Sustainable House Day, Meander, Tasmania

Building: designed and built by owner. Has 5 star energy rating.

Water harvesting systems:
5,000 gallon galvanized tank and 1,000 gallon header tank filled by 12 volt solar pump. Half the roof area is currently being directed to a garden pond, but will be pumped to large tank in future. There are also 4 dams on the property, and it is planned to pump from them to a second header tank which will provide garden water. Garden water is currently supplied by siphon from the back dam, or from a small tank under the verandah (which will be used as a holding tank to be pumped to the 5,000 gal tank in future)
 

In addition, the property has a number of swales and berms which concentrate and hold water for trees and shrubs. There is a 50 m drop over 200m, so there is plenty of slope to take advantage of. The  driveway acts as a catchment for summer storms, and feeds runoff directly to the bottom dam. The paddock area has been deep ripped.  This improves drainage, while sending runoff towards dam drains which also feed the bottom dam.

Special garden features:
The property is long and narrow with a northerly aspect, and sheltered from the south and west, so it has a good microclimate. Originally a hay paddock with 4-5 remaining gum trees, plantings include a wide variety of fruit and nut trees, berry bushes and a small vineyard, as well as bush tucker/firewood windbreaks. The whole property is wildlife and rabbit proofed so internal fences are not required. A blackberry problem is being controlled by hand, with a pig tractor named Arnie, and by using biodynamic peppers. There is a small nursery for growing on useful permaculture plants. This summer  I am experimenting with a water chestnut pond.

Construction:
The house is constructed on treated pine stumps with a timber frame, using ecoash and recycled hardwood, with recycled macrocarpa from an old windbreak at Wesley Vale for the cladding. The total floor space, which includes atrium, kitchen/living room, pantry/storeroom, study, shower/laundry and double bedroom is approximately 13 squares. The building hugs the slope on three levels, and the natural cladding and  light eucalypt colourbond roofing and window trim help it blend into the landscape.
 

The floor is recycled hardwood coated with natural tung oil, and insulated to R1, boxed in with cement sheeting. The walls are plasterboard insulated to R1, with the ceilings insulated to R2. Windows and doors are of timber, largely recycled, and furnished with lined curtains and pelmets.
 

The glass and alcinite atrium has foundations and a rear wall of local stone which acts as a heat bank for the subtropical plantings.  
The warmth from the atrium can be directed into the house through interconnecting louvre windows. Additional heating is provided by a wood stove using timber from the property or offcuts from the local timber mill, and a gas heater. There is also a gas stove and fridge.
 

On the rare occasions when cooling is an issue, windows provide cross ventilation, and there are doors out to balconies on both floors.
 

Electricity is provided by a 500 kW solar system with a 1kva generator backup for winter.

Waste management:
There is a 6 bay Rotaloo composting toilet accessed from the atrium. The composted solids are placed into an in ground worm farm for further processing and use around trees. The grey water is filtered through a sump tank and gravel and reed bed, then is piped to swales where an inline switch enables alternate swales to be soaked.