Tukutuku

The lowest carbon and most energy efficient development at AUT University

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A sustainable campus heart

AUT’s Tukutuku building represents the first step in the revitalisation of the University’s North Campus in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. The new four-storey learning facility provides a social and academic heart with a soaring atrium connecting to the existing AF building, comprehensively refurbished as part of the overall development. With connectivity, sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of design, Tukutuku is the new home of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences and the School of Education and provides all AUT students with an exemplary model for creating a more sustainable future.

AUT is currently Aotearoa New Zealand’s most energy efficient university. Tukutuku is AUT’s most sustainable building, reinforcing the university’s position as the institution with the lowest CO2 emissions/m2 of built space in the country. The use of a new timber structure, combined with the adaptive re-use of the AF building, have been key to halving embodied carbon emissions when compared to a new development built using industry-standard materials such as steel or concrete. These strategies ensure Tukutuku meets Jasmax 2030 net zero carbon targets for both operational and embodied carbon.

The name Tukutuku was gifted to AUT by Ngāti Paoa, and references the lattice work of tukutuku panels, weaving together people, place and shared purpose. Tukutuku reflects AUT’s ambition to create physical environments that inspire collaboration, learning and connection and is designed to uplift student achievement by providing a connected hub encompassing student services, with study and social spaces immediately adjacent to a wide range of learning spaces, café, library and academic staff. Tukutuku is much more than just a place to attend lectures; it is a learning ecosystem.

A model for mass timber and low carbon design

The innovative four-storey mass timber structure has relevance well beyond the tertiary sector. The lightweight timber structure combines post-tensioned LVL columns and beams designed to high seismic and fire performance criteria and significantly reduces costs for foundations on poor soils. At the end of its life, many of the building’s components will be recyclable, as the building is designed to be easily dismantled for reuse.

South-oriented glazing maximises natural light while minimising solar heat gain. The minimal cooling needed is provided through an energy efficient displacement system, providing the optimal solution for Auckland’s temperate climate. Tukutuku is on track to be the country’s most efficiently heated and cooled tertiary education building.

Sustainability is central to our decision-making and who we are as a university. It is a commitment we have made for this generation and those that follow, and we encourage our partners, supporters, and suppliers to shift with us. We are incredibly appreciative of our project partners’ efforts in fulfilling, and in some cases even exceeding, our sustainability targets while ensuring the building was completed on time and on budget.

— Professor Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor, AUT