Sustainable House Day, Bilgola Plateau, NSW

Sustainable House Day 2009
  
Sustainable Retrofit at 18 Algona Street, Bilgola Plateau  

Please note: Tours of the house will be conducted on the hour from 10.00am-4.00pm

The project comprises a sustainable retrofit of an existing 1960's project home and an extension for an architectural office.  

Design
We made a commitment early in the project to make every design decision possible based on sustainability criteria.   The aim of the design is to create a carbon neutral home and office with minimal ecological impacts.  

Sustainable Retrofit        
 

 living area zoned for winter ·

insulation in ceiling increased 100% to R3.5, insulation added between floors

sub-floor insulation 'Silverflor' added under timber living room floor 

non-toxic pest control through Systems Pest Management 

window and glass door insulation with 'Clear Comfort' film in zoned area and small home office

LED and CFL lighting replaces incandescent fittings

water-efficient Caroma 'Smart Flush' retrofitted toilet and 4-star washing machine

flow restrictors on taps

1.2kW photovoltaic grid connected power supply 

30 tube evacuated tube solar hot water system    

Sustainable Extension
 

use of existing walls and ceiling framing, recycling of bricks into new walls and stone gained from excavation in the garden 

HDPE pipes used for stormwater and sewer drainage instead of PVC pipes 

v3 (Green Building Council of Australia version 3) green polished concrete for floor provides thermal mass, sealed with water-based sealer

 glass louvres positioned for cross ventilation 

timber windows and door 

double glazed fixed window and door panels

plant based finishes to windows, doors, ceiling and walls 

LED lighting, individually switched to minimise wasted use

office equipment power supply setup allows for stand-by power to be turned off overnight 

decision not to use plasterboard due to high level of embodied energy 

share of 1.2kW photovoltaic system

share of solar hot water system 

E0 (zero emission) MDF ceiling panels, veneered with Silver Ash (local timber)

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified timber stair treads

ceiling fans for air movement

installation of Caroma 'Profile' close coupled 5-star toilet suite with integrated hand basin draining into cistern for flushing

use of indoor plants to improve the indoor environment quality by the symbiotic relationship of plants and soil which removes toxins and humidifies the air    

Sustainable Lifestyle Initiatives

working adjacent to home reduces transport footprint, required travel carbon offset 

non-toxic natural cleaning and personal care products

use of bucket in shower to capture water while hot water coming through

water efficient 'laundry balls' for clothes washing

composting and worm farm 

 no-dig vegetable garden

electrical appliances on power board to be easily turned off at power switch 

use of PowerMate meter for auditing power use

purchase of organic food through Network Organics

reduction in red meat consumption    

Outcomes
Now the project is basically finished and functioning, we are auditing the initiatives described above to monitor their performance characteristics. With this information we can make assessments about further potential efficiencies and conservation practises.   We propose additional measures in the future such as:   

people-oriented entry (not vehicle focussed), reduction in concrete surfaces

removal of existing exotic planting

animal friendly native plantings to provide a wildlife corridor connected to Algona Reserve

return the natural understorey to Spotted Gums to increase biodiversity

water harvesting and storage

grey water recycling

biodynamic vegetable garden

irrigation system for vegetable garden

automatic adjustable shade louvres