The Nest 2018

House Notes – The Nest

The renovation of this Californian bungalow sought to create better spaces for a resourceful and low-impact family life.

The original house had poorly configured small rooms, lacked natural light, felt closed-in and chewed through the energy in winter. The owners, Phil and Bec, were keen to open the home to the productive veggie gardens and warmth of northern sunlight.

Designers Brave New Eco and Geometrica collaborated to revise the layout, remove the lean-to back of the house and rebuild a passive solar extension in which a kitchen, walk-in pantry, bathroom, laundry and dining room were configured in a modest 32m2.

An outdoor deck and pergola opened the house to the north, and the space was made to feel more expansive than it really was with a high-pitched ceiling and a deep window seat running along the north side of the room.

The overall footprint was actually reduced by 1m2 from the original, yet encompassed a second bathroom, larger bedrooms and more spacious living areas through clever space-saving design. Thermal mass was introduced with an insulated concrete slab, and space heating installed so the new area could be zoned from the old for heating. Old technologies and systems were upgraded, including solar hot water, a PV array, induction cooking and water tanks. Extensive recycled, locally made and sustainably manufactured materials and furnishings were used throughout, as well as best-choice low VOC materials and sealants.

The house also achieved 6 stars with the Victorian Residential Efficiency Scorecard. If you would like to find out more click here.

Built by Macasar Building.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2017
2018
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
      Energy monitoring
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross-ventilation
      Shading
      Thermal chimney
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans

    • Active heating cooling:
    • Space heating – gas log fire
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Above-ground rainwater storage
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • Galvanised steel tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 1 x 3580L round tank, 2 x 4350L slimline tanks; total 8200L plumbed to laundry toilets and garden via Davey ‘Rainbank KRB1 kit’ pump and dual-source controller
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
      Skylight
      Tubular skylight
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Boral Envirocrete 32MPa 20mm 30% cement replacement with recycled aggregate in-slab. Timber is sourced from sustainably managed forests and accrues timber credits in the Green Star Materials Calculator (including KDHW recycled messmate timbers, Laminex EO range, ABS edging – natural finish, Laminex MR EO whiteboard melamine, Eco specifier Global GreenTag GreenRate Level A certified products). Furnishings: Recycled interior doors, saved skirtings and architraves for reuse, refurbished vintage light fittings, reused existing spa bath – reconditioned motor and relocated to new bathroom. Vanity: Repurposed Art Deco vintage drinks trolley – restored. Reused existing laundry tub. Exterior: Reused exterior bricks throughout landscaping, reuse of drop-down exterior awning to western windows, reuse of existing large window and weatherboards for exterior shed, reuse of existing timber sleepers for seating.
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Aggregate
      Bricks
      Doors
      Paving
      Timber
      Windows
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Ceiling
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Tontine insulation
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • Thermal batts and rolls: R4.5 (225mm) polyester batts over existing ceiling insulation. Thermal and sound batts: 2 layers R2.5 (90mm) polyester batts. Total R5.0 (180mm) in new.
    • Internal / External Walls Type:
    • Wall sarking Ametalin ‘SilverSark-xR’ double-sided medium vapour barrier/reflective foil laminate (over studs/under battens)
    • Internal / External Walls Rating:
    • External walls (new) Tontine insulation ‘thermal and sound batts’ R2.5 (90mm) polyester. Internal walls (new) Tontine insulation ‘Thermal and sound batts’ R1.5 polyester to all new internal stud walls.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Energy star rating:
    • 4.7 Stars
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid-connected
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $350,000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $1200 p.a. approx.
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 169m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
    • Window and Door Types
    • Double glazing
    • Universal design accessability
    • Multi-generational
    • Universal Design Features
    • Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      No stairs/steps
      No corner cupboards
      Washing machine/dryer on plinth for easy access
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Composting
      Edible garden
      Organic
      Native plants
      Water-wise plants
Location
Brunswick West VIC 3055
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • Renovation
    • Builder
    • Macasar Building

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