Treehouse North Narrabeen
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House Notes – 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
- 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 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 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
- 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
- Total cost of home when constructed:
- $900000
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- $100000
- Estimate of annual savings:
- $20000
- 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 / 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
- 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
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- New Build
- Builder
- Rod Reece Owner
- Designer
- Envirotecture
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