Sustainable House Day, Currumbin 2, QLD

“Socrates on Lakeview”

Socrates (469 BC–399 BC) said: "Now, supposing a house to have a southern aspect(northern in the southern hemisphere) , sunshine during winter will steal in under the verandah, but in summer, when the sun traverses a path right over our heads, the roof will afford an agreeable shade, will it not?" (Reference Xenophon (1979). The Memorabilia (Book III, VIII ed.). New Rochelle, N.Y.: Caratzas Bros.. ISBN 0892410000.)

New build completed December 2008

Gross floor area:  214m2

Rammed earth internal thermal mass

External walls and roof:  insulated panel

Thermal Star Rating:   7.5 out of 10    Summer Cooling 11.8 MJ/m2    Winter Heating 17.9 MJ/m2

Architect:  Andrew Webb

Orientation:  True north (Aeschylus wrote: "Only primitives & barbarians lack knowledge of houses turned to face the winter sun.")

The “Socrates on Lakeview” was designed to be carbon neutral in operation and has achieved this status decades ahead of any Australian or Queensland building regulation while affording the owners Ray and Wendy a comfortable year round abode without any artificial heating or cooling.

The house design was based on the fundamental passive solar principals observed by Socrates over 2400 years ago. The house construction used a range of recycled and new materials and was designed with the latest generation of computer thermal modelling to optimise each room’s comfort level throughout the year.  The thermal design also considered the local micro climate which included prevailing breezes and solar access.  As part of the local covenant was a requirement for minimal fencing and views of the neighbouring public walkways and neighbouring property common areas encouraging a high level of social interaction and security.

Sustainable elements featured in this home.

The design brief while complex included a range of accessible features, simplified plumbing, compactness, versatility plus be totally water self-sufficient, use solar thermal for heating water and solar PV for electricity conversion, low embodied energy, low toxicity material selection, good lighting design achieving low glare (both internal and external), and high efficiency.

-    Reused hardwood floor boards used throughout coated with a natural Tung oil coating which is hard waring and easily repaired.
-    Use of reused hardwood subfloor in a number of rooms
-    Many windows and doors using recycled materials
-    Each room has included a section of rammed earth wall to stabilise the temperature and give a warm and earthy feel which is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
-    Extensive use of cross ventilation optimised for the local microclimate
-    Over 50,000 litres of water storage (about 12 months supply)
-    High efficiency d.c. solar powered battery backed up potable water pumping
-    Solar thermal hot water angled to optimise winter heating at 35 degrees
-    Solar PV eight modules of 215W (1,720Wpeak) SunPower back-contact monocrystaline, mounted on a seasonal adjusting stand.  40 degrees for winter and 10 degrees for summer.
-    Low e glazing used in a number of windows for improved comfort
-    curtains with Pelmets  for improved thermal comfort and light control
-    Insulated subfloor + building skirts to stabilise under floor temperature
-    Corrugated insulated roof panel for improved acoustics, dispersing sound for improved clarity and echo removal ( sound is also transmitted from rain fall getting closer to nature)
-    Verandah decking uses recycled PET and wood material for durability
-    Three external deck areas for flexibility in external living spaces
-    Low VOC paints used internally
-    Part of urine separating toilet trial by Qld Government
-    EcoVision resource monitoring system; water electricity, gas, tank levels and temperature
-    Highly efficient appliances used throughout