Karkawarri 2024

Karkawarri

Ready to leave the city, down size and looking towards retirement in a few years our wish list for a home included low maintenance, reduced energy bills, healthy, comfortable and a light footprint.

Our home has a 7.9 star energy rating, is all electric and is a passive design. North facing with concrete floors and recycled bricks providing thermal mass. Minimal heating required via an efficient split system and an efficient Sanden heat pump providing hot water. We have 10,000 litres of water tanks for garden and toilets and 6.6 kw of solar with a Tesla Powerwall 13.5kw battery.

Finding a community to live in was also high on our priority list and so we found The Cape Eco Village.

Living in an efficient passive designed house in a place where community, sustainability and the environment are the focus has been life changing. We enjoy improved physical, mental and emotional health and improved social connections. We live in a comfortable, low energy use, low cost, low maintenance home and we have access to a large community garden, walking and cycling paths, abundant wildlife and undeveloped natural environment.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2021
2023
2024
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      External planting
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
      Heat pump
      Split system airconditioner
    • Water heating:
    • Hot water heat pump
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
    • Average water consumption per day:
    • 100 litres
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • 2 Metal Tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 10,000 litres
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Automation/controls
      Awnings (external)
      Blinds
      External window hoods/surrounds
      Honeycomb blinds
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Silvertop Ash decking to courtyard Hoop Pine Ply Ceiling in kitchen/dining Engineered Oak Floorboards to south rooms Insulated Concrete Raft Slab with Ecomax blend concrete
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Bricks
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R6.0
    • Floor Type:
    • Foam
    • Floor Rating:
    • R 2.0
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Reflective foil
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • R1.0
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R2.7
    • External Walls Rating:
    • R2.7
    • External Walls Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • Yes
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 6.6 kW
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 4kw
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • $550,000. 2020
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $2000
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 164 m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 12.5: Ember attack with heat up to 12.5kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Brick veneer
      Concrete blocks
      Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Metal (Colorbond)

    • Wall Materials
    • Weathertex Weathergroove
    • Window and Door Types
    • Awning
      Clerestory windows
      Double glazing
      Sliding windows/doors
    • Universal design accessability
    • Adaptive design
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Hobless showers
      Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      No Corner cupboards
      Shower head on rail for various heights
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Natural Pond
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Community vegetable garden
      Edible garden
      Frog friendly
      Local indigenous plants
      Native plants
      Water wise plants
      Wicking beds

    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Plastic free household
      Recycle
      Repair
      Take own containers to the supermarket and for take away food
      Swap with friends and neighbours
      Waste free/reduced construction site
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural fibre furnishings
      Natural light and ventilation
Location
Cape Paterson VIC 3995
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Open with support of
    • The Cape Sustainable Development
    • Builder
    • TS Constructions
    • Designer
    • Beaumont Building Design

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