Exeter Ecoshift Home 2024

Exeter Ecoshift Home

This original post-war brick home was the first project for owners Jarrod (Builder) and Anneleise (Building Designer) in their new design and build venture . It has been the perfect pet project for Anneleise, who is studying a PhD on passive retrofitting at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, to explore the effectiveness of solar passive design and the benefits of improved insulation and air-tightness measures.

The original dwelling was draughty, cold in winter and stifling in summer. The site is also flood affected and there were signs of internal damage to the existing flooring and frame, as well as mould throughout and high levels of humidity.

A rear extension was designed with a soaring raked ceiling to the North, double-glazed windows, an insulated thermal mass concrete slab, cross-ventilation, a recycled reverse brick veneer wall, and eaves designed for optimal performance in summer and winter. Bricks from the original demolition were reused and low and non-VOC product used throughout. The extension consistently sits above 22 degrees in winter, and is effectively cooled with cross-ventilation in summer without the need for mechanical air conditioning or heating.

The original part of the dwelling was also recently upgraded and includes:
• New light-coloured roof with added insulation
• New double-glazed timber windows
• Battening out of the existing brick, installing a vapour-permeable membrane (to improve moisture control) and light-weight cladding (to reduce overheating caused by the bricks in summer)
• Air-tightness measures to penetrations and openings
• Underfloor insulation beneath floorboards
• Removal of existing horsehair lining to insulate wall cavity and all internal walls.
• New front verandah to help cool the house in summer

Free-ranging chickens, a rain tank and native/water-wise plants feature in the back yard.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2020
2021
2024
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
    • Average water consumption per day:
    • 130L per person
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 3000L
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
      Skylight
      Solar skylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Drapes/curtains
      Eaves
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • - Recycled left over decking for fencing - Recycled bricks (demolition mixed with bought recycled bricks) for reverse brick veneer wall & chicken coop fence - Bricks for piers left over from other job sites - Recycled timber built in cabinetry - Underfloor insulation under thermal mass suspended concrete slab
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Bricks
      Timber
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R4.0
    • Floor Rating:
    • R2.5 Bulk wool under floorboards R and polystyrene boards under concrete slab
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Anticon blanket 80 mm
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • R1.8
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R2.5 (soundscreen)
    • External Walls Rating:
    • R2.5 (soundscreen)
    • External Walls Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 4 kWh
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • 450000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $400
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 147m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Reverse Brick veneer
    • Window and Door Types
    • Clerestory windows
      Double glazing
      Louvre windows
      Low-e, films
      Skylights
      Sliding windows/doors
      Stacking windows/doors
      Sun Tunnel/SolaTube
    • Universal Design Features
    • Hobless showers
      Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No Corner cupboards
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Chickens
      Native plants
      Water wise plants
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Recycle
      Waste free/reduced construction site
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Cross flow ventilation
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Lime render/wash
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation
      VOC free paints/sealer/varnish
      Wax based sealer/finish
Location
North Wollongong NSW 2500
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • Renovation
    • Builder
    • Arken Built
    • Designer
    • Arken Built

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