Trash Palace Environment

The Trash Palace Buildings use sustainable and recycled building materials and energy systems to help reduce harmful environmental impacts.

The buildings were designed by Melling:Morse Architects Ltd who won the Origin Timber Design Award for commercial/public architecture in 2004 for the design. 

The roofing and cladding is Onduline, a low maintenance, low impact material of organic fibres and bitumen made from recycled oil.

The wooden structure is largely untreated Macrocarpa, a sustainable New Zealand timber that does not need oiling or painting.

Almost all the windows and doors are reused and most of the fittings are recycled, including toilets, hand-basins, kitchen fittings, shelving and lighting.

The main flooring in the Education Centre is made of a recycled plastic chip and concrete mix and the entrance-way flooring is made from old car tyres.  Other flooring is made of mosaics of old cups and plates.

Passive solar design is incorporated into the Education Centre and Solar Panels mounted on the roof use the sun’s energy to supply hot water to the Centre.

Rainwater is collected in a water tank and reused to flush toilets, or for outside washing and landscaping.

There is a ‘permaculture garden' at Trash Palace that works in harmony with nature and uses recycled materials.  Worm composting is in operation and two ‘water recycling’ ponds flow down into Spicer Botanic Park to help clean the stormwater runoff from Trash Palace.  To find out more Contact Us to book a tour.