View site

Conscious Home 2020

This house is not opening in person, but you can explore the profile and ask the homeowner a question below.
Conscious Home

House Notes – Conscious Home

Winner of the 2006 HIA National Greensmart Award for Resource Efficient Housing this building showcases environmentally sustainable principals of architect builder MD Llewellyn Pritchard that are the basis and work of his business Conscious Homes since 1988.

The old home was completely recycled when demolished. Mud silt and river buckshot excavated from the site was mixed with straw and water and high quality mudbricks were hand made on site. Nestled into the ground with an exposed Coldstream aggregate concrete slab, heated with solar hydronic slab coils, facing north using classic passive solar design principals this building is naturally warm in winter and cool in summer. A minimal light weight steel frame is clad in a double insulated cavity skin of mudbrick, north facing double glazing natural operable highlights and the earth coupled slab provides high performance thermal qualities

Being at one with its environment locally and globally makes the home more comfortable to be in all year around. An 80,000 rain water tank for 100 percent domestic supply is built under the slab as a basement. PV solar panels interactive with the grid provide much of the power required to run the efficient systems in the building. Low VOC renewable recyclable materials are used throughout. Even cabinet carcases are made from solid hoop pine ply. The home is a pleasure to be in.

 

You can also speak with homeowners directly on Saturday 19 September, online, as part of The Nillumbik Trail. Register here to participate.

 

This home is supported by

This home is hosted by Clean Energy Nillumbik and Nillumbik Shire Council.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2019
2020
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal chimney
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Solar hydronic

    • Active heating cooling:
    • Solar heated hydronic slab coils
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Stormwater management
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Drapes/curtains

    • Window Protection:
    • Eaves
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Existing house demolished and parts reused or sold to others
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Mud bricks made on site. Sustainable timber and ply lining
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Bricks
      Timber

INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R4.0
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Foil blanket
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • R2.0
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R2.0
    • External Walls Rating:
    • R4.0
    • External Walls Type:
    • Foilboard cavity insulation to double mudbrick walls
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 1.5kW
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $100,000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $2000+
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 150m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 40: Increasing levels of ember attack and ignition of debris with a heat flux of up to 40kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Metal (Zincalume)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (steel frame)
      Mud brick

    • Wall Materials
    • Metal sheet cladding
    • Window and Door Types
    • Double glazing
    • Universal design accessability
    • Universal access
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Flush thresholds (no lip) to all external doors
      No stairs/steps
      Self closers to all external doors
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 1
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Edible garden
      Native plants
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Recycle
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Cross flow ventilation
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation

    • Healthy Home
    • Natural wood cabinets (hoop pine carcasses)
Location
Eltham VIC 3095
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Open with support of
    • Clean Energy Nillumbik
    • Builder
    • Llewellyn Pritchard MD of Conscious Homes Australia Pty Ltd
    • Designer
    • Conscious Homes Australia

View the house tour

Ask questions about this house

Load More Comments
Name
Email
Comment
Leave Comment