We lived for some times in a beautiful but sometimes cold house on the "wrong side of the hill". A suitable nearby partly cleared block, approx 400m elevation, with good solar orientation and views, but cold nights found us, and we, with our designer and builder, designed a 130 m2 passive solar house incorporating the following features;
N-NE orientation for maximum solar exposure, extensive Low-e Argon filled double glazing to maximize sun exposure onto the insulated slab, hydronic heating, with ability to move heat from warm areas to colder ones, and provision for various future heat sources; R4.4 insulated walls, R 7+ roof, some high mass reverse brick veneer walls to stabilize temperatures. Close attention was paid to insulation and reducing thermal bridging, giving 8.9 Stars.
No night time heating is required if there has been some sun during the day in winter. A small wood heater provides enough heat when there is no sun.
Top-down, bottom-up thermal blinds manage light, heat and shading on the deliberately "over glazed" northern glass wall, which is simply IGUs bonded to the metal wall frame.
Opening windows and internal louvres allow good cross ventilation.
Materials were selected for longevity and bushfire resistance.
Lighting is all fluorescent, no downlights with resulting holes in ceiling and insulation!
Evacuated tube hot water, and provision for future grid connected PV panels.
Roof water collected for house use.
Wastewater is via a Biolytix Aerobic Composting system; no chemicals just happy worms.
The photos to the right highlight:
Floorplan - The house is set into the side of the hill, with highlight windows between the top of the retaining wall and the ceiling, providing indirect light to the back rooms and cross ventilation.
View showing polished concrete slab, full height north glazing, opening hi-lites on south wall, louvre windows over internal door, thick well insulated walls.
View from the north west. Trees to the west provide late afternoon shade in summer.
(September 2011) (
