Perth Voice Interactive

THE notoriously draughty Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth is finally getting 21st century heating and cooling, but it’s come at the expense of two old sheds. 

The three-storey Federation gothic-style church on Vincent Street is a “category A” protected building and Vincent council has previously approved adding air conditioning and heating.

But the chance to upgrade the system to a geothermal heat exchange means the two sheds on the north-west side of the church now won’t be big enough and will have to be demolished. 

A report from the council’s planners says the changes “would have no impact on the cultural heritage significance” of the site as the buildings were a later addition and too run down to renovate.

Slavin Architects director Stuart Neal told a recent council briefing the development would “incorporate additional sustainability initiatives” as the plant room seeks to utilise a geothermal heat exchange system.

“The initiatives are quite significant […] the system will provide somewhere between 80-20 per cent energy reduction,” he said.

“Approximately 12 tonnes of reductions of CO2 emissions.”

Previous stages of development helped to ensure preservation of the site through reconstruction of the veranda and the building’s re-roofing.

The item was passed in one of outgoing mayor Emma Cole’s quickest-ever meetings; it was all over in under 15 minutes because the city is in caretaker mode pending October’s elections.

by RACHEL JENNINGS