Passive Resistance House 2023

This profile is written and maintained by the homeowner, architect, or builder.

House Notes – Passive Resistance House

The Passive Resistance House features a combination of lightweight timber construction and reverse brick veneer, Axon Scyon cladding and colorbond corrugated iron, with a few zincalume panels on the front.

We have polished concrete to all rooms except bedrooms, which are carpeted, and in-slab hydronic heating with slab-edge insulation (low-insulation carpet underlay in bedrooms to permit heat transfer).

The windows are double-glazed with UPVC frames to all windows except corner windows, which are 12mm single-glazed with clear low-e. Kingspan Aircell insulation wraps the building. Plywood is used as a ceiling lining, with expressed shadow joints extending out to soffit.

The house also has a 4kW solar PV system and solar hot water using 30 x Apricus evacuated tubes.

The 10,800L rainwater tanks are plumbed into every tap in the house. Every drop of rain that falls on the block stays on the block.

There is ironbark timber decking. We were unhappy with Kapur alternative due to its sourcing from old forests in Indonesia.

The internal courtyard receives northern sunlight into the back section of house. All except two lights in the house are LEDs.

A community garden, tree house and swings have been installed at the front of the house and a newly added beehive.

SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES

Years Open
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2021
2023
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
      Energy monitoring
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
      Hydronic
      Split system airconditioner
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Above ground rainwater storage
      Stormwater management
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
      Drip irrigation
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • 2 x poly tanks, 1 x galv tank
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 2 x 5400L tanks, 1 x 1000L tank
    • Storage connected to
    • Garden
      Whole house
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Adjustable Shading
      Deciduous tree/vegetation
      Drapes/curtains
      Shade Sails
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Exposed polished slab, reverse block veneer, UPVC double-glazed windows, in-slab hydronic heating, slab-edge insulation, Kingspan Aircell, roof blanket.
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Sleepers
      Timber
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
      Floor

    • Ceiling Type:
    • Ceiling type: plywood sheets with expressed shadow joint
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R5.0
    • Floor Type:
    • Exposed polished concrete, slab-edge insulation
    • Floor Rating:
    • R1.5
    • Internal / External Walls Type:
    • Reverse block veneer, Kingspan Aircell wrap to entire fabric
    • Internal / External Walls Rating:
    • R4.0
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • R4 batts, plus roof blanket
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • 5
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • 3
    • External Walls Rating:
    • 4
    • External Walls Type:
    • Bulk - glass wall, 40mm air gap, R1 Kingspan Aircell
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 4
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • $650,000
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $240,000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $1800 p.a.
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 215m2
    • BAL Rating
    • N/A
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Reverse Brick veneer
      Timber
    • Window and Door Types
    • Awning
      Clerestory windows
      Double glazing
      Sliding windows/doors
      Stacking windows/doors
    • Universal Design Features
    • Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No stairs/steps
      Ramps and path gradients must be less than 20:1
      Shower head on rail for various heights
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 1
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Bee keeping
      Bee hotels/friendly
      Community vegetable garden
      Composting
      Drip irrigation
      Edible garden
      Organic
      Permaculture
      Native plants
      Water wise plants
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Recycle
      Swap with friends and neighbours
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Cross flow ventilation
Location
Semaphore Park SA 5019
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • Beechwood
    • Designer
    • Canvas Projects

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