Mt Best house 2025

Mt Best house

Main features of our energy efficient house are:
– 100% self-sufficient in sustainable electrical energy. Our power station is based on wind+solar energy.
– 100% self sufficient in water
– gravity based water collection and distribution system that does not need pumps.
– Low energy demand (@20W per square meter of living area in winter) due to double insulation, double glazing, insulated floor and reflective blinds.
– Passive reflective solar heating that meets nearly 50% of winter heating energy needs, featured in Renew issue 88 on the front cover
– Solar hot water – evacuated tubes
– Fully processed gray water and sewerage (worm farm system)
– minimal footprint on the environment
– many innovative features and ultra low energy devices such as the chest fridge that takes less energy in 24 hours than a light bulb in just an hour
– double glazed dome greenhouse with thermostatically controlled ventilation system
– solar assisted heat pump system
– Firefighting system with remote controlled diesel pump supplying 24 sprinklers with water from a dam
– Fire escape bunker with independent pressurized air supply and internet access
More details at mtbest.net

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2025
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
      Energy monitoring
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      External planting
      Shading
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Heat pump
      Split system airconditioner
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
      Rainwater storage - Underground
      Blackwater system
      Grey water system
      Worm farm septic tank system
      Stormwater management
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
    • Average water consumption per day:
    • 50
    • Underground rainwater storage type:
    • tank
    • Underground rainwater storage Size:
    • 10,000L
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • plastic and concrete tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 80,000L
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Electric Vehicle
    • 2 electric mountain bicycles
    • Window Protection:
    • Adjustable Shading
      Blinds
      External window hoods/surrounds
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      External walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • 3-4
    • Floor Type:
    • reflective fiberglass bats
    • Floor Rating:
    • 2
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • reflective foil + 2 layers of fiberglass bats
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • 3-4
    • External Walls Rating:
    • 3-4
    • External Walls Type:
    • reflective foil + 2 layers of fiberglass bats
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Energy storage/battery
      Solar PV off-grid
      Wind
    • Size of PV system:
    • 7
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 2 kWh/day TOTAL on average, regardless of number of guests
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 180 m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 40: Increasing levels of ember attack and ignition of debris with a heat flux of up to 40kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Green roof
      Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Timber

    • Wall Materials
    • internal plywood , external colorbond, fiberglass reflective insulation
    • Window and Door Types
    • Double glazed window walls
    • Universal design accessability
    • Adaptive design
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Contrasting colours and material for vision impaired
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      Self closers to all external doors
      Shower head on rail for various heights
      Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower

    • Universal Design Features
    • Open house plan. 2m of corridors total. Firefighting system with remote controlled diesel pump taking water from a dam and supplying 24 sprinklers. Fire escape bunker with pressurized air supply, water supply, compositing toilet and internet access.
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 2
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 1
    • Healthy Home Materials
    • Airtight house design
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Formaldehyde free cabinets
      Natural fibre furnishings
      Natural light and ventilation
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Bee keeping
      Composting
      Drip irrigation
      Edible garden
      Frog friendly
      Greenhouse
      Local indigenous plants
      Organic
      Permaculture
      Native plants
      Worm farm
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Make jams/conserves
      Pickle and preserve food
      Recycle
      Repair
      Waste free/reduced construction site
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Formaldehyde free cabinets
      Natural fibre furnishings
      Natural light and ventilation
Location
Mount Best VIC 3960
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • Continual Improvement
    • Disaster Resilient Design
    • Flood Resilience
      Bushfire Resilience
      Cyclone/Storm Resilience
    • Builder
    • Dr Tom Chalko
    • Designer
    • Dr Tom Chalko + RAL home kit

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