story RATING |
 4.75 (Highly recommend) from 4 votes (413 Visits) |
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Sustainable House Day, Penola, SA |
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Category: Sustainable House Day 2009 |
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by SHD  (September 2009) (rank 13th) |
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New Build: Purpose designed and built by owners
Overview
The aim was to build an energy efficient home using predominantly natural materials with low embodied energy that complemented the rural setting.
This rammed earth home has been innovatively designed to maximise passive heating and cooling and incorporates solar power generation and water heating, and rainwater capture. External rammed earth walls are 300 mm thick and all windows are double glazed. The home overlooks a permanent wetland with numerous birdlife and has an extensive native garden.
Architecture
Chapman Herbert architects were involved with the house design. They provided innovative, energy efficient solutions, particularly in light of the westerly orientation of the house and the solar power generation and passive heating and cooling requirements.
Water harvesting
130,000 litre rainwater tanks – 2 on the house and 4 on sheds
External Walls.
Rammed Earth – 300mm thick. Silicon impregnated mixture.
Internal walls
Rammed earth and timber (pine) stud frame with gyprock.
Roof
Skillion zincalume roof. Ceilings are insulated with Ceilink 900
Floor
Timber floorboards, carpet and tiles.
Window treatments
Double Glazed with Western Red Cedar frames.
Electricity generation
7.5kwatt stand alone solar system, provided by Apollo Energy.
Heating and Cooling
Passive cooling with louvre windows.
Passive heating with the thermal mass walls plus a slow combustion wood heater
Heat recovery ventilation
Water Heating
Solahart hot water system – thermosiphon.
Appliances
Sensor lights in rooms. Gas cooking appliances. Energy efficient appliances.
Other
Huge windows overlook a permanent wetland with numerous birdlife. Extensive native garden
