throughout its lifetime.

Quantify’s modular product design ties in with the modularity of the living lab – meaning Quantify will be able to transform or make changes to installed devices as and when desired, while being able to conduct data collection and monitoring.

The living lab has been designed and conceptualised by two CUSP Institute PhD students, Timothy O’Grady and Roberto Minunno, as a means to support their circular economy research (reduce, reuse and recycle concept).

Quantify are sponsoring Timothy’s PhD as he uses L3 and Quantify’s installed technology to explore how smart home automation systems can add value by reducing the energy used by the home, saving emissions and money.

The event was held as part of Curtin University’s week-long Research Rumble and featured NASA Space Architect Larry Toups as a guest speaker alongside experts from Curtin, LandCorp, Fleetwood and the City of Fremantle.

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT:

The space will be an interactive research, prototyping and test facility and will be used for people to collaborate and engage directly with the building, to explore performance and data.

Curtin are hoping to have the living lab in place at Knutsford by May 2019.

Read about Heads of Agreement between Quantify and Curtin University HERE