New or retro: New. This house was built in about 2003.
Climate Zone: Mediterranean
Architect: Paul Downton
Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home
Water harvesting
- Underground rainwater storage Most of the stormwater at Christie Walk is collected and stored underground in two 20,000 litre tanks. The water is filtered and pumped into several of the houses to be used for the toilets (city stormwater considered not potable). The stormwater is also used for all the gardens. When this water runs low it is topped up automatically from the mains supply. Average water usage from the mains, per household, is 69 kl per annum.
External walls
- Low embodied energy
- Sustainable sources
- Timber choice: Recycled
- Low toxicity
- Long life
- Adaptive reuse
My apartment is one of six in a block. Steel frames and building material is autoclaved aerated concrete blocks (Hebel AAC).
Internal walls
- Low embodied energy
- Sustainable sources
- Low toxicity
Internally, the AAC Blocks are lined with timber studs and gyprock and then painted in non-toxic paints.
Roof
- Insulation type and rating: Polyester batts R3
- Curved roof line
Floor and ceiling are concrete slab (this is a first floor apartment with other apartments above and below) On top of the roof there is a garden with shrubs and trees.
Floor
- Thermal mass
- Long life
Concrete slab, finished with low toxicity Marmoleum
Window treatments
Windows are timber framed, double glazed with seasonal external shade from bamboo blinds and shade cloth blinds. Interior venetian blinds.
Electricity generation
Mains electricity used but annual bills are less than $450 for two people. Heating & cooling
- Passive cooling
Summer cooling relies on outside window shading, cross ventilation, and louvre windows between some rooms. There are also internal blinds and ceiling fans in every room.
In the winter we use electric heaters but the well insulated walls and double glazed windows reduce heat loss.
Water heating
- Solar hot water
The apartments have a large solar hot water system above the roof, boosted as needed by gas.
Appliances
Stove and fridge selected for high energy efficiency. Shower head is low flow.
Other
At Christie Walk there are many other features of sustainable urban living outside of the houses. We have vegetable and fruit gardens, a rooftop garden on one of the apartment blocks, a shared laundry and a shared community room for leisure activities and meetings. Recycling is a priority – using kitchen waste for composting, donating unwanted items to others etc. There is a bike shed for 20 bikes, people use public transport and several residents have joined the GoGet carshare scheme enabling them to sell their cars and just pay for car use as needed.
(August 2009) (
