WhatAreWingThings

Shear Outback was officially opened on Australia Day, Saturday 26th January, 2002.

The official opening was carried out by Kay Hull, the Federal Member for Riverina.

There were an estimated 3,000 people in attendance for the opening ceremony.

The above page has been reproduced with permission from The Riverine Grazier, Hay, N.S.W.

Transcript

WHAT are these striking wings doing?

To the wags, they look as though they still have to be put in place on the roof! But they have a special purpose as part of architect Paul Berkemeier’s environmentally friendly designed building, in that they are an integral part of the temperature control system.

The bottom two-thirds of the wings are insulated up to the level of the main roof line, and between them and the main building is a large air space which in itself will have a further insulating effect.

Above the main roof line the wings have large electrically driven air extractors, joined to the building by an adjustable set of louvre blades for each wing. The louvers will will be open and shut according to the internal temperature of the whole building so that rising hot air can be drawn out through the extractors. The physical convection principles used are not new, but in building terms they are quite revolutionary. The most successful example of their practical use is the relatively new Albury TAFE College, where a similar design has been in use now for a number of years.