RAAF Base Richmond Headquarters

A NEW headquarters building for Nos 36 and 37 Squadrons at RAAF Richmond has been awarded an Australian Excellence Five-Star Green Star Rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) for both its “design” by Bligh Voller Nield and “as-built” construction by Baulderstone Hornibrook. The headquarters building was constructed as part of the RAAF Base Richmond Reinvestment Project, which also included a range of building and critical infrastructure upgrades. RAAF Base Richmond was established in 1925.

GBCA is a national, not-for-profit, property industry initiative. GBCA encourages sustainable development in the Australian property industry by promoting environmentally responsive building programs, technologies, design practices, and operations. Green Star ratings are awarded for three phases of a building construction: the design, the office as-built, and the interior. The RAAF Richmond building has been awarded five star ratings for the first two categories and is currently seeking accreditation for the third. It was the first government building, and only the second building in Australia, to achieve a five-star rating.

The task at RAAF Richmond was to design and build a new headquarters building to accommodate Defence personnel, with a challenge to ensure there was no net increase in operating costs, energy and water consumption, or increase to ongoing support costs, including security requirements and cleaning contractors. The requirement RAAF’s 36/37 Squadron staff had experienced cramped working conditions within the existing buildings, which were not suited for the purpose they were being used for. Number 36 Squadron was accommodated in demountable buildings established in the 1980s, but now in a poor state of repair. Number 37 Squadron operated from a two-storey brick building, constructed in the 1950s, which was beyond economic repair. All squadrons had insufficient space for briefing areas, mission planning, ablutions, and storage. These buildings did not meet their purpose in terms of statutory requirements, amenity and functionality. The new headquarters complex for Nos.36 and 37 Squadrons proposed commercial-style office accommodation, sharing the medium- and low-use common facilities, such as briefing and training rooms, ablutions and change areas, and secure areas. The combined headquarters includes office accommodation; training facilities; conference and briefing rooms; amenities, ablutions and change rooms; a secure area; and storage.