This thermal upgrade and modest addition produced a delightful, solar passive, 8-star, all-electric, flexible and eclectic home that was delivered in accordance with the owners' values, respects its history and will serve their family for many decades.
The owners' search for a house was heavily driven by sustainable and active transport options, particularly bike and bus to school/s, and work. They eventually found a north-facing, but thermally disastrous (< 1 star), draughty, damp, 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1956 monocrete house, that had great potential for adaptation due to its orientation, layout, thermal mass, and some fun mid-century details.
The owners wanted design solutions and materials (including using recycled and salvaged materials) that enhanced the overall liveability of the building, while minimising impacts on the environment. They rejected more standard approaches that relied heavily on large amounts of energy and resource hungry materials or presented issues around toxicity or future waste, such as plastics and foam.
The upgrade retained the existing building, transformed the usable spaces and added only the right amount (~35m2) to maximise comfort and flexibility. The rooms can be used in multiple configurations now, and future proofing has been included that allows for a separate front apartment in the future.
Materials were carefully considered for environmental impacts, and to reduce resource use through 'material honesty', where structural material is also the finished surface without additional coating or painting, particularly Weathertex 'natural' externally and Qld hoop pine ply inside the additions.
The star of the thermal upgrade is the Steico wood fibre layer in the new external cladding that insulates the thermal mass of the monocrete structure. Passive solar features include the north facing layout, minimised windows to the south, cross ventilation and fans, and shade utilising eaves, existing trees and future vines.
