Introduction

The Council House 2, (CH2) is a progressive new building that is being designed and constructed to serve as a model of modern ecologically sustainable design principles. The building is located in Melbourne, Australia on Little Collins Street in the busy downtown heart of the city. Although the sustainable design principles used in the building are, for the most part, not new technologies, the comprehensive use of multiple ecological design principles is an exciting innovation. CH2 is designed to serve as a model for the way that Australia and the world can approach ecological design. The building is not yet completed (as of 5/2006), but is the first building in Australia to be awarded the six Green Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia. This is the highest level of achievement awarded in Australia for ecological building design. The process and principles involved in the design and contruction of this building can direct future ecological design work.

Artist's impression of completed CH2 building