Crescent Hill Farm 2019

House Notes – Crescent Hill Farm

When looking at options for our later years, we decided we wanted an adventure in sustainability, and have fulfilled our dream with an off-grid straw bale house. Bottled gas for our cooktop (and boost to evacuated tube hot water in winter) is our only external energy input. Our utility bills have gone from over $5,000 a year in our Belconnen house to $150 a year for the gas. The initial footprint of concrete slab and other infrastructure was probably quite large, but from now on our footprint should be very low.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2019
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Efficient lighting
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Slow combustion woodstove, also sometimes used for cooking.
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Above ground rainwater storage
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • Colorbond tank for rainwater, plastic tank for stock and garden water
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 130,000 litre rainwater, 10,000 litre stock and garden water
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Deciduous tree/vegetation
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Rock from excavation and land used to create a gabion basket fire-pit area. Recycled timber and corrugated iron used to construct chicken shed and vegie garden beds. Deadfall timber used to create vegie garden beds.
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      External walls
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R5
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Reflective foil
    • External Walls Type:
    • Straw (stawbale walls)
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV off-grid
    • Size of PV system:
    • 10 kW
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $5,000 +
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 203 sq m
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 12.5: Ember attack with heat up to 12.5kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Cob construction
      Strawbale
    • Window and Door Types
    • Awning
      Double glazing
      Sliding windows/doors

    • Window and Door Types
    • Casement
    • Universal Design Features
    • Hobless showers
      Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No stairs/steps
      No Corner cupboards
      Ramps and path gradients must be less than 20:1
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Bee hotels/friendly
      Chickens
      Composting
      Edible garden
      Organic
      Native plants
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Recycle
      Repair
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Cross flow ventilation
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Lime render/wash
      Natural light and ventilation
      No carpets
Location
MT FAIRY NSW 2580
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • McGlone Homes
    • Designer
    • Hugh Gordon

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