Desert Rose rises from the ground

Students from the University of Wollongong (UOW) and TAFE NSW Wollongong have teamed up to construct a purpose-built home catering to the needs of people living with dementia and other age-related disabilities.

The home takes its name – ‘Desert Rose’ from the flower that flourishes in challenging environments, and will be built at the TAFE NSW Illawarra campus.

Construction is currently under way on the two-year project. TAFE NSW trades students will play an active role in constructing the house while UOW students will advise on the practical applications of the design.

With dementia being the second leading cause of death in Australia, the students decided something needed to be done to help those suffering from the deadly disease.

Throughout the design phase, students worked closely with local aged care providers and the Dementia Training Australia group to ensure designs meet the changing needs of occupants.

The house’s building plans are underpinned by a set of design principles developed by UOW’s Professor Richard Fleming, based on his work with the elderly for more than 30 years, as well as innovations developed at UOW’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC).

Project Manager, Clayton McDowell, says the Desert Rose’s design aims to change the way the world views homes for the elderly with a house that is architecturally inspiring, celebrates life and demonstrates a house that is adaptable to an ageing person’s needs.

“It’ll reduce the stress placed on health services by including state-of-the-art design that supports independent living for occupants living with age-related disabilities and diseases including dementia,” he says.

“The Desert Rose will celebrate life by helping the elderly to live a life of enjoyment in the comfort of their own home for as long as they choose.”

While patient welfare took centre stage, environmental sustainability was also at the heart of the Desert Rose’s design.

The home will feature innovative heating, ventilation and an air-conditioning system that uses solar cooling technology and leverages the benefits of passive design (design that takes advantage of the climate to maintain a comfortable temperature range in the home).

Students will enter the Desert Rose in the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018, which is an international competition that challenges collegiate teams to design and construct full-sized solar-powered houses that combines energy-efficiency with design excellence.

For the competition, the Desert Rose will be disassembled and shipped to Dubai to be reconstructed over a 10-day period in November 2018.  Following the Solar Decathlon, the house will be shipped back to Australia, rebuilt, and put on display at UOW’s Innovation Campus.

In 2013, the UOW team took home the win at the Solar Decathlon China with its Illawarra Flame House and hopes to emerge triumphant again at next year's event in Dubai.

TAFE NSW Solar Decathlon Project Manager, Tony Schaefer, says the project was the only entry in the history of Solar Decathlon where a university and vocational college joined forces.

“This is a fantastic experience for students and teachers from both institutions,” he says.

“It adds to the big picture aspect of sustainability in the building and construction industry by creating a greater understanding of each other’s roles, which leads to less resource wastage.”

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor, Paul Wellings CBE, commended the hard work and dedication of the 200-plus students and staff involved in the Desert Rose house project.

“This is an excellent example of how students in the Illawarra can engage in challenging learning with practical outcomes,” he says.

“Many of these students have been volunteering their time to work on this project in addition to their studies and other commitments.

"Their dedication is admirable and in years to come they will be able to reflect on making a positive contribution to a major and growing social challenge.”

The total cost of the Desert Rose project is expected to be approximately $2.5 million, which includes the team’s travel and transport to and from Dubai.

Funding of $500,000 is being sought from the government, with the balance to be sourced via industry sponsorship and UOW contributions.