The Bowie was built in 2017/18 and has been planned to the Passive House principles to achieve an utmost energy efficient building that has no heater or air-conditioning, but maintains internal temperature stable at around 20-25 degree Celsius throughout the year – no matter the weather outside.
The Passive House design criteria include a highly insulated and well sealed building envelope, double glazing and continuous ventilation utilizing a heat recovery unit to ‘recycle’ energy of the exhaust air to apply it to the incoming fresh air. This system only uses 2 x 80W fans and, combined with the well sealed structure, can reduce operational power consumption by up to two-third less than a standard build.
All materials used in the structure have no or very low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in their makeup and are sustainably sourced. They are also recyclable and reusable, with a strong focus on cradle-to-cradle outcomes and a low-maintenance requirement. This home is based on a life cycle cost saving outcome which, when compared to standard WA building systems, will place this home a long way ahead of the pack.
