Rosie and Grant’s house
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House Notes – Rosie and Grant’s house
Originally built in the early 1970s, our brick-veneer, flat-roofed house was hot in summer and cold in winter. In 2022 we completed a sustainability retrofit to improve the thermal efficiency and comfort. To achieve this, we put insulation on the outside of the existing brick walls and reclad with Colorbond and timber. A new light-coloured Colorbond skillion roof with clerestory windows were installed. North-facing glazing was increased, south-facing was reduced and double-glazing was retrofitted throughout. Summer shading with eaves and deciduous climbers were included in the design. The house is completely supplied by tank water which is heated by heat pump (gas has been disconnected). The wood heater and reverse cycle air conditioner were removed and replaced with heat pump hydronic radiators and a ceiling fan. A 3.0kW solar panel system and Zappi EV charger have been installed.
You can visit this house for a tour with the owner on Sunday 19 March 2023, as part of The Nillumbik Trail.
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SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
- Energy efficiency:
- Draught proofing
Efficient lighting
Energy monitoring
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross ventilation
Deciduous planting around house
External planting
Passive solar designed home
Shading
Thermal chimney
Thermal mass
- Active heating cooling:
- Ceiling fans
Heat pump
Hydronic
- Water heating:
- Hot water heat pump
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Rainwater storage - Above ground
Stormwater management
Low flow shower heads
- Average water consumption per day:
- 50
- Above ground rainwater storage Type:
- metal tank
- Above ground rainwater storage Size
- 10500
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
Natural daylight
- Window Protection:
- Blinds
Deciduous tree/vegetation
Eaves
Honeycomb blinds
Shade Sails
Solar pergola
- Sustainable materials:
- - Bricks from dismantled garage wall re-used for internal reverse-brick south-facing wall.
- Existing garage beams re-purposed as a frame for deciduous shade pergola.
- Light-coloured roofing Colorbond "Whitehaven" lowest solar absorbtancy
- Light-coloured north- & west-facing wall cladding Colorbond "Surfmist"
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Bricks
House - all materials reused
Paving
- Insulation Type:
- Under-roof
Ceiling
Internal walls
External walls
- Ceiling Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- Ceiling Rating:
- 4.0
- Under Roof Insulation Type:
- Reflective foil
- Under Roof Insulation Rating:
- 1.8
- External Walls Rating:
- 2.8
- External Walls Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- All-Electric Home?
- Yes
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Size of PV system:
- 3
- Average Daily Energy Consumption:
- 2
- Total cost of home when constructed:
- $50,000 (1971)
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- 350000
- Estimate of annual savings:
- 2733
- House Size
- 130
- BAL Rating
- BAL – 29: Increasing levels of ember attack and ignition of debris with a heat flux of up to 29kW/m2
- Roof
- Metal (Colorbond)
- Wall Materials
- Reverse Brick veneer
- Window and Door Types
- Awning
Casement
Clerestory windows
Double glazing
Retrofit Double Glazing
- Universal Design Features
- No stairs/steps
- Number of bedrooms
- 3
- Number of bathrooms
- 1
- Garden / Outdoors
- Chickens
Composting
Edible garden
Native plants
Water wise plants
- Waste Reduction Practices:
- Compost all food scraps
Recycle
Repair
Toy exchange/library
Swap with friends and neighbours
- Other Waste Reduction Practices:
- Repair cafe
- Healthy home features
- Cross flow ventilation
Natural light and ventilation
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- Retrofit/addition
- Open with support of
- Clean Energy Nillumbik
- Builder
- Geoff Scott
- Designer
- Craig Byatt Holistic Architect
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