Tree-hugged Small House, on Wadawurrung Country 2018

Tree-hugged Small House, on Wadawurrung Country

Tour bookings are now closed for 2018

Friends Dan (designer) and Vicky (building energy efficiency practitioner) wanted to stretch their knowledge and principles to build a compact house on a challenging site in Geelong. Combining a passion for energy efficiency with a commitment to building design sustainability, the small house utilised the skills and dreams of a small Geelong construction team. To reduce impact on Wadawurrung Country, it is placed alongside a magnificent gum tree and involved minimal earth removal. Native and edible pants surround this unique home. It has been a creative and humbling experience for us all.
Vicky is now the proud inhabitant, watching the sunrise from the mezzanine in the mornings or soaking up the winter sun as she sits on the decking with a bowl of soup.
A year’s monitoring of energy and water use has commenced, and the story unfolds.

What will be learnt on the SHD tours: 

  • The small house build team will be on-site to talk through the details of this construction – drawings; services (including closed-system plumbing, electricity generation and use on-site inc. monitoring system); use of reclaimed woods, energy-efficient material options and choices; sustainability measures; construction to connect with the site (trees, existing shed, passive house principles).
  • Video showing construction stages
  • Example materials and full site and house tours, to encourage others to build small and with care for the environment.

How do we build skilled teams and create fun, sustainable cities of the future, including ‘secondary dwellings’ and use of existing infrastructure to move away from city housing spread?

Designed by Dan Prochazka Designs and built by Mark Lane Quality Builders, Restoration Carpentry, Oasis Permaculture, Manage Carbon, Green Earth Electrical, Southend Plumbing Solutions.

Read more about small housing in Anitra Nelson’s ebook Sustainable Housing: Why is ‘Small’ Necessary and Sharing Essential? and more about the build in Sanctuary issue 43 – ‘Collective Wisdom’.

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

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2018
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
Location
Manifold Heights VIC 3218

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