» Mad House

Mad House

I wanted to reduce liabilities and the need to work for the man so we built a house that was inspired and balanced by off-grid and communal living, ethical and economically feasible. We learnt that there are so many buzzwords, products and practices that don’t add up and we didn’t include them in the build e.g. water harvesting, grey water (when on scheme water).

Solar passive
Used most economical (cheapest) style of build
Gable with low ceilings (raked in living area and high ceiling in hall)
Small footprint
Reused materials (jarrah floorboards and timber frame, chimney bricks)
Convection ventilation pantry and fridge
Cross-ventilation for cool SW breeze in summer
Low embodied energy materials – timber frame, Weathertex cladding
Some clay paint (no VOC)
Recessed pelmets
Various glazing types: double glaze, low-e, dark, neutral and clear tones.

To find out more about the NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) click here.

Sustainability Features

ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES

- Energy efficiency:
- Draught proofing
  Efficient lighting
  Efficient appliances
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross ventilation
  Passive solar designed home
  Shading
  Thermal mass
- Active heating cooling:
- Ceiling fans
- Water heating:
- Hot water heat pump
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Stormwater management
  Drip irrigation
- Average water consumption per day:
- 0.09kL
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
  Natural daylight
- Window Protection:
- Deciduous tree/vegetation
  Drapes/curtains
  Honeycomb blinds
  Pelmets

SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS

- Sustainable materials:
- Jarrah timber frame and floorboards, brick, concrete porch
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Bricks
  Concrete
  Paving
  Rocks/stone
  Roofing material
  Timber

INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS

- Insulation Type:
- Ceiling
  Internal walls
- Ceiling Type:
- Anticon 55
- Ceiling Rating:
- R4.0
- Internal / External Walls Type:
- HD batts
- Internal / External Walls Rating:
- R2.5
- Internal Walls Insulation Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
- R2.0

RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS

- All-Electric Home?
- Yes
- Energy star rating:
- 8.8 Stars
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Size of PV system:
- 3kW
- Average Daily Energy Consumption:
- 1kW

COSTS AND COST SAVINGS

- Total cost of home when constructed:
- $240,000
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- $5000
- Estimate of annual savings:
- $2000

HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

- House Size
- 203m2
- BAL Rating
- BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
- Roof
- Metal (Colorbond)
- Wall Materials
- Lightweight construction (timber frame)
  Timber
- Window and Door Types
- Double glazing
  Louvre windows
  Low-e, films
  Sliding windows/doors
- Universal Design Features
- Hobless showers
- Number of bedrooms
- 4
- Number of bathrooms
- 1

GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION

- Garden / Outdoors
- Composting
  Drip irrigation
  Edible garden
  Organic
  Permaculture
  Native plants
- Waste Reduction Practices:
- Compost all food scraps
  Plastic free household
  Recycle
  Swap with friends and neighbours

HEALTHY HOME FEATURES

- Healthy home features
- Airtight house design
  Cabinet design to minimise dust collection
  Indoor plants for air filtration
  Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish

Mad House 2018

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Mad House

Sustainability Features

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