White Gum Valley House
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House Notes – White Gum Valley House
Tour bookings are now closed for 2018
Profits from tickets sales go to the Alternative Technology Association for SHD 2019.
This 1950s fibro house was purchased by the current owners in 2004. It was in such poor condition that most would have seen it as a ‘knock down job’. But with reuse in mind, this modest house underwent a retrofit using the solid timber bones of the existing structure, creating a much more liveable home.
Key to this was moving the living areas to the north side and expanding them with a semi-enclosed, passive solar front deck. Materials, where possible, were recycled into the revamped dwelling.
The house has:
- Multiple rainwater tanks
- Solar PV
- Solar hot water
- Sustainable native gardens.
The house is also part of the Renew Nexus energy trading project.
This house is still a work-in-process, but aims to demonstrate that adaptive reuse can be part of creating more liveable, sustainable dwellings.
Designed by Jeremy and You.
Photography by Bo Wong.
Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency:
- Efficient lighting
Efficient appliances
Smart home features
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross-ventilation
Passive solar designed home
Shading
- Active heating cooling:
- Ceiling fans
- Water heating:
- Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Above-ground rainwater storage
- Above ground rainwater storage Type:
- Tanks
- Above ground rainwater storage Size
- 14,000L
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
Natural daylight
- Electric Vehicle Type
- Holden Volt PHEV
- Window Protection:
- Shade sails
- Sustainable materials:
- Decking boards were made from recycled jarrah.
Paving from cellar core refuse.
Furniture was made from leftover timbers and pallets.
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Doors
Rocks/stone
Timber
Windows
- Insulation Type:
- Ceiling
Internal walls
External walls
Floor
- Ceiling Type:
- Bulk – polyester
- Ceiling Rating:
- R3.0
- Floor Type:
- Reflective foil
- Internal Walls Insulation Type:
- Bulk – natural wool
- Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
- R3.0
- External Walls Rating:
- R3.0
- External Walls Type:
- Bulk – natural wool
- All-Electric Home?
- No
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid-connected
- Size of PV system:
- 2.2kW
- Total cost of home when constructed:
- $220,000
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- $20,000
- Estimate of annual savings:
- $2000
- House Size
- 120m2
- Roof
- Metal (zincalume)
- Wall Materials
- Lightweight construction (timber frame)
- Window and Door Types
- Double glazing
Sliding windows/doors
Stacking windows/doors
- Number of bedrooms
- 2
- Number of bathrooms
- 1
- Garden / Outdoors
- Chickens
Native plants
Water-wise plants
- Healthy home features
- Cross-flow ventilation
Indoor plants for air filtration
Natural light and ventilation
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- Retrofit
- Open with support of
- ATA Perth Branch
- Designer
- Jeremy and You
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