waran ngali 2024

waran ngali

My home “waran ngali” (the translation for “sky” in Nuenonne language of North Bruny Island, Tasmania) completed October 2023, followed my 2017 brief – low embodied energy, thermally efficient, flexible floor plan 70-90m2, with character. There is a big sky, big trees and the opportunity to hear the sounds of nature centred within a small community.

My build highlights what sustainable housing is not.

Here I have a building on an island off an island with a core material that has come from Europe and a principal building team who lived 1 3/4hr drive away plus a short-term hemp building team from Victoria. Yet, it is a modest 71m2 with an open plan, minimal “structure”. The building process created minimal rubbish on site. The final construction cost of around $5000/m2.

The home is off grid, north facing hempcrete (stud framing) with BIG thermally broken aluminium double-glazed windows, Mega Anchor tripod footings, timber subfloor with Tassie oak timber floorboards internal and insulation sandwiched between.
The skillion roof lifts northwards with R4 batts behind the raked internal hoop pine ply ceiling. R2.5 in the floor. The walls are hemp 300mm thick R3.7.
Wood heater and electric resistant 125Litre hot water cylinder placed internally as a drying cupboard both contribute to heating.

I have dripper irrigation food garden. My daily water needs are low helped by a composting toilet.

What I believe makes my house sustainable is my behaviour – patterns of living which required low energy and water input and little waste.
Affordable, sustainable houses are about modifying first our behaviours then building to meet these “living lightly” criteria.

I love living in my healthy, light filled home oozing with its very hand-built character, wavy patterned rocklike textured internal walls and my beloved nature just there.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2024
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Deciduous planting around house
      Passive solar designed home
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
    • Water heating:
    • Water heated by PV system
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Rainwater storage - Above ground
      Blackwater system
      Compost toilet
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
      Drip irrigation
    • Average water consumption per day:
    • 65litres
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • colorbond tanks
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 60,000Litres
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Deciduous tree/vegetation

    • Window Protection:
    • 600mm southern eave
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Walls Hempcrete 300mm thick R3.4 approx
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Appliances
      Basins/sinks
      Cladding
      Kitchen cabinets
      Metal sheeting
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
      Floor
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R4
    • Floor Type:
    • Bulk - glass wool
    • Floor Rating:
    • R2.5
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Reflective foil
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • Yes
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Energy storage/battery
      Solar PV off-grid
    • Size of PV system:
    • 4.8kW
    • Average Daily Energy Consumption:
    • 3kWh
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Total cost of home when constructed:
    • 380,000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • XXX
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 71
    • BAL Rating
    • BAL – 12.5: Ember attack with heat up to 12.5kW/m2
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Hempcrete
    • Window and Door Types
    • Casement
      Double glazing
      Sliding windows/doors
    • Universal design accessability
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Flush thresholds (no lip) to all external doors
      Hobless showers
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No stairs/steps
      No Corner cupboards
      Rocker style light switches
      Shower head on rail for various heights
      Space around toilets for ease of access in wheelchairs
      Strong fittings like towel rails that can be used as hand rails
      Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 1
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 1
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Composting
      Drip irrigation
      Edible garden
      Frog friendly
      Greenhouse
      Local indigenous plants
      Organic
      Permaculture
      Native plants
      Worm farm
    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Book exchange/library
      Compost all food scraps
      Pickle and preserve food
      Repair
      Take own containers to the supermarket and for take away food
      Swap with friends and neighbours
      Waste free/reduced construction site
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Formaldehyde free cabinets
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Lime render/wash
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Wax based sealer/finish
Location
North Bruny TAS 7150
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Builder
    • Saga Custom Built and Brain Built and Self
    • Designer
    • Collaborative

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