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South Coast Container House 2018

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South Coast Container House

South Coast Container House

This container house was always about economy, energy efficiency and sustainability, and how to do as much as possible on a very limited budget. However, the scale belies the efficiency of program and generosity of outcome.

It is modest in budget and also in scale (93m2 + 40m2 decks + 14m2 guest studio  + 9m2). The house can sleep 10.

Structurally it is built around four containers, with a flat roof and insulated external cladding for thermal performance. The containers are exposed internally for house sleeping and service functions. The floor and decks step down with the site to create generous ceiling heights, views down the block and connection with the ground at all points.

Environmentally, this house attempts to do as much as possible to minimise its impact including:

  • North orientation
  • Zero excavation
  • Zero VOC finishes
  • Recycled shipping containers
  • Natural wool insulation in roof
  • 100% recycled hardwood doors and windows with low-e double-glazed units
  • LED lighting throughout
  • Ceiling fans
  • Efficient wall panel heaters (only in bedrooms)
  • 5000L on-site water storage.

Designed by Matt Elkan built by Luke Price Total Building Solutions.

Read more about the South Coast Container Home in Sanctuary Issue S40. Article written by Anna Cumming and professional photographs taken by Simon Whitbread. Simon was interviewed by Bryce Langston for Living Big In A Tiny House.

You can also read other articles about the container house in: Domain, Daily Telegraph, Batemans Bay Post, Dwell, inhabitant.

Matt Elkan regularly volunteers his time for Speed Date a Sustainability Expert in NSW.

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

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2017
2018
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Passive solar designed home
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
    • Water heating:
    • Instantaneous gas
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Above ground rainwater storage
      Low flow shower heads
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • Zincalume
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 5000L
    • Storage connected to
    • Garden
      Toilet
      Laundry
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Shipping containers
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Recycled hardwood doors and windows with low-e DGUs, 5000L on-site water storage, zero VOC finishes, natural wool insulation in roof, recycled shipping containers, sustainable plywood.
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Doors
      Windows

INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Ceiling
      Internal walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Shipping container or Structalam 12mm pine CD ply.
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • Roof insulated with 55mm Autex foil-backed insulation blanket + R4.0 natural wool ceiling batts
    • Floor Type:
    • Aircell
    • Floor Rating:
    • R2.0
    • Internal / External Walls Type:
    • Shipping container or Structalam 12mm pine CD ply. External walls: Bluescope corrugated custom orb in colorbond ‘Monument’. Walls insulated using two layers of Autex 55mm foil-backed insulation blanket separated by 30mm air gap + Kingspan Aircell layer behind cladding.
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – natural wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R3.0
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Energy star rating:
    • 5.5 Stars
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • $350,000
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • 0
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 94m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 19: Increasing levels of ember attack and ignition of debris with a heat flux of up to 19kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Shipping container

    • Wall Materials
    • Container internal and colorbond external
    • Window and Door Types
    • Double glazing
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 4
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Native plants
      Water wise plants
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
Location
Long Beach NSW 2536
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • Luke Price Total Building Solutions
    • Designer
    • Matt Elkan Architect

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