New or retro: New. The 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 Timber framed with 500mm straw bale walls – the first inner-city strawbale buildings in Australia. Plantation and recycled timbers are used exclusively at Christie Walk.
Internal walls
- Low embodied energy
- Sustainable sources
- Timber choice: Recycled - Low toxicity Internally, the straw-bale walls are rendered and then painted in non-toxic paints.
Roof
- Insulation type and rating: Polyester batts R3
- Curved roof line
The ceilings are insulated with polyester batts containing recycled PET bottle plastic. It is non-toxic and non-itchy to handle Floor - Thermal mass
- Long life
Window treatments
Windows are double glazed and varied in size with small several low hung windows to allow summer breezes into the home.
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, thermal flue effect of spiral staircase and roof window opening, and louvre windows between some rooms. There are also internal curtains and 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 water heating used from October to mid April. As our house is overshadowed by a neighbouring building, in the winter we use the electric back-up but leave it turned off until we need to heat the water. It takes only half to ¾ hour to heat enough water for daily use
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) (
