Colourful House 2024

Colourful House

A retired couple opted for a knockdown-rebuild, prioritising flexibility for ageing in place, environmental sustainability, and resilience to climate change.

Achieving an 8-star energy rating, ‘Colourful House’ features net-positive solar power with a 19 KW PV and battery system. Designed on passive solar principles, the house has all its living areas on the north side with lots of windows for Winter heat gain but with eaves shading and blinds to keep out the hot Summer sun. The house also has a concrete slab floor for thermal mass and is well insulated which ensures year-round comfort with minimal heating or cooling from its ceiling fans and reverse-cycle air conditioning as a last resort.

The garden has been re-established with a vegetable patch along the north side of the house and lots of native plants all round. This is watered by a large rainwater tank that collects all the roof runoff. The driveway was moved from the northern to the southern side of the house and shortened to achieve a net gain in useable garden space compared to the old house. Recycled timber, bricks and paving have been used in many places.

Additionally, the house boasts architectural flair, described as mid-century modern meets Australian tin shed, as an intentional contrast to the bland boxes of current new housing. It also reflects the artistic interests of its owners in having bright colours and lots of artwork.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2024
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Deciduous planting around house
      External planting
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
      Split system airconditioner
    • Water heating:
    • Hot water heat pump
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
      Stormwater management
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • 2 slimline corrugated steel tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 10,000L total
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Electric Vehicle Type
    • BYD Atto 3
    • Window Protection:
    • Deciduous tree/vegetation
      Eaves
      Honeycomb blinds
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Various materials and fittings removed from old house before demolition and given away for reuse. Hardwood roof timber from old house used for shelving and fences. Decking made from recycled plastic modwood. Bricks, pavers and broken-up concrete from old house and other crushed brick used in new landscaping. House was wrapped with vapour permeable membrane for airtightness and was blower-door tested at 7 ACH@50Pa
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Concrete
      Paving
      Rocks/stone
      Timber
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R6
    • Floor Type:
    • wafflepod plus 50mm XPS board underneath
    • Floor Rating:
    • R1.7 (XPS board)
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R2
    • External Walls Rating:
    • R3.7
    • External Walls Type:
    • glass wool between studs plus 30mm XPS board on outside
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • Yes
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Energy storage/battery
      Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 19 kW
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 6.8 kWh/person
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • $600,000 in 2021
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 158 m2 plus carport
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
    • Roof
    • Metal (Zincalume)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Metal (Zincalume)
    • Window and Door Types
    • Casement
      Double glazing
      Low-e, films
    • Universal design accessability
    • Adaptive design
      Universal access
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Hobless showers
      Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No Corner cupboards
      Shower head on rail for various heights
      Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower
      Window openings easily accessible
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 4
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Composting
      Edible garden
      Local indigenous plants
      Organic
      Native plants
      Swales
      Wicking beds
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Make jams/conserves
      Pickle and preserve food
      Recycle
      Repair
      Swap with friends and neighbours
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Cross flow ventilation
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation
Location
Lyneham ACT 2602
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • Status Living
    • Designer
    • Rob Henry

View the house tour

Ask questions about this house

Load More Comments
Name
Email
Comment
Leave Comment