Treehouse North Narrabeen 2020

Treehouse North Narrabeen

The owners of this award-winning house wanted a sustainable home that would cater for their growing family and a separate granny flat for overseas visitors – all with a treehouse feel.

The site in North Narrabeen that had lots of established trees, views to the coast and was very steep, sloping away from the road. This contributed to the challenge of providing universal access to the main living area of the house.

The budget was modest, dictating that the construction method remained lightweight. Therefore, the best insulation details and thermally broken, double-glazed windows were installed to help maintain the house’s passive solar approach. Hydronic heating was also installed to boost the comfort levels in winter.

Under the garage, 4 x 18,000L rainwater tanks harvest the roof water used for the whole house. A 2.5kW PV system provides for the house’s electricity needs, and the solar hot water system with gas boost provides the domestic hot water and hot water for the hydronic heating and, on occasion, the suspended pool.

The house is clad in a combination of Weathertex weatherboards and colorbond steel, providing a durable and sustainable exterior. Windows and doors are AWS Thermal Heart thermally broken double-glazed products. Emu Timbers supplied the pre-weathered recycled bluegum cladding at the entry and poolside walls. Insulation is Greenstuf post-consumer recycled PET and double-sided foil.

All timbers used are recycled, FSC or bamboo, and all paints are zero or low VOC.

A webinar featuring this property, its owners and our very own Dick Clarke was cast in June 2012.

This project, designed by Envirotecture, won the Sustainable Residential Building Award 2013 at the Building Design Australia design awards, in August 2013.

It also won an award from the manufacturers of the thermally broken double-glazed windows and doors, AWS Vantage, in 2012, for its use of the Thermal Heart suite.

This home was featured in Owner Builder 208 August/September 2018.

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

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2020
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
      Energy monitoring
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Deciduous planting around house
      External planting
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
      Heat pump
      Hydronic
      Solar hydronic
    • Water heating:
    • Hot water heat pump
      Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
      Stormwater management
      Drip irrigation
    • Average water consumption per day:
    • 250
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • Tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 72000
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Eaves
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Recycled bluegum cladding, recycled poly insulation, high-performance insulation, breathable wall system. Pool uses Ionisation (significantly reduced chemicals) and has automatic hidden pool cover for reduced evaporation.
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Railway sleepers
      Sleepers
      Timber
      Tyres
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Internal walls
      External walls
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – polyester
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • 6.5
    • Floor Type:
    • Bulk Polyester 3.0 and foil board 2.0 installed under hydronic heating with aluminium heat displacement plates
    • Floor Rating:
    • 5.5
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Foil + polyester batts
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • 6.5
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – polyester
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • 2.5
    • External Walls Rating:
    • 2.5
    • External Walls Type:
    • Breathable wall wrap with cavity cladding, R2.0 wall batts
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Energy star rating:
    • 7.4 Stars
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 2.5
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 3.5
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • $900000
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $100000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $20000
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 228 m2
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Metal (Colorbond)
      Timber
    • Window and Door Types
    • Awning
      Double glazing
      Louvre windows
      Sliding windows/doors
      Stacking windows/doors

    • Window and Door Types
    • Thermally broken doors and windows with main double stacking postless corner doors
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 4
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 4
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Bird-nesting boxes
      Chickens
      Community vegetable garden
      Composting
      Drip irrigation
      Edible garden
      Frog friendly
      Orchard
      Organic
      Water wise plants
      Worm farm
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Make jams/conserves
      Pickle and preserve food
      Plastic free household
      Recycle
      Repair
      Recycle coffee grounds from nearby cafe's
      Take own containers to the supermarket and for take away food
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Formaldehyde free cabinets
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural fibre furnishings
      Natural light and ventilation
      Natural oil sealer/finishes
      VOC free paints/sealer/varnish
Location
North Narrabeen NSW 2101
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • Rod Reece Owner
    • Designer
    • Envirotecture

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