Griffith University applies environmentally sustainable design to all new buildings and refurbishments
Our buildings include the Sir Samuel Griffith Centre on the Nathan campus, a 6 star green star building powered by solar and hydrogen technologies, and the Gold Coast campus Multistorey carpark that features a 100kW solar array and a 10kW wind turbine. Our Engineering, Technology and Aviation building, also at Nathan campus, is an innovative new building considered a 'Living Laboratory' where more than 30 sensors relay information about the building's energy, water and structural performance in real-time to students, ready for use within their studies.
In line with UN SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Griffith is a key partner with the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, a unique industry-government-research collaboration to improve Australia’s built environment industry.
Sustainable building features
- Sun studies are conducted prior to construction and buildings are orientated and well insulated to reduce heat load/heat loss
- Buildings are well shaded to reduce heat load and address internal glare issues
- Energy management systems control air conditioning and lights to ensure energy efficiency
- Motion detector sensors control air conditioning systems and lighting
- Low energy lighting
- Environmentally preferable materials including low or no volatile organic compounds
- Solar or waste heat water heating
- Harvesting, storage and reuse of rainwater
- Use of recycled and recyclable materials
- Water efficient fittings
Sustainable building initiatives

Sir Samuel Griffith Centre
6 star green star building - Nathan campus
- Powered by 376kW solar array and hydrogen technology
- Air-conditioning - at night, excess energy is used to chill water for the main air-conditioning system to run the next day.
- Water harvesting - water is collected from the roof and stored in a large water tank for use in landscape irrigation and toilet flushing.

EcoCentre - Nathan campus
- 23.4 kW system - showcases multiple solar energy technologies and multiple brands on the market.
- One set of solar panels is on a dual-axis tracker, allowing for comparisons between roof mounted and tracker mounted systems to be made.
- Rammed earth walls for temperature regulation
- Rainwater harvesting

Multistorey carpark - Gold Coast campus
- 100 kW solar array
- 10 kW Wind turbine
- LED lighting
- By painting the concrete soffit white to increase reflectivity and using LED lighting reduced the number of light fittings by 25%.
Contact us
Griffith Sustainability Room -1.10F, Building N16, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan QLD, 4111