The development has three 2-bedroom residential units and a common house. The plot ratio is ~40% and replaces an existing three-bedroom house. It has 1 m2 of garden area for each 1 m2 of living unit - i.e. each 100 m2 dwelling has 100 m2 of garden.
The buildings include photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with battery storage, high-efficiency electric appliances for hot water (heat pumps), heating and lighting, and rainwater harvesting. We share an electric vehicle charged from the PV/battery system.
Passive solar design principles are employed including insulation, thermal mass, double-glazing, shading, natural cross-ventilation, minimal areas of external paving (permeable) and cool-garden design. Solar access is controlled through the careful design of building elements, seasonal shade structures and plant species selection.
We have introduced a vegetation corridor on the full length of the north and south sides of the site along with a diversity of under-storey plantings which will develop native bird habitat. All site boundaries are marked by green transition zones to meld the development with neighbouring sites. Stepped open-ended gutters are utilised to harvest rainwater and retain on site with in-ground storage tanks for extensive use in the planted landscape and wicking beds for vegetables.
