My aim was to create a passive solar build that worked with the landscape and the environment in an effort to minimise my footprint on the land and environment, and to create my own power and water. I wanted to minimise my energy and water bills and use as much as I could of what nature provided. A passive solar design maximises the movement of the sun so the house can heat and cool naturally, without heavy reliance on heaters and air conditioning.
The house uses liveability principles so it can cater for aging in place. All spaces are wide enough for wheelchair access or someone with mobility issues. All internal doors are cavity sliders, and the house is on one level.
I specifically chose the block, on Yuin Country in Braidwood, because it was a long block with a long north-facing boundary. The neighbour’s house to the north doesn’t shade me and the house gets full sun. The long north side of the house is almost entirely glass, with large sliding doors to the lounge/dining area and main bedroom. All of the windows (excluding the bathroom window) on the east, south, and north sides are small to limit the amount of heat lost through the windows. The house plan has been designed so it can be zoned and areas can be closed off when they’re not in use, this limits the amount of heat required and lost. The interior window coverings are a mix of Roman and honeycomb blinds—which are designed to trap air inside and create thermal barriers at windows. The exterior windows that get sun on them in summer have fixed guide blinds.
The house is self-sufficient in electricity and runs off a 6Kw solar system. It has a 22,500L water tank and an in-ground greywater system. The water tank supplies the toilets and the washing machine, and the grey water collects from the laundry and bathrooms (not the toilets) and is pumped out onto the garden via an in-ground irrigation system.
The floor is polished concrete, with a slight gold colour mixed into the concrete to make the colour feel a little warmer than straight grey concrete. It is on a waffle pod slab. The walls and ceiling are heavily insulated.
The windows and glass doors are double-glazed and argon filled with a 16mm gap with UPVC frames. Most of the windows are tilt and turn, although some are awning windows where the plans dictated. The tilt and turn mechanism allows windows to be safely left open in the ‘tilt’ position at night. In the ‘turn’ position windows are open to ‘scoop’ the cool air into the building or create the cross breezes necessary to cool the house at night. The sliding doors are very wide and are a ‘lift and slide’ design which allows the doors to drop into their tracks for a tight seal, and allows heavy doors to open with minimal effort. The house is designed to have cross-flow ventilation.
The living area is heated by a reverse-cycle heat pump and a wood burner. There is no air conditioning but there are ceiling fans in the bedrooms and living area.
The house achieves everything I wanted in a sustainable house—it’s warm in winter, cool in summer, and is a pleasure to live in. And I have very little in the way of power bills! Water bills are just $100 each year.
Some aspects of the house I can talk with you about:
The experiences and opinions shared on this site and by homeowners are general in nature. The information is relevant to their situation and available at the time of their build or renovation. Products, situations, and contexts change. Please talk to a qualified architect, builder, or industry professional for advice specific to your circumstances. A small % of booking fees goes to Lived In Eco Homes.
Lived In Eco Homes acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Country we work and build on. The founders live on Bunurong/Boon Wurrung Country.
