Sustainable House Day, Harrison, ACT

The goals – 6-star plus house with:

·         direct winter sunlight in every living & bedroom; no direct summer sun ·         comply with principles of energy & water efficiency, safety, security and universal access ·         flexible room selection and design to preserve yard space for children ·         to do this on a modern small suburban lot (569sq m), with largely conventional materials and building methods, to demonstrate a ‘better way’ to a mainstream local builder.   New or Retro: New home in new estate, designed by owners (in Home Designer Software) software package)
Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home
Water Harvesting: 100% of roof piped to 9000 litre tank (double mandatory tank size), with submersible pump, and plumbed to toilets and laundry through Onga Water Switch. Smartflo enclosed gutters to minimise maintenance, mosquito breeding, and bushfire risk. H2Gro greywater capture/pump out system plumbed to garden irrigation. Landscape design to reduce runoff.
External walls: Ground floor: rendered (light colour) Hebel Powerpanel (R1.87) plus R2.5 bulk insulation.
Upstairs: Colorbond Customorb and Sisulation (R0) plus R2.5 bulk insulation.
Internal walls: Conventional Gyprock. R2.5 Acoustitherm insulation in walls between living space and bedrooms.
Roof: Colorbond Customorb (Dune – light colour) and Anticon, plus R4.0 ceiling batts. 10 degree skillion to south for most, 10 degree skillion to north on garage for solar equipment.
Floor: Concrete waffle slab (i.e. insulated underneath). Fully vitrified charcoal coloured tiles throughout, except carpet in bedrooms & loft.
Window treatments: G James “thermally-improved” aluminium frames, Pilkington ComfortPlus 6.38mm laminated Low-E glass. All shaded by large eaves or awnings to prevent summer sun access.
Solar or wind generation: No. ACTEW Green Power scheme is used.
Heating & Cooling: Predominantly passive solar – a couple of hours of winter sun brings the house above 20 degrees. In-slab gas-fired hydronic heating for overcast periods – also can be run on pump only (no heating) to distribute passive solar heat around whole slab.
Water Heating: Hills Endless Solar evacuated glass tube; manually switched electric backup booster. All pipes lagged. Tempered hot water plumbed to dishwasher to reduce peak water heating.
Appliances: Fisher Paykel Dishdrawers, Smeg sealed chamber electric oven and gas cooktop. No internal downlights. Ceiling fans in all living and bedrooms.
Other: All larger windows insulated by Luxaflex Duette honeycomb blinds.
Internal “thermal syphon” design, with loft able to be opened over summer nights to purge internal heat – assisted by full-height doors.
Garden: design allows for large outdoor entertainment space, grass for kids, fruit trees, vege beds; biodiversity area around frontage to double as shading from summer afternoon sun; front stormwater piped to reed pond; courtyard to allow cat contained outdoor access and to screen utilities from street; additional courtyard to create microclimate controlled parents’ retreat area..