Representing the “standard” suburban home on a quarter acre block. Using recent technological innovations as well as tried and tested methods for sustainable living to create a comfortable family home that supports environmental conservation.
New or Retro: Retrofit and extension to 1930’s brick residence designed by the owners
Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home
Water Harvesting
Tanks - 19,000L rainwater catchment connected to hot water, laundry, and toilet
Greywater – 850L Greymate from shower and laundry onto garden (not fully setup yet. Hope to put in storage tank and then gravity feed)
External Walls
New walls – wooden stud frame with 70ml foam and insulation (R3.5)
Old walls – brick, providing thermal mass
Internal walls
No changes to internal walls other than bricking up unnecessary windows and doorways
Roof
Existing roof – tiles Insulation added (R3.5)
Floor
New floor in kitchen and family room– suspended slab (no insulation) with slate tiles and sealed with low toxicity finish (All Stone Sealer)
Deck – plantation sugar gum Wooden floors in bedroom area sealed with Livos low toxicity
Window treatments
Bubblewrap on some windows as an experiment
Paarhammer doors and windows with double glazing
No internal window treatments – not necessary except in far bedroom
External blinds and shade cloth in summer –pergola with vines has yet to designed
Bamboo blinds on West side of house but will do pergola and vines in due course
Solar or wind generation
1100 kW BP grid-connected
Heating & Cooling
Cross-ventilation, zoning, passive solar design, ducted gas, wood heater, Heat Recovery Ventilation system
Water Heating
Edwards solar hot water with heat exchanger, wetback and gas boosted.
Wood stove/wetback used for cooking on winter evenings
Appliances
Front loading washing machine, no dishwasher, gas cooking with electric oven
Other
Landscaping using indigenous plants in front and permaculture garden in rear (composting x 3 types)
Cabinetry, bench tops and balustrade uprights using recycled timber (benches WA jarrah)
Fluoro downlights
Bio paints
(August 2009) (
