Official Newsletter of Hamton Property Group
Consultant Profile - Jan Talacko
Jan Talacko is the managing director of Ark Resources, a specialist consultant firm which is a leader in sustainable building design. The team from Ark Resources is experienced in large scale residential projects and they work in conjunction with architects and engineers to deliver innovative and award-winning design solutions demonstrating that energy efficiency, ecologically sustainable design and commercial success go hand-in-hand.
Jan formed Ark Resources in 1999 after writing a manual for the Australian tourism industry, called 'Being green keeps you out of the red' which demonstrated the financial and environmental benefits of applying sustainable design strategies. He has also developed tools for assessing the environmental performance of residences which are currently used by local and state government for benchmarking the success of sustainable design and has been involved in the design of a wide range of projects including some of the Commonwealth Games facilities.
Hamton have engaged Ark Resources on some of our current projects, including our Baymarque, Brighton development and the former Deakin University site. This has resulted in more environmentally sustainable designs with reduced contribution to global warming and more responsible use of water resources. For example, Brighton has included the following features:
- Integration of stormwater management into landscaping/road design, including bio-retention systems.
- Solar hot water for all townhouses.
- AAA rated water efficient fixtures and appliances for all townhouses, including smart-flush toilets.
- Use of environmentally sensitive building materials.
- Greenhouse gas reduction achieved using alternative space heating systems (high efficiency gas or electric heat pump with minimum 3 stars).
- Built-in ‘twin bin’ recyclable sorting units in kitchens of all townhouses.
- Optional ‘Green Package’ can be taken up by purchasers to include a 2000L rainwater storage tank (located in courtyard or garage).
All townhouses will achieve the minimum 5 star standard required by the BCA with over 50% of the townhouses attaining a 6 star rating.
By involving Ark Resources at the concept stage of our developments, Hamton acknowledges the need for the housing industry to respond to the challenges posed by climate change and deliver on the principles of environmentally sustainable design.