Chris
Barker, honours student at the ETC (pictured right), is working on
an innovative project to consider alternative energy systems for
remote tourism facilities on the beautiful Ningaloo Coast. Chris,
accompanied by ETC Research Manager Dr Martin Anda have made a first
field trip to one of WAs most sensitive and stunning locations.
Chris will spend
his honours project reviewing available options for power delivery
in the most cost effective and environmentally sustainable way. The
aim of the trip was to review possible appropriate technology for
the size, scope and climate of the region and the specific site.
To do this Chris needs to collect information on existing data, technologies
and structures within the Ningaloo Outback Coast.
Before designs
for renewable energy systems are carried out a model to determine
the energy consumption within the development is needed. Renewable
energy systems can be relatively expensive so to reduce the cost
and payback periods one needs to design a system with the most energy
efficient and cost effective designs.
From this trip
Chris has defined five tourism categories:
The major tourism
nodes to cater for up to 500 people
- Blowholes
- Quobba Station
- Gnaraloo
- Lighthouse
Beach
The minor tourism
nodes to cater for up to 200 people
- Red Bluff
- Three Mile
Camp (part of Gnaraloo Station)
- Bruboodjoo
point
The Ecology Tourism
nodes to cater for up to 100 people
- Gnaraloo Bay
- Elle’s
Camp
- Ningaloo Reef
Retreat
- Mandu Mandu
Gorge North
Homestead Tourism
for up to 50 people
- Warroora Homestead
- Giralia Homestead
Chris wants to
determine the best type of facilities for each category. In doing
this he will determine the notional target energy consumption for
each type of tourism node. This will include the building fabric,
the level of accessories/luxuries, the water requirements (pumping
and filtration systems)
Types of accommodation
include:
- Semi-Permanent
Lightweight Tents similar to those at Ningaloo Reef Retreat
- Light weight
pre-fabricated transportables with steel framed floor like those
at Quobba Station
- Light weight
pre-fabricated transportables with concrete floor like those at
Bay View Coral Bay
- Permanent
dwellings constructed of stone and wood like those at Gnaraloo
Station (and various styles at Coral Bay (tilt-up concrete, lightweight
blockwork, timber veneer, all generally with concrete slab on ground
and CI roof).
- Straw Bale
dwellings similar to the care takers house at Red Bluff
- Rammed Earth
Building such as the Milyering Visitor Centre in Cape Range National
Park.
Chris' aim is
to monitor the performance of these dwellings for suitability to
the climate along the Ningaloo Outback Coast. He can do this through
the technology of I-button data loggers. Firstly Chris will review
climate data for the region and see how it compares between Carnarvon
and Exmouth as well as other literature on built form climate sensible
design for this climate type. These data loggers record temperatures
of the environment in which they are placed. They record temperatures
over about three months max. They must be calibrated first. Before
three months they are removed and connected to a computer where the
information is recorded. For each dwelling a logger will be installed
inside and compared to a logger taking the outside ambient air temperature.
This will give a good indication to the thermal performance of the
different types of accommodation mentioned above.
Chris hopes to
find the building type that will be ideally suited to the Blowholes
region so that air conditioning and heating are not required. Orientation
of the building will be another consideration for this monitoring.
Buildings will be chosen that have the most similar design features
such as orientation but differ in materials and location.
Other important
information is the visitor numbers and when they are present. This
requires further investigation on visitor numbers from Bay View Coral
Bay, Quobba Station, Blowholes and Ningaloo Reef Retreat. Ideally
we would like the high renewable energy output times of the year
to coincide with the high visitor numbers. In many discussions this
has been an important factor. Since this is not always the case.
Wind, Solar,
other renewable data as well as diesel generator sets consumption
will need to be used to find the best mix to suit the development.
