Kenzai
Kenzai
Kenzai is a beautifully renovated home overlooking the ocean, inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design.
Kenzai’s renovation was achieved by The Design Commission, an interior design studio with a focus on sustainability, in collaboration with Brian van der Plaat Design Studio. The house won Best Addition/Alteration in the 2020 Randwick City Council Architecture & Urban Design Awards. Kenzai was also a highly commended finalist in the 2017 International Green Interiors Awards, and finalist in the 2017 Sustainability Awards.
Sustainable, environmentally friendly and healthy materials and strategies used in the home include:
• Recycled hardwood double-glazed windows
• Heat recovery ventilation that ‘breathes’ for the house, recovering 90% of heat in winter
• Cross-ventilation and external shading
• Exposed concrete floors/ceilings providing thermal mass
• Sustainably sourced Cedar used to line some internal ceilings/walls and external walls
• Wall/ceiling insulation
• Low energy appliances and fridge housed in ventilated cupboard
• Existing pool converted to 25,000L water tank feeding 3 internal toilets and garden taps
• New pool minimises energy/chemical use, solar pool heating
• Large kitchen garden
Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency:
- Draught proofing
Efficient lighting
Efficient appliances
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross ventilation
Deciduous planting around house
External planting
Heat recovery ventilation system
Passive solar designed home
Shading
Thermal mass
- Active heating cooling:
- Electric floor heating in some rooms
- Water heating:
- Solar hot water (flat panel)
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Rainwater storage - Underground
Stormwater management
Low flow shower heads
Low flow taps
- Underground rainwater storage type:
- Old swimming pool with concrete lid
- Underground rainwater storage Size:
- 25,000L
- Water harvesting and saving
- Tank water feeds 3 toilets
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
Natural daylight
Skylight
- Electric Vehicle
- Lexus RX 400h Hybrid electric/petrol vehicle
- Window Protection:
- Adjustable Shading
Automation/controls
Awnings (external)
Drapes/curtains
Eaves
- Sustainable materials:
- Benchtops made from 75% recycled materials, 25% natural stone & eco resin or from recycled benchtops
- Master ensuite sink made from reclaimed marble-based stone composite
- Timber flooring from sustainably managed forests
- Reuse of sliding cedar screens, cedar ply floor sheets, cedar ply storage units from stripped commercial fit-out
- Recycled hardwood double-glazed windows
- Cedar bathtub made in Australia
- MgO board external cladding (low embodied energy)
- Internal walls lined with EchoPanel, created from 60% recycled PET
- Tiles with cradle-to-cradle* accreditation in wet areas (* takes into account full life cycle, optimal resource use, recyclability, renewable energy use, water use)
- Sustainably sourced Cedar used to line some internal ceilings/walls and external walls
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Appliances
Basins/sinks
Benchtops
Concrete
Doors
Excavated earth
Light fixtures / fittings
Rocks/stone
Tapware
Timber
Windows
- Insulation Type:
- Ceiling
External walls
- Ceiling Type:
- Bulk – polyester
- Ceiling Rating:
- R3.5
- External Walls Rating:
- R2.0
- External Walls Type:
- Bulk – polystyrene board
- All-Electric Home?
- Yes
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Size of PV system:
- 5kW
- Average Daily Energy Consumption:
- 5kWh
- Estimate of annual savings:
- $4,000 per annum
- House Size
- 360m2
- BAL Rating
- BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
- Roof
- Concrete slab, polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation board
- Wall Materials
- Double brick
Timber
- Wall Materials
- Magnesium Oxide (MgO) board cladding, Cedar cladding, Echopanel acoustic panelling by Woven Image
- Window and Door Types
- Awning
Double glazing
Sliding windows/doors
- Window and Door Types
- Steel french doors and all other are recycled timber doors & windows
- Universal design accessability
- Adaptive design
- Universal Design Features
- Kitchen bench/table for wheelchairs to access (75-85cm high)
Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
Minimum 110cm wide hallways
Slip resistant flooring
- Number of bedrooms
- 4
- Number of bathrooms
- 3
- Healthy Home Materials
- Airtight house design
Asthma and allergy free certified carpet
Automated ventilation system
Chemical free cleaning products used
Cross flow ventilation
Formaldehyde free cabinets
Heat recovery ventilation (HRV)
Indoor plants for air filtration
Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
Natural fibre furnishings
Natural light and ventilation
Natural oil sealer/finishes
VOC free paints/sealer/varnish
Wax based sealer/finish
- Garden / Outdoors
- Bee keeping
Composting
Edible garden
Frog friendly
Local indigenous plants
Organic
Permaculture
Native plants
Water wise plants
Wicking beds
- Waste Reduction Practices:
- Compost all food scraps
Recycle
Repair
Take own containers to the supermarket and for take away food
Toy exchange/library
Swap with friends and neighbours
Waste free/reduced construction site
- Other Waste Reduction Practices:
- send soft plastic, polystyrene, clothing & other recyclable products to local council recycling centre. Avoid using glad wrap or plastics in home.
- Healthy home features
- Airtight house design
Asthma and allergy free certified carpet
Automated ventilation system
Chemical free cleaning products used
Cross flow ventilation
Formaldehyde free cabinets
Heat recovery ventilation (HRV)
Indoor plants for air filtration
Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
Natural fibre furnishings
Natural light and ventilation
Natural oil sealer/finishes
VOC free paints/sealer/varnish
Wax based sealer/finish
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- Renovation
- Builder
- Life Structures
- Designer
- The Design Commission
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