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Robert Foster
Robert Foster is a practising Architect with more than 20 years experience who until recently ran his own practice in Victoria (part time). Since 1999 Robert has worked full time as a program manager and senior analyst for Energy Efficient Strategies on a range of projects.
Robert graduated with an Honours degree in Architecture from the University of Melbourne in 1982. Major areas of study centred on the technological aspects of building design. These studies included:-
- Thermal Performance - Three years of Honours level study under A.B. Coldicott covering evaluation and optimisation techniques including computer modelling using TEMPAL.
- Lighting - Four years of Honours level study under B Merz and Kevin Poulton covering available lighting technologies and evaluation techniques. Work included a final year Honours thesis centred on the development of a CAD programming tool for plotting illumination contours within buildings.
- Energy Conversion and Utilisation - One year honours level study under Dr Bill Charters (Department of Engineering, University of Melbourne) which dealt with energy issues at a national and international level. Work included a research paper entitled "The predicted effect on energy demand in Victoria from the large scale usage of domestic solar hot water systems".
Prior to commencing his own practice Robert worked at a senior level with a number of medium and large Architectural firms on a diverse range of projects. These include major office developments such as The ANZ Bank World Headquarters, Collins Street, Melbourne. Major educational facilities such as the Holmesglen college of TAFE and extensive public housing projects for the Department of Human Services.
Since he commenced with EES in 1994 (initially part time), his responsibilities have included:
- Manager of building shell modelling based studies undertaken by Energy Efficient Strategies including tasks such as:
- Thermal performance modelling
- Comparative cost benefit analysis
- Lifecycle costing
- Space conditioning plant size optimization
- Supply System modelling
- Impact assessments of overshadowing and subdivision design
- Co-author of the 1999 and 2008 Residential baseline studies for the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
- Development of an on-line registration system for all regulated energy efficiency products in Australia and New Zealand
- Delivery of training programs to regulatory staff on the use of the on-line database and understanding the relevant standards.
- Provision of support services to E3 members regarding technical aspects of the energy labelling and MEPS programs.
- Management of the development of new testing facilities to service industry needs in relation to the testing of regulated products.
- Management of round robin proficiency testing programs.
- Thermal performance modelling and simulation model design for Electrical Peak Load Analysis Project: Victoria and South Australia
- Project Manager to the Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector, Victoria for the National Appliance Checktesting Program since 1998.
- Project manager for the development and maintenance of a National Registration Database for water rated products in Australia, for the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- Working Group co-ordinator on behalf of Standards Australia and E3 to coordinate development work on AS/NZS 2040.1 (clothes washers) and AS/NZS2442.1 (clothes dryers).
- Project Manager for the development of a rinse performance measure for clothes washers for Standards Australia
- Senior analyst for the “Greening Whitegoods” study, an analysis of GfK household appliance sales data to track and evaluate energy efficiency trends in Australia for the residential sector, for NAEEEC.
- Co-ordinator of a number of surveys of test laboratories on issues related to the APEC Steering Group on Energy Standards (primarily related to international standards harmonisation and laboratory accreditation for performance and energy testing in Asia-Pacific) and for IEC working groups.
Robert has also presented papers at a number of international forums such as the IEA forum on Labelling and Standards in India in 2004, the International Sustainable Buildings conference (SB08) in Melbourne 2008 and the Australian Alliance to Save Energy Summer Study, February 2012, Sydney
Robert is experienced in all aspects of the building process from design to implementation including on site construction work. He has developed specific skills in the evaluation of building thermal performance, lighting systems equipment and design, computer skills in PC and VAX environments, including CAD, Basic programming, word-processing, spreadsheets, databases and the development of Quality Assurance Systems.
Architectural work under taken by Robert Foster Architects includes both public and private housing projects, multi unit housing, smaller commercial and retail works, work in the health industry, education and some industrial projects.
Selected Studies and papers:
- Estimating Electrical Peak Load Demand And Related Modelling Of Policy Options, paper presented at the International Sustainable Buildings conference (SB08) in September 2008.
- The Value of Ceiling Insulation and the Impact of HIP Program, ICANZ 2011 - Author
- Bottom Up” Model To Estimate Energy Use In Australia’s Residential Sector, paper presented at the International Sustainable Buildings conference (SB08) in September 2008.
- Residential Mandatory Disclosure Project – Project for DSE Victoria and the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE), project manager for energy component.
- Impacts of Sub-division Design on the Additional Housing Cost to meet 5 & 6 star standards for Class 1 Buildings in Victoria, SEAV, late 2003 – Project Manager.
- Study of the Impact of BCA Draft Amendment 13 on a Representative Sample of Victorian Class 1 Buildings in various climates, Australian Building Codes Board and the Australian Greenhouse Office, July 2003 – Project Manager
- Comparative cost benefit study of energy efficiency measures for Class 1 buildings and high rise apartments. SEAV, 2002 – Project Manager
- Implications For Space Conditioning In Class 1 Buildings In Victoria Of Improved Building Shell Performance, SEAV, 2001 – Project Manager.
- Overshadowing analysis of the Esplanade Hotel Site for the City of Port Philip, City of Port Philip, 2001 – Project Manager.
- House Energy Rating Disclosure Study, SEAV, 2001 – Cost Benefit Analysis for KPMG (primary consultants).
- Lifecycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimates and Projections for Queensland Building and Construction and Associated Industries Sector, BRU PWD QLD, 2000 – Project Manager.
- Study Of The Impact Of Minimum Energy Performance Requirements For Class 1 Buildings In Victoria, AGO & SEAV, 2000 – Project Manager.
- Impact of Overshadowing by new Housing Developments on the Energy Efficiency of Existing Housing, SEAV, 2000 – Project Manager.
- Study Of Energy Consumption And Greenhouse Gas Emissions From The South Australian Residential Building Sector, OEP SA, 1999 – Project Manager.
- Study Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From The Australian Residential Building Sector To 2010, AGO, 1999 – Manager of Building Shell Analysis.
- Energy Use in the Australian Residential Sector: 1986 – 2020 to be released in June 2008.
- Electrical Peak Load Analysis – Victoria 1999 – 2003 – VENCORP and The Australian Greenhouse Office, 2004
- Energy Label Transition - The Australian Experience, Prepared for the Australian Greenhouse Office, 2004. (Report 2004/05)
In addition to energy efficiency work for EES, in the past Robert has also consulted to SRC International as a sub consultant consultant on envelope design for the development of a “Government Building Energy Efficiency Reference Manual” for use by the Asian Development Bank.
Robert currently lives near the town of Warragul in Gippsland, Victoria.