Blending technology and sustainability

When you’re building a luxury resort in an area of outstanding natural beauty such as Noosa (on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast) you need to choose building products that fit nicely into the environment and blend into the landscape.

However, Noosa’s location means these products must also withstand the harsh coastal environment. That’s where Makrolon® and Laserlite® from Bayer MaterialScience come in. Christopher Nolan, Bayer MaterialScience’s representative on the Sunshine Coast, worked closely with Paul McGovern and Brad Gamlin from Gamlin Roofing to help them build eco-friendly, energy efficient villas and apartments at the new Viridian Resort. Laserlite is often used in roofing applications, but here it is also used as cladding on the external walls.

“This is an innovative way for us to use both products,” said Christopher. “When I spoke with Paul and Brad, they were very keen to find a product that offered them flexibility within the architect’s eco-friendly design, was hard-wearing and UV protected.”

Paul McGovern added, “I would think that we could find even more ways to use this type of polycarbonate in other building projects. As well as offering a low embodied energy, these products are lightweight, and are easy to install. Furthermore, they transmit light really well for stairwells and skylights, which can help reduce energy costs especially during long hours of sunlight.”