Kambah Passive House
Kambah Passive House
An ex-guvy three-bedroom home, with an addition being turned into a multi-generational Certified Passive House with the objective to carry out all the Passive House upgrades of the existing home externally, to limit the disruption to the occupants. Timber-aluclad windows were imported from Europe, the external brickwork was removed and a second 90mm wall introduced to allow for extra insulation, a secondary roof was added on top of the existing roof and filled with hi-density blow-in insulation, and the floor bearers were jacked up a few millimetres to allow the membrane to run under the whole sub-floor and insulation place in the bearer and joist area.
A single vapour permeable building wrap is used to the walls, roof, and sub-floor areas and taped to form one single continuous layer.
The walls and the roof use a vented cavity construction, so as the sun warms the walls or roof the heat behind the cladding rises and vents through the ridge via ridge vents keeping the area behind the cladding cool. The higher the radiant heat, the stronger the ventilation.
Presently, only a 2.5Kwh reverse cycle AC is installed and used only occasionally, and given the house is around 280m2, occupied throughout the build, as yet to be finished (Feb 2024), having no plasterboard installed, missing insulation, external shading incomplete, and yet is managing to stay under 25 degrees says something about the Passive House standard and technology used throughout.
Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency:
- Draught proofing
Efficient lighting
Efficient appliances
Energy monitoring
Smart home features
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross ventilation
Passive solar designed home
- Active heating cooling:
- Heat exchange ventilation system
Split system airconditioner
- Water heating:
- Hot water heat pump
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Rainwater storage - Above ground
- Above ground rainwater storage Type:
- Plastic slimline
- Above ground rainwater storage Size
- 5000 litre
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
Natural daylight
- Window Protection:
- Adjustable Shading
Automation/controls
Awnings (external)
Blinds
Eaves
Shade Sails
- Sustainable materials:
- -Where possible old and unwanted items and materials were given away or sold on Gumtree and many items purchased including the items listed below.
-Old windows given away on Gumtree
-Old roof tiles sold on Gumtree.
-Garden plants given away on Gumtree.
-Used treated pine pergola from Gumtree used of decking frame. Free but had to dismantle the pergola.
-Used large hardwood pergola purchased from Gumtree. Had to dismantle.
-Fifteen- 90x90mm second hand hardwood Merbau posts bought off Gumtree and used on the deck.
-Second hand triple glazed windows and doors used in the granny flat.
-Used and recycled water-damaged hardwood flooring used for external wall cladding.
-Two used mint condition bathroom vanities bought off Gumtree.
-Existing fibreglass insulation used where possible.
-Second hand fibre cement sheets bought off Gumtree for use on bathroom walls.
-Used 8m café awning blind bought off Gumtree.
-Lots of unused small items bought off Gumtree such as termite resistant silicones, polyurethane sealants and flooring adhesives.
-Weather-stained decking bought off Gumtree and used for sealing off under the deck.
-Used face bricks purchased from Sydney and used for the garage.
-All other brickwork used in house construction uses cleaned-up bricks from the existing house.
-Second-hand site fencing bought off Gumtree.
-Used formwork ply bought from the recycle shed and used for formwork to the foundations and as temporary decking.
-100, used, but as new 12mm ply sheets bought off Gumtree and used on the roof trusses.
-Lots of second-hand, used or surplus timber bought off Gumtree. Particularly useful during the timber shortage.
-And yes, I spend a lot of time on Gumtree.
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Appliances
Bathroom cabinets
Bricks
Cladding
Copper pipes/fittings
Concrete
Insulation
Metal sheeting
Paving
Rocks/stone
Steel frame
Timber
Windows
- Insulation Type:
- Under-roof
External walls
Floor
- Floor Type:
- Bulk - glass wool
- Floor Rating:
- 4.25
- Under Roof Insulation Type:
- Pump-in bulk insulation
- Under Roof Insulation Rating:
- 5.3
- External Walls Rating:
- 4.6
- External Walls Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- All-Electric Home?
- Yes
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Size of PV system:
- 12.3
- Average Daily Energy Consumption:
- Building still under construction.
- Total cost of home when constructed:
- 1,600,000
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- 450,000
- Estimate of annual savings:
- 90% reduction on heating and cooling.
- House Size
- 280
- Roof
- Metal (Colorbond)
- Wall Materials
- Brick veneer
Lightweight construction (timber frame)
Metal (Colorbond)
- Wall Materials
- Compressed fibre cement sheet.
- Window and Door Types
- Low-e, films
Sliding windows/doors
Tilt and turn
Triple glazing
- Universal design accessability
- Multi-generational
Universal access
Wheelchair accessible
- Universal Design Features
- 80cm minimum door opening width
100cm minimum door opening width
Hobless showers
Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
Loud doorbell/connected to flashing light
No stairs/steps
Ramps and path gradients must be less than 20:1
Shower head on rail for various heights
Slip resistant flooring
Space around toilets for ease of access in wheelchairs
Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower
- Number of bedrooms
- 5
- Number of bathrooms
- 3
- Waste Reduction Practices:
- Compost all food scraps
- Healthy home features
- Airtight house design
Automated ventilation system
Cross flow ventilation
Heat recovery ventilation (HRV)
Natural light and ventilation
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- Renovation
- Builder
- Owner Builder
- Designer
- Wombey Architects Pty Ltd
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