Sustainable House Day, Bardon, Queensland

A new home which makes clever use of space, materials and resources, reflecting the owners’ vision for sustainable living.

New Build:   Architect-designed home for a young family on a small block.

Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home

Water Harvesting Systems
18,000 L of rainwater storage provides water inside and out, including drinking. All water is filtered to 5 microns, with an additional 1-micron filter stage for drinking water.

Special Garden Features
The small garden features food plants, a frog pond and a chook pen, which provides eggs, disposes of food scraps and provides manure for composting. Drought-tolerant lawn is used and native plantings are on the public verge. Windows are placed to look out onto sky and trees, rather than neighbours’ houses.

Materials
The home is made from timber – a renewable resource – and features timber from a mature camphor laurel tree (a declared weed) from the back yard. Use of PVC has been minimised due to chemical leaching and in recognition of its high environment impacts in manufacture.

External Walls
Plantation hoop pine weatherboards.

Internal Walls
95% recycled plasterboard with R1.5 Woolmen poly batts. Other internal finishes include plywood and Finlaysons plantation pine. Low-volatile organic compound paints and sealants, plus natural timber oils, avoid introduction of indoor air pollutants.

Roof
R3 Woolmen poly batts with R1 reflective foil.

Floor
Recycled Australian mixed hardwood floor from The Big Red Shed. Downstairs, concrete slab provides thermal mass.

Window Treatments
A mixture of Finlaysons Envirowood windows and bifold doors and G James aluminium windows and doors.

Passive design
A combination of fans and cross-ventilation design maximise passive cooling. Extra openings are provided to take advantage of prevailing breezes. Ceiling fans are reversible and are provided indoors and to external decks. Vents above bedroom doors connect to the main space ventilation paths. A void provides stack ventilation from the cool downstairs studio to the main living area.

Lighting
T5 and compact fluorescent pendant lighting is used. The shallow building footprint and careful placement of windows means that the house is well daylit, avoiding the need for artificial lighting during daytime.

Solar or Wind Power Generation
1.7 kW solar grid-connected electricity system. The balance of electricity is 100% green power.

Heating & Cooling
Only ceiling fans are used for active heating and cooling.

Water Heating
A solar evacuated tube hot water system is used with storage tank and electric booster.

Design for Life
The home is wheelchair accessible and features a home studio to avoid the need to travel or rent separate premises for work.

Thanks to Steve Ryan/Rix Ryan Photography for the wonderful images.