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How colour evolves

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

For this week’s Australian style we delve into the Light Home archives to bring you an insightful and informative interview with interior designer Simone Gillespie.

We will also hear from Victoria Lea who will brings us this week’s What’s Hot and we will answer your questions.

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Episode 19 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show...

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: This week we continue our investigation into colour. I’ll be speaking with Di Swinbourn, the head of colour at Sydney Design School. And she’ll explain how a colour trend is developed, how they evolve, and she’ll also give us some handy tips on using colour throughout our own home. And in this week’s Australian style, we dig into light homes archives to bring you one of our most popular podcasts ever. Light homes Maria Tan will sit down with Simone Gillespie who brings us her take on colour trends.CARLOS: I’m here today with Di Swinbourn. She’s the head of colour at Sydney’s Design School. Thanks for being with us Di.

DI: You’re welcome, Carlos. Nice to be here.

CARLOS: Great. So we’re talking about design trends, and particularly, colour trends for 2013. Can you give us a bit of a rundown of how a trend really evolves and how a trend is developed:

DI: Yeah, well, a trend reflects the current spirit of the times. So whatever is happening with the world at that time, it’s reflected in how we dress and how we decorate. So, for instance, you know, we are still being influenced by trends that started in the 50s like casual living, you know, with open plan houses and large picture windows and the kitchen as the centre of the house. That all came out of the 50s and has evolved from that and from the technologies of the 50s. And then luxury living came from the 90s with all the wealth that we have in the 90s, you know, with women paying thousands for designer bags. And then we went into luxury living phase with baroque inspired wallpapers and chandeliers and chairs. And so that has evolved too and now we’re being influenced by the GFC and so we’re in a period of recession and that’s the spirit of the times and it’s led to us recycling and using pre-loved items and honouring the things that are important to us and cocooning ourselves with family photos and the things that are important to us. So, yeah, trends are important to us, they evolve, and they represent how we feel about things that the time.

CARLOS: Ok, and how do, the spirit of the time, how does that influence colour choices and colour pallets throughout our house?

DI: Ok, well that’s a good question. You would think in a time of recession, or economic downturn, that we’d go for safe colours. But, in fact the reverse is true. We actually are looking for brights and so we’re actually featuring brights more than we have for a long, long time. So we still might have our neutrals, and grey is still a big neutral, and black and white, but we’re bringing in lots of brights, lots of pops of colour. So it might just be putting two chairs at the end of a dining room table that are brights in a room, that might be a fuchsia or a neon green. And that could be enough to brighten the whole room. Or it could be actually featuring a whole range of brights from different parts of the colour wheel. Some might be pastels, some might be more full colour, full chroma. But they just make us feel good and that’s what we’re wanting, that’s what we’re looking for right now is colour that makes us feel good.

CARLOS: Alright, great. And for someone who wants to create a colour pallet throughout their own home, how do they go about it? Do they look in a magazine for the latest trends or can they develop their own colour pallet? How does it work?

DI: Well, trends are a guide, but you don’t want to be led by trends. And so you need to pick colours that actually reflect who you are and your favourite colours. So there’s a couple of things that you could do. You might walk through your house and just see what colours are there that you are naturally being drawn to and they will tell you what your natural pallet is, and then work from that. Or you might look at your wardrobe, because we tend to sort of surround ourselves with colours that actually reflect our complexion, that look good with our natural colouring. So people who are very dark haired and dark skinned tend to like, you know, black and white and splashes of red and hot colours. Whereas people who are blonde and blue eyed tend to go for greyed colours more, subtle colours. So look for that. And I’ve got a technique here that works really well that I use a lot with students and it seems to really work. And that is where you pull out a whole lot of images. Say, go through some magazines, some great graphic magazines, not interior magazines, but something like National Geographic or even Woman’s Weekly will do. But wallpapers and magazines that are really beautifully glossy. And pull out, say, 6 images where you’re attracted to the colours and then splice them together. Tear them, shred them, cut them without any idea of art, and just overlap them and paste them down. Do it all in, like, 3 to 5 minutes. And then walk into your room, into your space, and have a look at what you’ve created and see if there’s a little section, it might just be a tiny part of that, where you can see that pallet in that room and study that. Study that section and pull out exactly, precisely the colours that you’ve used there. You might have white walls and they may just be the jewels of colour that are furnishings and pillows and things like that. And then bring in woods and neutrals and things to ground it. With pops of colour, your neutrals are really important to ground them. So whites and blacks and greys and wood tones and all the surfaces that we use, they ground the colours that we pick. But that’s a nice way of pulling out a colour pallet that’s a little bit quirky and a little bit non-prescriptive. Yeah.

CARLOS: Fantastic. And when it comes to creating a colour pallet, Di, is there some rules for colour? I mean, do you need to know the rules before you break them? Or how does it work?

DI: That’s an interesting one. Designers all differ on that one. Abigail Hearn, who’s just been visiting Australia, is a great advocate of breaking the rules but, in actual fact, she doesn’t. She has her own set of rules and they’re playing with dimensions and doing oversizing and being really bold with colour. But there are a few things. Like, if you want to create unity in a home, then you might take your favourite colour and use it boldly in an area where you pass through, where you don’t linger for too long. So it could be a foyer or it could be a middle hallway, and have fun with it there. So say it’s a turquoise, put full on turquoise in your foyer, but then don’t feel that you’ve got to repeat it right throughout the house to have exactly like that to have a story. Pick it up in other ways. Like you might have a painting in a bedroom that’s just a splash of… has a tiny splash of turquoise in it. But the other colours there could be more navy blue. You could have a lounge that’s in an inky blue. So it’s from the blue family, but it’s not turquoise. But then you might have just one chair that’s in a teal blue that’s, again, not turquoise but is related to it. So you’re repeating the sense of that colour without being too precise. We’re in a definite era of mismatching but we’ve become more sophisticated with it. And that’s a nice way of being, you know, having unity in a house but also having a sense of slight mismatching that’s quite sophisticated and that works really well.

CARLOS: Great. Fantastic. And what do you think would be… if you could give one piece of walk away advice to someone who’s really hungry for some colours ideas and they perhaps don’t know as much as, obviously, someone with expertise like yourself. What do you think would be the key take away?

DI: Wow, I don’t know where to start with that. But I guess you’ve got to have balance with colour. So whatever direction you’re going in, don’t just have it all full on in one room. You know, you need to have that sense of colour repeated throughout or textures or whatever. So to create unity, you need to have balance. So, for instance, you might have the one floor throughout the house, which is great because it adds unity to the house and that allows you to play from that. If you do change to a carpet, keep it in a similar tone so you’re not breaking up the space. Maybe the same ceiling colour throughout, the same trim colours throughout. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a dark ceiling or a colourful ceiling. But say, for instance, you have a black ceiling in here, then you might repeat it way, say, a black kitchen or a black utility, a wardrobe or something, or maybe a black sofa. So you’ve got a sense of repetition, but it doesn’t have to be on the same item. So just think in terms of your space as being a whole and being unified and whatever direction you take, whatever style you’ve got, repeat that style in different ways throughout the space.

CARLOS: Fantastic. Di Swinbourn, thank you for your time.

DI: Ok, thank you Carlos.
CARLOS: We’ve already heard from two colour experts, Vic. Anything more to add?

VICTORIA: Carlos has been talking about how you can have just one feature piece that can just really bring a room to light. So just gonna look at a few simple ones starting with these gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous yellow lights from Great Dane. GreatDaneFurniture.com. They’re just kind of a whole 60s, retro look, which is fab. Also the very classic pedestal from Australian Designers Designed by Them. It’s 319, so it’s not cheap, but it’s super cool and it’s made of 70% recycled milk containers. Fab. You don’t have to do… get really expensive to have a feature piece in your room. I personally think lounge chairs, like beach chairs, are really cool, and these ones are 39.95 from Uu.com.au. Also from Uu, ridiculously cheap, is this red couch for 199 dollars. Fab. Otherwise you could get a throw, always a big fan of a throw, this one’s from Riva at Texture.com.au. Or, amazing kind of feature piece, a traffic light. Just scour old junkyards and odd shops and get a traffic light.
MARIA: I’m Maria Tan and joining us today is interior designer Simone Gillespie from Essence Interiors who will be sharing her insights on the latest colour trends for 2012. Welcome, Simone. So, tell us Simone, what colours are really coming to season this year?

SIMONE: Ok, well this year we’re having quite a change from what has been in the past. Where subdued colours have been popular over the last couple of years, and now we’re seeing a return to bright colour and vivid colour in lots of different, exciting hues. So what we’re seeing now is instead of neutrals being brown tones, we are now seeing a neutral background in hues of grey. So from very, very light grey through to dark grey, this forms the background for brighter colours to take the centre stage. So in the years just gone by where we’re using a lot of brown neutrals as our background, like tan and taupe and beige, no sorts of colours. Now we’re moving towards the greys like, for example, the colour White Duck is a greyish neutral colour. And they work really, really well with citrus tones. And they are going to be huge over the next season. Anything of a citrus nature that reminds you of limes, lemons, oranges, anything that is yellow, in that range of yellow through to limey greens, and then your oranges through to red-oranges and like a… like a blood grapefruit colour. So citrus colours are going to be really huge and they go very well with the black, sorry, with the dark grey background or a light grey background. And I’ve sent you a couple of pictures that would show that. They really seem to pop right out of the picture at you, these vivid yellows and oranges and beautiful lime greens. So combining those with the greys, that is going to be the major trend.

MARIA: Alrighty, well thanks very much for joining us today, Simone.

SIMONE: Pleasure. I love to talk about colour. It’s my life.

MARIA: And that was interior design expert Simone Gillespie from Essence Interiors with all the latest on colour trends for 2012.

1 thing to improve any room

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Be it big or small, round or square, a colourful object can sex up a room instantly. And for anyone looking for easy home improvement ideas, it’s a no-brainer.

Not only does a colourful object add brightness it pulls the eye to one area of the room, meaning its surrounds can be softer (and forgiven for not being so impressive).

Be it a light, a sofa, an armchair, a table or even a vase – a striking colour feature is worth the investment!

Try on one of these five for size…

Home improvement ideas – with colour!

1. Swinging 1960s

The folk at Great Dane Furniture import Danish and Swedish furniture and this one is a beauty. Designed by one of Denmark's most influential furniture and interior designers, Verner Panton, the Topan VP6 pendant lamp exudes 1960s style. $525 from greatdanefurniture.com.au

2. The Butter Stool

Created by rising Australian outfit Design by Them, the Butter Stool is an eco beauty. Created from 100% recycled content, it can also be recycled again at the end of its life. Oh, and the recycled material it is made from? Mainly recycled milk containers! $319 from designbythem.com.au

3. A couch for under $200?

Little beats a fabulous red chair for instant look-at-me confidence. And this deal looks almost too good to be true: a red couch for $199, plus delivery. Bargain or what? From oo.com.au

4. Beach chair bliss!

A feature piece needn’t be expensive. In fact, if budget is on your mind, it can work to your advantage. Try going for something you wouldn’t normally see in a particular room – and then go ahead and put it there.

Through this thinking, a beach chair does not belong in a living room or kitchen, but may just look kooky enough to work. Try the Primex Red Stripe 4 Position Beach Chair, $112.99 from iconhomeware.com.au

5. Stop, go, stop, go…

Thinking of making an impact by placing normal objects in unlikely places, how about having your own traffic light? A definite talking point for any living room, old traffic lights can be found surprisingly cheap at second hand stores, auctions and online.

For more home improvement ideas, colour trends and Australian home designs, see the Light Home Green Living blog.

Casually coastal

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Godwin explains it became apparent early in the design stage the importance of the beach for the home on the NSW north coast. He adds the environment and the conditions the house would be subjected to throughout its life such as wind, salt and sun, also had to be taken into account.

Sustainable architecture: functional flow

“We looked to create an easy kind of flow,” he says. “It was all about how to get to the beach easily and when you come back how functional it was to rinse off the sand, get out of the wetsuit, and hang the board up.”

The ‘black box’ design features a double height entry with grass underfoot and consists of a semi indoor/outdoor space constructed of clear weatherboards made from James Hardie’s HardieFlex™ sheet.

This area allows for the wetsuit to be abandoned into the concealed laundry, the surfboards to be ‘racked’, and is able to be hosed out through the decking boards to discard unwanted sand and salt.

Eco building: lightweight the perfect fit

According to Godwin, the use of galvanised steel and stained ecoply promotes rawness to the skin that will ‘age gracefully’ rather than deteriorate like most paint type finishes.

“I think the lightweight materials were a good match for the clients requirements,” Godwin says. “They wanted to get away from that monolithic kind of mansion style that we often see so the lightweight motion fits coastal area well.”

Green construction: causal design

Once within the entry, large timber clad sliding doors can be pushed out to open into the house. On ground level a simple program of living spaces open up to a courtyard and to the rear of the property that overlooks a pool.

Upstairs consists of simple bedroom and bathroom facilities that interact with the ground level and entry via a series of voids and openings.

“Overall this house evokes openness and a casual sensation that typifies what a beach house should be,” Godwin says. “It’s pretty rough kind of environment.

FACT FILE:

Project: The Beach Shack
Location: NSW North Coast
Architect: Base Architecture
Builder:
Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones
Featured material: HardieFlex™ sheet

Summer 2012

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:00:00 GMT

In fact, we’ve overhauled the magazine for this special summer issue, including a new design, new technology and new sections.

To view the Summer issue click here.

Just last month we launched new software making Light Home more easily compatible with tablet devices and smartphones. For this issue, we’ve taken it a step further with a redesign that not only makes it more compatible with these mobile devices, but also makes navigation even easier.

Light Home magazine now operates almost identically to an app – but actually better because it can also be viewed on a standard computer through a browser. Plus, you can still download the Light Home button to your tablet desktop meaning you can get all our information through the click of one button.

It really is as simple is this…

Step one – Grab your iPad, log on to Lighthome.com.au and go to the magazine page.

Step two – Click on the arrow icon on the left hand side of the address bar, and select “Add to Home Screen” in the box that pops up.

That’s it! You’ll now have an icon on your desktop that will take you straight to the magazine whenever you need a burst of inspiration or something entertaining to read.

And the best part is, you only need to do this once…the icon will automatically take you to the latest issue of the mag, and will also give you the option to browse every issue previously published.

On the new content front, we’re proud to announce a series of firsts, including a bespoke Consumer Research report, a write-up of the Green Building Show and the first Q&A sessions with our architectural Design Ambassadors. There’s so much in this issue; read more about it below or just download it now!!

Green Building Show EP 14 – summer DIY

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:00:00 GMT

We will speak with experts in design, construction, gardening and even water efficiency to bring you the tips and tricks of how to have a happy DIY summer.

To kick off the series, Carlos Martinez speaks with Dale Dixon manger of collections at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens who explains the benefits of a native garden, and how you can create your own.

In this week’s Australian Style, we hear from Andrew Webb – director of Queensland architectural firm WD Architects, who have created a carbon positive home that makes the occupants money.

We will also hear from Victoria Lea – who has some environmentally friendly, and affordable gift ideas for Christmas – and we will answer your questions.

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Episode 14 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: In the lead up to the long awaited Christmas holidays, we’re gonna have a look at some DIY projects that you can do in and around your own home. We’re gonna kick off our DIY series with an interview with Dale Dixson from Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens and he’s gonna argue why you would get a native garden, what are the benefits, and how you can create one in your own home. And in this week’s Australian style, I’ll speak with Andrew Webb, the director of architecture firm WD Architects in Queensland and they’ve created a lightweight home, which is so energy efficient it not only got an 8 star rating, but actually earns the occupants money.

CARLOS: Hi, I’m here with Dale Dixson. He’s the manager of collections at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Thanks for being with us, Dale.

DALE: You’re welcome.

CARLOS: So we’re talking about a DIY native garden. Can you give us the… basically, give us the argument for pro native over exotic. What are the advantages of developing your own native garden, Dale?

DALE: It’s very interesting. I think for me and for anybody interested in native plants, you’ve gotta remember that if you choose an Australian native plant for your garden and you choose correctly for the area you’re wanting to develop, then the species are already preadapted for your conditions. You know, lots of Australian species have evolved to harsh conditions, survived with low water, and high light depending on where they come from. So the argument is easy if you ask me. There’s an Australian species for every situation in your garden, you’ve just gotta know what your site is.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And you say they’re well adapted to the Australian conditions. What are the advantages of a plant which is already adapted to our conditions? What’s the advantages? What are the benefits?

DALE: Well, if you can consider we need to reduce the amount of water that we’re using because water is a precious resource, then lots of Australian species can survive on very minimal amounts of water and even survive long periods where you may not be able to water your garden if you do have to go on to water restrictions. Once they become established in the garden and you provide them with adequate protection in the forms of mulches, they can survive.

CARLOS: And what about other things like such as fauna attraction or easier maintenance? Do you have an opinion on those aspects?

DALE: Well, native plants will bring back to your garden all the native birds from honeyeaters to insectivorous species. They’ll bring little mammals back to your garden perhaps. They’ll bring reptiles, lizards, hopefully not snakes, but probably. And these can all be a benefit because they will help you in the maintenance of the garden. They remove pests, insect pests, you know, insectivorous birds will remove insects that can damage your plants. Native nectar feeding birds will pollinate your plants and your garden will just be a much richer place to… that you will enjoy.

CARLOS: Fantastic. And what about people who may think that a native garden is not as aesthetically pleasing or as colourful as perhaps an exotic one? What would you say to convince them otherwise?

DALE: I’d say that they haven’t gone to a native plant nursery and really looked at the variety of plants that you can actually get now. It might’ve been different 20 and 30 years ago when I started growing native plants and gardens and there wasn’t a lot available and native gardens did get a bad rap. But today if you go to a native plant nursery, there is a plethora of species available for just about any situation that you’ve got in your garden and some of the most spectacular flower colour, leaf texture, leaf shape, leaf size, form, habit that you can dream of.

CARLOS: Great. Ok. And so give us a bit of an example garden if you will for, say, Sydney. So a temperate climate. What would be a good mix of plants to give it that aesthetic appeal exclusively native and still have some colour?

DALE: Really, really hard question to answer, Carlos. I really think that a person or the gardener needs to take into consideration their site first. So there’s not one fit for every situation. So a person needs to look at their garden, their yard, and look at and get to know the site intimately, look at the aspect. Where does the morning sun fall? Where does the afternoon sun fall? You know, where’s the afternoon sun so that you can think about what plants you’re gonna plant that get the hottest sun of the day? And once you know that, you can begin to select the plants that will benefit in your area. For instance, I just, you know, you wouldn’t choose a shade loving fern and plant it in an area that gets the hot afternoon sun. You know? I mean, you’re just inviting trouble. And that’s where I think people have got the wrong idea with respect to native plants. They think that they’re durable, they can plant anything anywhere. But just like any other plant, they have their conditions that are beneficial to their growth and you’ve got to provide those sorts of things when you’re planning an Australian garden.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And just on the planning, without repeating yourself I suppose, but what is the biggest consideration someone needs… a homeowner needs to take into account before they, or when they begin, their native garden project?

DALE: Well, I think they should just do a little bit of research. And there’s lots of different sites. Go onto the Australian Native Plant Society website, they have articles on there about different genero plants that you can put in your gardens, about planting design, garden design, look at how the water runs off of your garden because, you know, you’re obviously going to be planting garden around a house and the roof area of a house collects a lot of water that goes down your gutters and your drainpipes. That’s gotta go somewhere if you don’t actually collect that. Look at how that interacts with your garden because you don’t wanna plant things that require minimal water where they’re going to get lots of water. Look at what is beyond your boundary and try to plan to blend in or contrast with what’s beyond your boundary as well. And I think that’s quite important too because we live in smaller and smaller blocks of land and you can use to your advantage what other people have put in their gardens as well as a backdrop.

CARLOS: Great. And talking about beyond boundaries, what do people do if they’re in a bushfire zone? Does native flora have any impact to their bushfire danger or bushfire risk?

DALE: Yes. Look, I think there’s… if you are in a fire prone area, you need to really make consideration regardless of whether you’re growing native plants. Certainly native plants can cope with fire and that’s part of the reason why they’re well adapted to our garden situations. So if you are in a fire prone area, you need to leave a bit of a gap between your garden and your built structures. You need to plan ahead with respect to bushfire season and make sure, you know, that you do all the right things that are proposed for those areas. Keep your fire breaks clean, keep your gutters on your house clean, maybe install some sort of irrigation system on your roof to help fight any blowing embers. But keeping plants well away from buildings is a guide for any area that’s fire prone, regardless of whether you’re growing native plants or exotic species.

CARLOS: Ok, last question Dale. I guess what’s your strongest argument if you could wrap up with one sentence, what’s your strongest argument for creating a native garden rather than an exotic garden in a homeowners?

DALE: If you haven’t been out to the Australian bush and spent some time just walking around and seeing the diversity of plants, the form and colour, the shape, the texture of the leaves, then you haven’t been out in the bush too much. And until you do that, you can’t appreciate it. But when you do, you just want to grow these plants. They are just some of the most spectacular things that you can grow and there are plants from all over Australia that will suit any situation in your garden, I guarantee it.

CARLOS: Dale Dixson, thank you for your time.

DALE: You’re welcome.
CARLOS: It’s nearly Christmas, Vic. What’s hot in the gift department?

VICTORIA: Carlos, I was thinking with 12 days of Christmas we could look at 12 eco friendly gifts for under 50 bucks. We may not have time to go through them all now, so gifts under 20 dollars. Number one, for a mere 1 dollar 65, you can get this fantastic wooden kaleidoscope from OrganicPartyBags.com.au. Great eco friendly, safe for kids. Also from Organic Party Bags is this organic chocolate box for 2 dollars 75. Fantastic. Moving on, for 5 dollars 50 the people in Planet Diary 2012 from StateOfGreen.com.au, where proceeds go to 49, I think, different not for profit organizations. Eco coffee cup, there’s loads around, but these ones from LatestBuy.com.au are really cool for 14.95. And then there’s what these people at Urbanities.com.au are calling the sturdiest and most eco friendly notebook ever made from limestone and a nontoxic resin. It’s 15 dollars. And, finally, these are bamboo curvy servers from StateOfGreen.com.au for 20 dollars and, of course, are bamboo. It’s a great, renewable material. So, yeah, 6 products for under 20 bucks, eco friendly Christmas gifts.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Andrew Webb, he’s the director of WD Architect in Queensland. Thanks for being with us Andrew.

ANDREW: No problem.

CARLOS: We’re today talking about the Shlegeris Residence on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. So tell us Andrew, how does this… why did you decide to go with lightweight materials and how does it really suit the local climate?

ANDREW: Well, the site, we had a flood level that we had to work to, 1.2 meters above the natural ground. And then the ground conditions are… it’s really soft sand so we’ve had to go very deep into the ground. So lightweight was the way to go. We still achieved an 8 star rating even though we couldn’t have any thermal mass inside, it was too heavy for the conditions.

CARLOS: Ok, you mentioned you got an 8 star energy rating, which is quite impressive, especially with no thermal mass. What were some of the challenges and how did you overcome them?

ANDREW: The biggest challenge was the orientation of the block was quite poor, so it’s about 20 degrees off of north and we angled the roof so that it’s actually perfectly true north to maximize the efficiency of the solar panels. And then the cross ventilation and day lighting and, you know, all those things were, you know, developed from responding to the site doing some studies and various things to work it out really to maximum effect even given the poor orientation.

CARLOS: Ok, and having these efficiency systems in place, how does that benefit the occupants of the home?

ANDREW: Well, they’re exporting 4 to 5 times their power convention back to the grid, so it’s essentially a carbon positive house and that’s from just internally being very energy efficient and, in terms of heating and cooling, there’s really none needed. They do have a fireplace for, you know, more for ambiance and then it’s LED lighting throughout and every appliance and anything that draws residual power can be turned off at the wall.

CARLOS: Ok, great. So when you say it’s carbon positive and that it’s power consumption is going back to the grid, how much money do you think the occupant is actually spending on power, if any?

ANDREW: Well, they’re not… they’re getting paid by the supplier.

CARLOS: So they’re actually making money?

ANDREW: Yeah, and that’s… that was measured in the first three months of occupancy through winter. So it should be only better in summer, which is…

CARLOS: Fantastic. Andrew Webb, thank you for your time.

ANDREW: No worries.

CARLOS: This week we’ve got a question from Josh and he’s asked to help him track down an expert who can help him with a home in Perth which suits the climate and the weather. Well, Josh, I would recommend getting in touch with Light Home Design Ambassador’s Penny Sutton and Peter Youngin. They specialize in sustainable and lightweight construction throughout western Australia. You can check out their latest Ambassador’s choice on the Light Home website where they’ve profiled a lightweight and sustainable duplex complex in Albany. And, remember, if you have any questions for us here at the Light Home team, make sure you get them in to editor@lighthome.com.au

Green Building Show EP 13 – Can a sustainable renovation add value to your home?

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:00:00 GMT

In Australian style we hear from Don Cotterill, the director of Queensland builder Sanctuary 28 who have transformed a dark, dated workers cottage into a light filled, and sustainable home.

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Episode 13 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi, this week we wrap up our series on green renovation. I’ll sit down with Jeff Perkins. He’s a property valuer who’s going to explain how a green renovation can have an impact on the value of our home. And in Australian style, I’ll speak with Don Cotterill. He’s the director of a Queensland builder Sanctuary 28, and they’ve turned a dark and dingy worker’s cottage into a light-filled, modern, and sustainable home.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Jeff Perkins, he’s the owner of AAA Property Evaluations. Thanks for being with us, Jeff.

JEFF: That’s fine. Welcome to be here.

CARLOS: Yeah, great. So we’re here talking about… we’re talking about green renovation. The reason we wanted to speak with a property valuer is to get an idea of the financial impact that green renovations can potentially have on a home. So, in your experience, do you think that a green renovation, or a greenovation as they say, can actually have some sort of financial impact on increasing the value of a home?

JEFF: Well, there’s a few answers to that question. It will depend on a number of factors. It will depend on the demographics of the type of person that would be potentially buying it. A younger purchaser, say less than 40, are more tuned in to the sustainability type issues and they’d be… tend to look for those features. Older buyers and/or investors probably lesser so and possibly not at all. They’ll be looking more for location and the style of house, etcetera.

CARLOS: Ok. But isn’t there some sort of… isn’t there any financial incentives for people to choose a more sustainable home for a home… a potential home buyer looking for a more sustainable home in terms of, say, energy costs? You know, in a

well thermal rated house, energy costs would be cheaper. Does that not play an impact in the way that people choose to buy a home?

JEFF: Yes, it certainly wouldn’t be a negative, but how much of a positive, I guess, is what you’re getting at and whether you can put a dollar value on that positive factor. Little bit subjective. Again, it sort of comes back to the type of buyer and certainly it’s not… it wouldn’t be a negative feature. You’d probably make… you’d sell your home a little bit faster and not only demographics but probably geographics, certain areas like inner suburbs would tend to have a demographic that would favour that type of sustainability features that are built into a property.

CARLOS: Mmhm. Ok, fantastic. And most new homes in Australia nowadays, they’ve all got some sort of sustainability aspect played into them whether it’s having a special thermal rating of some sort. Is that gonna start playing more of an impact in older homes in Australia do you think as consumers become more aware of, you know, sustainable benefits in Australia?

JEFF: Yes. I would imagine anyone doing a renovation, particularly if they’re a home owner, would like to have obviously a cooler home in summer and a warmer home in winter. And when you’re designing a house too, you’d need to take into account other factors like the aspect and, you know, skylights, available light, that type of… that type of thing.

CARLOS: So people who don’t take those things into account when they do their renovation, could this possibly be actually costing them money?

JEFF: It could do, but again, if, say for example, an investor purchases the property, the beneficiary will be the tenant and the investor may not be particularly interested in saving the tenant’s electricity costs, for example, or their water usage. For an owner/occupier, particularly as energy prices are increasing and it’s well publicized that they are, the would tend to favour a house that you could establish if you could have some sort of special rating that you could give the person to say that this house is more energy efficient, of course that’s gonna be a positive. How much in dollar terms, again, is somewhat subjective.

CARLOS: Mmhm.

JEFF: It depends on the buyer, of course.

CARLOS: Is consumer awareness, in terms of sustainability, is that increasing in your opinion when it comes to selling and buying homes?

JEFF: It is increasing, but I guess it gets back to the old factor of location, location, location. If you’re in a beachside suburb as opposed to a totally sustainable house somewhere in Timbuktu, obviously the price relates to location, to the style of the house, to whether it suits the requirements, whether it’s close to the facilities that

people want. I think in the pecking order, sustainability comes further down. As people get a little bit more aware of it and as younger people that are more sustainably aware come into the market, that may come further up the pecking order.

CARLOS: Ok. And what advice would you give to someone who wants to do a renovation and increase the value of their home? What do you think that renovation would be?

JEFF: Well, there’d be certain things, as I mentioned before, like the aspect is important, whether there’s natural light, whether it takes into account views, whether you can see a glimpse of water, the old water views which is normally just a glimpse out the bathroom window, things like that.

CARLOS: So orientation and passive solar design would play… would be a significant factor in increasing the value of a home?

JEFF: Yes, unless a buyer can actually see it and touch it and feel it and get a warm feeling, it doesn’t necessarily translate into a price. If it’s buried in the wall somewhere, unless it’s pointed out to them, they’ll just sort of shrug their shoulder because they won’t know if it’s there or not.

CARLOS: Ok.

JEFF: So you need to establish the fact that it was there and that’s where if you had some sort of a document that shows… that could show that this work was actually done, it was to a certain standard, it’s certainly gonna be a positive.

CARLOS: Ok.

JEFF: But how much of a positive…

CARLOS: As a property valuer, if you went to value a home and the home owner actually had a piece of paper from an energy assessor saying, “This is a ten star rated thermal home,” how much weight would that have in assessing the value of the property?

JEFF: It wouldn’t necessarily translate into a dollar figure. It may translate into that a certain demographic would… might be something that tips them over the edge to buy. It may sell quicker.

CARLOS: Ok, so speed of sale is a more likely outcome than actually a dollar figure increase.

JEFF: Yes, and as I mentioned before, if it’s an investor buying the property as opposed to someone who’s going to live there, the investor would not be terribly concerned and perhaps the older generation wouldn’t necessarily be as concerned.

CARLOS: Alright, and what about solar panels? If a home has solar panels, does that increase the value of a home significantly?

JEFF: Again, if it’s an owner/occupier, it would certainly be a plus just as long as the person wasn’t concerned for maintenance and upkeep of it. And just you’d have to consider the lifespan of the solar panel, whether they tend to, you know, if they not… sort of become deteriorated and rusted and what have you or half hanging off the roof, that type of thing. Particularly as energy prices are increasing, people would be more concerned with the fact that they’re going to save electricity. But, again, that’d be more a person who does consume a lot of electricity, I guess, and someone that’s gonna be an owner/occupier. A landlord isn’t necessarily concerned with the tenant’s electricity bill. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s another issue, but they tend to say, “Well, that’s the tenant’s problem.”

CARLOS: Jeff Perkins, thank you for your time.

JEFF: Ok, you’re welcome.

CARLOS: So, Victoria, I hear green roofs are hot this week.

VICTORIA: Well, actually, there’s a bit of a change going on in green roofs. I think, according to this… a great article in this week’s Sanctuary, we all are familiar with the concept of green roofs from Europe. Berlin actually has 30% of its rooftops have to be green, green roofs. And also we’re familiar with them with large high-rise, residential buildings investing in them. But it’s certainly not something you see in the average Aussie home. But something this article was talking about was the rise of normal… normal, standard Australian homes introducing a green roof. And when I say a green roof, it’s literally a roof that is growing. So it’s on top of a waterproof layer, you’re literally laying the soil and planting the grass. So that was really interesting. There’s an association, it is the Green Roofs Australasia Association has begun. But also what I found really interesting was the concept that it’s brilliant for keeping houses cool because the soil acts as a thermal buffer and the plants evaporate heat. It’s basically like a huge, shady umbrella. And, in fact, it has found that green roofs reduce the amount of heat used to cool a home by 48%. So I just thought they were two really interesting issues and it’d be great to see more normal homes using green roofs.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Don Cotterill. He’s the director of Queensland Builder Sanctuary 28. Thanks for being with us Don.

DON: No problem Carlos. Thanks for having me.

CARLOS: Pleasure. So we’re talking about your renovated… you’ve renovated a worker’s cottage in Queensland’s Palm Beach. And, I guess, in the small description that I’ve read it says that you’ve… that basically you’ve brought, you know, a dark and somewhat dingy home, you know, you’ve created a light filled and lightweight home. Just tell us some of the challenges about bringing this home into the modern age, Don.

DON: I guess when they built those houses back in the 1950s and 60s, there wasn’t a real focus on which direction was north or, you know, how sort of they could design them to suit the climate. It certainly wasn’t the classic old Queenslander, it was an… it was an asbestos sort of worker’s cottage that was there. So it was asbestos roof, walls, and all the internal lining, so we had that challenge to deal with. And obviously with the, you know, not many windows on the northern side, they sort of concentrate more on the direction of the street really, which is something that we don’t look at these days. So the opportunity was there to extend the house back along the long, narrow, skinny block and the long side of the block faced to the north, so we had an opportunity to capture a lot of northern light.

CARLOS: Great. And also it says in the description that I’ve read, Don, that, you know, parts of the house were, from the original dwelling, were quite dark and quite cramped and they’ve now been transformed into functional spaces with a perfect balance of light. Can you explain how you achieved this?

DON: Yeah, it’s hard to believe it these days when you look at a house, this house was 6 meters wide by 11 meters long, 66 square meters. Some are that big these days. And that house had, you know, in the living area it had, you know, living, dining, kitchen area all in just a very small area. It was a weekender for a Brisbane family who used to come down the coast on holiday down there. So to change it, we didn’t move too many of the existing walls in the cottage. When we extended onto the back was when we added in a new kitchen, a laundry, main bedroom, a walk in en-suite. But what we did do is change all of the windows over and we utilized the aspect and we got more windows on the northern side and large bits of glass allowing the light to come in. So the bedrooms still remained on the southern side of the house, which wasn’t an issue. If you’re designing a house, that’s probably the best place to put your bedrooms is on the southern side, the bedrooms being darker and cooler. So that worked for us. And, yeah, we just enhanced on the kitchen area that was previously the laundry area, opened that up into one living room in the old house, and then went on with the new kitchen and laundry and bedroom.

CARLOS: Don Cottrill, thank you for your time.

DON: Thank you.

CARLOS: This week we’ve got a question from Rosie. She’s looking to build a weatherboard style home in Sydney, but she’s having difficulty finding the right builder who specializes in this type of construction. Well, Rosie, your question is certainly well timed and I recommend checking out the last episode of the Green Building Show. In the Australian Style segment I speak with Melissa Lucille, the co-owner of a Sydney builder, JG Gardner Homes. And they’ve just released a new range of weatherboard designs which they say is taking Sydney’s northern beaches by storm.

Green Building Show EP 11 – the problem with greenwash

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Baggs explains that greenwash is the biggest single disconnect between the intention to use or specify a green material and the ability to use one. He also provides advice on how to ensure a material is green.

Also in the show, we speak with Light Home Design Ambassador Phil Harris, who brings us his latest Ambassador’s Choice – a lightweight home in Adelaide that is challenging traditional garden-suburb development inside and out.

We will also hear from Victoria Lea who has seven creative things you can do with bamboo in your home, and we answer your questions.

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Episode 11 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi, this week on the Green Building Show I’ll be speaking with David Bags. He’s the CEO of material certifier, Global Green Tag. He’s going to explain the problem with green wash and how you can ensure a building material is truly green. Also in this week’s show, we’ll hear from Victoria Lee who’s gonna bring us this week’s what’s how and I’ll be speaking with Phil Harris, a design ambassador who’s brought us his latest ambassador’s choice.

CARLOS: Alright, great. Well, I’m here today with David Bags, he’s the CRO of material certifier Global Green Tag. Thank you for being with us David.

DAVID: Great to meet you Carlos.

CARLOS: So in your opinion, David, what is an environmentally sustainable material?

DAVID: It’s a big subject. Firstly, it has to be healthy, it has to be nontoxic, and it has to not have significant emissions to the environment that are gonna create problems including waste. It needs to minimize its resources. We tend to look at that through the lens… through a lens called lifecycle analysis, which looks at the impacts of a product from the very beginning of the raw materials through all the transport and manufacturing, maintenance, operations, right through the end of its life and its reuse. It’s called cradle to end of life.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And you’re also the technical director for a database of sustainable products called Ecospecify.

DAVID: That’s right.

CARLOS: Can you give us a quick rundown of how the Ecospecify and their certification system works?

DAVID: Yeah, ok. Well, Ecospecifier is both a database and a knowledge base, so there’s a lot of free information there for people to access about how to do sustainable and healthy buildings and how to choose sustainable, healthy products. It’s a place to go to find the products that you want to use in your house in your renovation. So you go to the database and under the product search section, you can actually use a different… a few different kinds of searches to find the products that, you know, that you’re looking for. And when you get there, you’ll find that there are a couple of different types of levels of assessment. The first is just a basic listing, which is a very brief, it’s been assessed based on public domain information. The second is a verified assessment, which means that we’ve looked at, in detail, the health and eco toxicity impacts of the product, made sure it’s safe to use, and verified that the claims that the manufacturer is making about its health and environmental impacts are true and correct.

CARLOS: Ok, so, I mean, obviously the information you guys provide is very thorough. But how can a person who’s doing renovation benefit from having this information available to them?

DAVID: Well, I mean, ultimately when you’re doing a renovation, you’ve got to find products and then figure out which ones you want to use. So in figuring out which ones you want to use, you need to cut through the complexity and find simple solutions that will give you an indicator of which products are better than others to use. And that’s when we come to the third category of products I was mentioning on the website, which is the certified products. So products that are certified have been fully, independently checked to be… to meet certain standards. There are eco labels out there where they just provide a label and it’s sort of a pass/fail and that provides one level of information. But then there’s systems out there like Green Tag which are a rating system. So they will give you a bronze, silver, gold, or a platinum rating depending on the whole of sustainability impact of the product.

CARLOS: Ok, so you’re saying you do a full LCA, a full life cycle assessment of each product?

DAVID: Correct.

CARLOS: Ok.

DAVID: So we do… not only do we do a full life cycle analysis, but we also look in very fine detail at the health and the eco toxicity. We give you an actual number for the greenhouse impact of that product, which is compliant with the international standards.

CARLOS: Ok.

DAVID: We look at the biodiversity impact, we look at the corporate social responsibility impact, and so it’s a very… it’s a holistic measure, it’s a very complete measure, and it provides you the ability to compare a number of different products and say, “Well, this one is better than that one.” Therefore, I can see that sometimes you can even find products which are better than another product at a lower cost. So sustainability doesn’t always have to be a matter of the more expensive it is, the greener it is. Often you can find that there are products which _____ just as well, but are greener and less expensive.

CARLOS: Ok. But is it really that simple to just have the two spreadsheets open and say, “Ok, this one is better than that.” Or do they… all materials perform differently in different aspects.

DAVID: There’s always a fit for purpose issue. With our Green Tag system, we establish that the products meet Australian standards, or relevant standards, and that they are fit for purpose. With the verified products, it’s really up to the manufacturer or to the consumer to determine the fit for the purpose. But certainly within the Green Tag context, they are determined as being fit for purpose.

CARLOS: Ok, I guess two things I wanna know. Basically, what are some general principles, perhaps without logging into a specifier and going through the plethora of information available. What are some general principles that an average person can know to ensure their building is at least somewhat sustainable? Or the materials that they choose? Is it the fact that they should be sourced locally, they should avoid cement, or…?

DAVID: The first thing that people should do to make the house as sustainable as possible is to design it in accordance with passive solid principles.

CARLOS: But we’re talking renovations.

DAVID: You can’t divorce the two. Ok? So even if you might have an existing house, you can still modify that in accordance with basic solid design principles. So… and inherently in that concept is the selection of the correct materials, right insulation levels, right insulation types, thermal mass, and those sorts of things. Once we get past that, we talk about window shading, window insulation, building colours, all of those start coming into the materials aspect. At the end of the day, when you talk about issues like health, it’s not something you can see. If you wanna choose a healthy product, you can’t just look at a product and say, “That’s healthy.” You have to look for the information behind the product to determine that. So while you can say, “Well, yes, something which is locally made might have lower transport,” it’s actually not even that clear because there’s a lot of things that have gone on in this sector, a lot of things that we’ve latched onto because we thought they represented sustainability and because they were easy grabs. Ok? So things like local transport sounds good, but if it’s come more than 40 or 50 kilometres by a small bed truck, it’s like taking it from Sydney to Melbourne on a 40 wheeler truck. And going Sydney to Melbourne on a 40 wheeler truck is actually the same as bringing it from Sydney to China on a ship.

CARLOS: Right.

DAVID: So in reality, the transport distance, you have to go a layer deeper again and say, “Well, how is it travelled by what distance?” And that’s when you start getting into the complexity which is like, well, are most people gonna go down that track? And the answer is no. So rather than saying, well, here’s the easy grab, look for metrics tha the studies put all of that on the counter, and have given you the numbers that reflects the whole life impact of the product.

CARLOS: Fantastic. And, I guess, in your career, what’s, I guess, what’s one myth that you really would like to debunk? If you could have one message to a homeowner or someone who’s about to build a home or doing a renovation, what’s something that almost frustrates you that the average person doesn’t know?

DAVID: Don’t take the word of your builder as being gospel. Do your own research. Because most tradesmen, most builders, unless they’re unusual and highly principled, will actually talk about the easy way out. Now, that’s not a particularly great thing to talk about in the industry for the industry, but it’s the unfortunate fact. Most people will take the easy way out rather than the right way out or the way out that you wanna pursue. So do your research, figure out what you wanna do, and stick to your guns.

CARLOS: David Bags, thank you for your time.

DAVID: Thanks.

CARLOS: So, Victoria, I hear it’s bamboo this week.

VICTORIA: Yes. I thought we could discuss 7 things you can do with bamboo in your home in under a minute. So number one, in the garden, you can use it as a fence, a screen, a deck, a thatched roof. Options are endless. Two, on the balcony, you could use it as an outside table with chairs or even a deck chair. Three, on the floor, bamboo is actually really hard wearing and fairly price competitive. It could be great for flooring. Four, in the lounge room, fantastic new product called iBamboo. It’s an electricity free iPod speaker… iPod holder. In the kitchen you can wash up with it, you can dry up with it, you can even wash apples with it. In the bathroom you can use it as a soap dispenser. And number seven, you can use it to sleep in. You can sleep in it, your families can sleep in it, your baby can sleep in it. Seven things you can do with bamboo.

Green Building Show Episode 10: what is a green renovation?

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:00:00 GMT

We kick off the series with an interview with Catlin McGee, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS.

And later in the show Victoria Lea, will bring you the latest What’s Hot and we will answer your questions.

In Australian Style, Carlos Martinez speaks with Nick Smith from Tasmanian builder Rainbow Building solutions…. who have created a three bedroom 7star home in Hobart, using exclusively lightweight materials.

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Episode 10 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: This week on the Green Building Show, we’re going to kick off a brand new series on green renovation. We’re gonna find out what it takes to green-ovate your own home, how your family can benefit, how the environment can benefit, and how your bottom line can benefit. And to begin this series, I’ll speak with Caitlin McGee. She’s a research director at the Institute of Sustainable Futures at UTS. We’ll also hear from Victoria Lee who’s gonna give us the latest what’s hot. And in this week’s Australian style, I’ll be speaking with Nick Smith from Rainbow Building Solutions and we’ll be speaking about their latest lightweight design.

CARLOS: Ok, I’m here today with Caitlin McGee, she’s a research director at The Institute of Sustainable Futures at UTS. Thanks for being with us, Caitlin.

CAITLIN: A pleasure.

CARLOS: So, I guess, in one sentence can you describe to us what exactly is a green renovation or a green-ovation.

CAITLIN: Yeah, ok, green renovation is one that would vastly reduce the environmental impact in the home. I mean, ideally it would kind of reduce the environmental impact of your home to around zero, or it would be in the positive impact. But we’re not really there yet. We’re still sort of, you know, at the sort of phase of trying to reduce the environment impact as much as we can. But hopefully in the future we’ll be able to have zero impact and even a positive impact. But I suppose it also, it’s not just about the environmental aspects, it’s also about the social and economic aspects. So looking at homes that are comfortable, healthy, you know, suit the lifestyles of the occupants and also are affordable over a life cycle perspective. So not just about upfront costs, but affordable for the long term.

CARLOS: Ok. Great, great. And we’re trying to find out why a homeowner would consider a green renovation over a traditional renovation.

CAITLIN: Yeah.

CARLOS: And it says in Your Home, in your home guide, you guys have pushed saying that basically there’s some important consequences for homeowners to really consider a green renovation. Can you elaborate a little bit more on some of those consequences?

CAITLIN: Yeah, sure. I mean, the reasons you would consider a green renovation are firstly about lowering your ongoing bills. So a green renovation particularly in the context of rising energy and water costs is just a really smart sort of idea. So you’d look at water efficiency, energy efficiency to make sure that your bills are low into the future. Green renovations are also more comfortable and healthier because you’re kind of looking at how well the building is designed and working with the climate rather than expensive heating and cooling. So that’s another kind of direct benefit. So that’s kind of two or three really good reasons why people should think about it. Also just being prudent. I mean, there’s some evidence to show that resale value will be better if you’ve got a greener home, especially in the future when you can demonstrate that the bills are lower compared to that here that people might be considering buying. So there are all the kind of direct benefits I guess. And then there’s the sort of broader sort of environmental and social benefits that, you know, they’re not a driver for everyone but a lot of people do really actually feel good about sort of making a difference and doing the right thing by the environment. So that’s another driver.

CARLOS: Ok, great. So, I guess, and your home, again, has put green renovation as a smart investment. What makes it a smart investment?

CAITLIN: Well, it’s kind of, I suppose, what we discussed about making sure that your own bills are low and that it’s comfortable. But there’s also just something about, you know, market differentiation. So if you’ve… because people are becoming more aware of sustainable homes and what the benefits are and, you know, it’s kind of becoming much more the norm than it used to be. So I suppose if you’ve got a sustainable home, it’s just… and you’re trying to sell it or you’re trying to rent it out, it’s kind of in a really tight market, that might be the differentiator that gets your home sold or rented.

CARLOS: Ok.

CAITLIN: There is a growing demand for sustainable… not just homes, actually, but office buildings as well. It’s kind of a trend across the board.

CARLOS: Ok, so there is a growing trend.

CAITLIN: Yes.

CARLOS: And there is growing awareness.

CAITLIN: Yes.

CARLOS: But what about… what would you say to homeowners who, they want to do a renovation but they want to get the most benefit back? What would you say to them to convince them to do a sustainable renovation over something that could be a bit more cost effective in the short term?

CAITLIN: Ok, well, I’d sort of suggest to them that they read your home. Because, first of all, a sustainable home isn’t really going to cost you more if you’re just looking at the basics. So… or a green home anyway, about a sustainable. But there are a lot of kind of basics that you…

CARLOS: What are these basics?

CAITLIN: Things like, you know, clever design really that sort of makes the most of your climate, the way you lay out the rooms if you’re thinking of changing the rooms around, or the sort of size and configuration of the glazing. There are a whole lot of design tricks, I guess, to producing a good sort of energy efficient home that don’t need to cost you any more, you just need to know what they are and make sure you have a designer who understands that. And that’s at no extra cost. I mean, the other things, materials when you’re choosing which building materials to use, a lot of the sort of more sustainable or lower impact materials don’t cost any more than the standard version. So it’s just doing your homework. So what I’m saying, I guess, is you can have a greener home at no additional cost. And then, you know, how would I convince people to pay a little bit more? You know, I would just say think about it over maybe not over the lifecycle of a home, because that’s a long time to think about. But even think about it over 5 years and will these things that you’re doing… will the kind of benefit in reduced bills, kind of outweigh the sort of extra on the mortgage that you pay because you decided to do those things. So you really kind of have to look at it from that perspective. I don’t think it’s very wise just to think about upfront costs, you know, I know a lot of people have cash constraints but there is that whole idea of think about your mortgage payments and how much more you’ll have to pay on your mortgage because you’ve borrowed 3 grand more to do sustainable things. And will the savings that that sort of delivers you actually be more than the mortgage payments? You know? And often that is the case, especially with energy prices going up so much.

CARLOS: Ok, great.

CAITLIN: It’s kind of about doing your homework.

CARLOS: Ok, and on those financial incentives, you also mentioned in your home there are some lenders willing to offer some, I guess, some financial rebates and such for sustainable renovations?

CAITLIN: Yeah, that idea is known as green mortgages and I don’t know how much it’s taken off, but I know that there’s certain banks which definitely were doing it and I assume still are like Bendigo Bank are some examples. And the idea is that if you’re borrowing for sustainable improvements that they need to demonstrate in savings and bills, they’ll actually give you a slightly lower rate for those things. And the idea behind that is that they just know that they’ve got better certainty that people will be able to make their mortgage payments. So I think that’s the principle behind how they work.

CARLOS: Alright, fantastic. And what about any other financial investments, I mean, incentives, say from government bodies.

CAITLIN: Well, you can get a lot of… there are a lot of different rebates and so you have to check with your local government, that’s usually the best place to go and check. Some of them might be from local government, some of them might be from state agencies as well, for things like rainwater tanks or solar hot water systems, photo voltaic systems. So these things vary and change all the time, so I do think probably local government is your best port of call to check to what’s available in your local area.

CARLOS: Ok, great, and for someone who wants to do a green renovation, what’s the first thing they should do?

CAITLIN: Do your homework I think. So talk to other people that have done a green renovation if they know any or have a look at Your Home, which is all free online, just to get an idea of what is in sustainable renovation. There are a bunch of case studies that people can look at to see, you know, to see examples of sustainable renovations. Because that kind of gets you thinking about what’s possible and a lot of these great things you might be able to acheive at no extra cost. So… but if you don’t think about it in stages, you might miss that opportunity. So, yeah, do your homework because that’s free.

CARLOS: Thank you for your time.

CAITLIN: My pleasure.

CARLOS: So, Victoria, what’s new in sustainable coffee this week?

VICTORIA: Oh, actually, it’s a few products made from recycled coffee grounds. It’s from a Spanish designer, but it’s just been imported into Australia through Textura. And he… his name is Raul Lauri, and he just won the first prize at the Saloon Satellite Award in 2012 in Milan. He’s basically used old fashioned techniques to press down the coffee to make a whole range of home wares. Cups, mugs, lights, actually, I’m not sure if there are cups. But there’s definitely floor lamps, tables, decorative tableware. It’s just a really interesting thing to do with old coffee grounds. So he’s made some furniture.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Nick Smith, he’s the sales and marketing manager at Rainbow Building Solutions. And they’ve constructed a new building design called The Sterling which is a lightweight home in Port Huon, Tasmania, which has achieved a 7.1 star energy rating. Thanks for being with us Nick.

NICK: Thank you.

CARLOS: So tell us, how does this project reflect a light home?

NICK: Well, we used Scyon™ products exclusively all the way across the house. Axion, which is a slightly cheaper horizontal board compared to linear board. We also used Matrix and a rendered easy lap. And then a lightweight cladding build that onto the standard elevated floor as opposed to a concrete slab. I think the only concrete slab in the whole thing is the double garage. So the lightweight cladding is nice and simple and quick and easy to put up.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And why did you choose lightweight materials?

NICK: Well, for those two reasons. I mean, it’s quick, it’s easy, and you get a lot greater design flexibility in terms of colours because there’s over a million paint colours and, you know, the clients can pick any colour they like and they can mix and match their different shades of colours. And I guess it’s a lot easier and cheaper than brick.

CARLOS: Great. And in a climate like Tasmania, many designers may say that thermal mass is more important to keep the heat in during the cold winter months. How have you guys sort of circumnavigated that issue with lightweight?

NICK: Ok, yeah. Well, technically, yeah, you’re right. The climate is a 7 which I think is the second coldest. But basically using a lightweight cladding, we used a thermal break product in between the Scyon™ product and the steel wall frames. And then we just used standard wall insulation in the wall cavity and then I think the only thing we really did to the rest of the house was double glazed windows and just beefed up some of the ceiling insulation. That was really it. So to get that kind of star rating using a brick home, it would definitely have to be on a concrete slab I would say just to get that thermal mass just to help push that star rating up.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And what about the sustainability credentials of the home? How is this home sustainable?

NICK: Well, the whole house is built with steel frames, which is completely recyclable. It’s also made from a certain percentage of recycled materials. And just going back to the flexibility of the design also makes it more sustainable because we can use those Scyon™ products on everything, all the walls, we also used it on some of the balustrades at the rear of the house over the veranda instead of possibly some expensive stainless steel or glass, we just used some of the off cuts on the back, again, which we painted a new colour.

CARLOS: Great. Nick Smith, thank you for your time.

NICK: Alright, thanks Carlos.

CARLOS: For this week’s you asked us, we’ve got a question from Anessa. And she’s trying to design an emergency relief home for her HSC design project. She’s looking for a home that’s both lightweight, which is easy to transport, as well as being sustainable. To help with your assignment, Anessa, we’re gonna take a look at a home we recently featured on the light home website. It’s called Twilight Brae and it was built by Splice Projects. The builder, Simon Dempster, managed to achieve an extraordinary level of sustainability by using prefab construction and lightweight materials. Now, the prefab is great for transportation as it minimizes waste costs and also helps with transportation costs. And as for the lightweight materials themselves, he went for a durable material such as James Hardie's Hardieflex™ and recyclable plywood.

The Green Building Show EP 9 - building an energy efficient home

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

We also hear from Light Home's Victoria Lea who brings us a sustainable take on text books, which are becoming increasingly rare in the wake of the current tablet boom.

We will also speak with Gordon Beath, the director of Cairns-based firm Edge Architecture who has created an innovative, sustainable and light weight tropical house in Redlynch Valley.

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Episode 9 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICEOVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi, this week we’ll be wrapping up our series on the energy efficient home. I’ll speak with Mark Emans, he’s the co-owner of Designer Eco Homes, to get the builder’s perspective on what it takes to create an energy efficient home. And in Australian style, we’ll also be wrapping up our tropical housing series. I’ll speak with Gordon Beeth, who has designed a lightweight and sustainable home in Cairns’ Redlynch Valley.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Mark Emmons, he’s the co-owner of Eco Design Homes, a sustainable builder and design firm that focuses on sustainable building. Thanks for being with us, Mark.

MARK: No worries, my pleasure.

CARLOS: Can you perhaps give us a rundown of the builder’s perspective? What does it take to create an energy efficient home?

MARK: Well, it really starts and the critical stage is the design stage. Because one you start the building, there’s very little you can do outside the plans. So it really needs to be done at the design stage and the most important thing with an eco home is really maximizing the solar efficiency, maximizing that sun coming in, warming your house for free, and minimizing heating it too much in summer and maximizing heating it in winter just naturally from the sun. And that’s all through design, having the right shading devices, having the right window types, the right insulation, the right walls, just to get that balance between winter and summer.

CARLOS: Can you tell us a little bit about the building techniques? How does it differ from an energy efficient builder, like yourself, to a traditional builder?

MARK: Yeah, generally it’s not the techniques so much. It’s more the placement of the materials. I mean, you look at a lot of project homes, they’re still using a timber frame with no insulation. They’re using insulation often in a brick veneer house, which is just… they’re obviously saving a little bit of money and people don’t realize the benefit that they’re losing by not having that layer of insulation. And sometimes it’s just a little thing like that. But it’s a lot of things like the windows, having the right windows. If you have just a clear window on a northern side, you’re just gonna have too much heat coming in in many instances. So it’s really making sure the right materials are specified for the right location, and making sure that they’re installed in that way.

CARLOS: Ok.

MARK: But at the end of the day, you can still use a brick veneer house and have it really quite efficient. Sometimes it is the products, like there are great products out now with foam insulation. But at the end of the day, it’s also what the client wants as well, and you’ve got to work with what the client wants to maximize the efficiency you can with that material. Because people still are traditional and they want brick veneer and that’s fine, but you’ve just got to work with that and optimize that through the design.

CARLOS: Ok, and on materials, what are the ideal materials for the energy efficient home? Is it lightweight materials? Is that where you try to…?

MARK: It’s not always lightweight material. Probably the most efficient type of house that you could build in the Sydney location… it’s gonna change from location to location because of the properties of… or the weather characteristics of each area. Like I said, Darwin you couldn’t apply the same principles as you can in Sydney. But in Sydney, for example, a thermal mass material like brick on the inside is the best with the concrete slab. And then a highly insulated outside material and cladding over that.

MARK: Something like a foam could be used on the outside of brickwork or there’s lots out there. But really, you want that thermal mass on the inside to keep it a constant temperature and you really wanna insulate that thermal mass.

CARLOS: Ok, and so in your experience, what’s the ideal material for an Australian climate?

MARK: In Sydney, the reverse brick veneer is very popular if you really wanna maximize your efficiency. That does jump up the cost of a building.

CARLOS: Reverse brick veneer did you say?

MARK: Yeah.

CARLOS: Can you sort of explain what that is?

MARK: Well, it doesn’t have to be brick, but it could be concrete blocks or concrete. But then you have the insulation on the outside, so often they fix a foam, and they have a timber frame on the outside of the brickwork and then you put insulation and then a light weight cladding system.

CARLOS: So it’s a brick inner, then insulation, then a lighter material on wood framing. Is that right?

MARK: Yeah. So it’s brick, then generally have a gap or you can have the foam attached straight to it because foam is such a good insulator. Or you can have a timber frame on the outside and they insulate it with traditional insulation. And then put a cladding on the outside. So it can be any sort of cladding after that.

CARLOS: Right, and what makes that such an effective system?

MARK: Well, you’re keeping the heat away from the brickwork and bricks hold the temperature so well at such a constant, so you’re gonna have that constant temperature inside and it’s gonna be hard for the weather to change it. So on a really hot day, a lot of the heat is gonna be kept out of the brickwork by your insulation that’s on the outside.

CARLOS: Ok, so is this an effective system in all climates?

MARK: No, it wouldn’t be…

CARLOS: Just in cold ones?

MARK: Well, in a colder one it would work as well, but when it’s too hot the brickwork would heat up too much. So you’d need a lightweight house that’s gonna cool down quickly. In, for example, like in the far north, Queensland, the brickwork would just get too hot.

CARLOS: And what’s pushing the demand for energy efficient homes in Australia? Is it… obviously it’s the consumers, but are the pushing for comfort? Is it their environmental piece of mind? Or is it their energy costs?

MARK: I don’t think you can put it down to any one thing, every client seems to be different. Some clients truly just want to maximize their efficiency because they’re passionate about that and I dunno where the passion comes from. I think it’s always different for every different person. But a lot of them would just wanna have a comfortable house that’s not gonna cost them too much to heat and cool. I mean, people spend so much time at home. Everyone wants to have a comfortable house. And a lot of the time it’s people that are on to their second and third house and they’ve lived in terrible houses and they know how uncomfortable it is and they know how unhappy they are in those houses. So they’re aware of the benefits of a comfortable house that’s easy to heat and cool.

CARLOS: Do many of your homes have air conditioners?

MARK: A lot of people still want air conditioning because there’s a couple of days a year where… or, it might be just one week a year, you’re gonna have a really hot period of weather. And it doesn’t matter how efficient your house is, if it’s hot for a whole week straight, your house is gonna heat up. You can’t stop it. So people are still putting air conditioning in for those situations because they wanna be able to still be cool and if you try and do it later, it’s too expensive. The thing with air conditioning is, it is… it is an efficient way of heating and cooling a house. It does use a lot of energy in some respects, but it works effectively and the costs… if you have an efficient house, you’re not gonna have the air conditioning on for very long. So if you have a very well insulated house, you’re still gonna need to cool it down on a week of hot weather. There’s nothing that you can do about it if you wanna be comfortable. But, yeah, it’s not gonna take much to do it with an efficient house.

CARLOS: Ok. And from your professional experience, what advice can you give to, say, an owner builder? What are the key things they need to do in order to build their own energy efficient home?

MARK: I would recommend them going probably at the design stage and getting a thermal assessor to assess their design and give them different options of what they could do to increase their efficiency in the design. It might be just changing a couple windows, maybe changing a window on a southern wall to double glazing it, stop that heat getting out. It may be a northern window that’s getting too much sun. It might be just advising them to put a little sun awning over it. Or it could be a simple little thing that could make a massive difference to their house. That would be my one big recommendation.

CARLOS: Victoria, I’m always wondering what’s happened to my old school books. What have you got for us this week?

VICTORIA: This time a private school in Sydney has just announced that for next year, as most of its students will need to bring an iPad to school because the plan is to get rid of textbooks. Gets you to wondering what’s gonna happen with all the odd books on your bookshelves, etcetera if that’s where we’re going. A few fantastically random things around the web. Lisa Occupinti, she repurposes old, abandoned books from flea markets and makes them into these sculptural hanging mobiles which are really beautiful.

There’s a fantastic site called ThisIntoThat.com. He’s a furniture maker who grew up, his name is Jim Rosenow and he was raised in a house with 5,000 books. He makes these incredible bookcases, he makes furniture, he just uses beautiful old books and upcycles them into a different kind of product. Going even more left field, a bookstore in Melbin, it’s called Brunswick Bound, has made their sales counter out of books. You could make a wedding table runner out of old book pages and you could even make a Christmas tree out of old books, which is what the city library in North Vancouver did. I don’t know. There’s so many lovely things you can do with books.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Gordon Beeth, he’s a director of Edge Architecture in Cairns. Thanks for being with us, Gordon.

GORDON: Thanks Carlos.

CARLOS: So you were talking about the Redlynch Valley residence. Can you tell us what was the brief from the client with this project and what makes it unique?

GORDON: I was first approached by the client to young professionals, just a commencement of having a family and they asked me if I could design a residence for them. You know, a state with typically didn’t have architecture design houses. But the house site was an elevated site with lovely views to the north, very exposed to the west, and to that end, obviously we started to sketch design based on that brief and context.

CARLOS: Ok, great. And obviously, Gordon, it’s a lightweight home. Can you tell us why you chose lightweight materials and what benefit that had for the tropics and what materials you actually did use?

GORDON: Yeah, the materials came out of not only the materials for building the building, but also the actual site planning for all the building. It was typically most houses placed in the centre of a lot with minimal usable land. We were able to skirt around the perimeter of the site and maintain the maximum usable area for the landscape courtyard, which were off the building. Consequently, we wanted to create some lightweight pavilions at the rear… what’s called the streetface or the rear of the site, to allow breeze to move both under and over the site into the courtyard and to… in which instance it was immediately going to be a lightweight construction. So it wasn’t a preconceived, it turned out to be the context of the building.

CARLOS: Fantastic. Gordon, thank you for your time.

GORDON: Thank you Carlos.

TROPICAL HOUSING SERIES 3: Rethinking Redlynch

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

The lightweight home perched above a steep drop in the rainforest of Cairns’ Redlynch Valley is certainly not what first comes to mind when thinking of a small budget home, explains Tony Lawson, owner of Cairns-based building design firm Lawson Designs.

“Most people seem to think if they want a cheap house then they need to build a project home,” Lawson says. “And if they do step out of the square to create an eye catching house, they think it will cost a lot more, when this doesn’t have to be the case.”

The Redlynch Valley home took out a number of accolades at last year’s Building Designer Association’s Queensland awards, including Best New Home and Most Environmentally Sustainable Home.

Lawson explains that orientation, the small size of the house and the use of lightweight materials were key to creating this environmentally sustainable home.

“In the tropics lightweight is the way to go as it doesn’t hold the heat like heavy construction,” he says. “We also built something smaller, so it uses less materials which is an important part of sustainability.”

The orientation of the home brings in plenty of natural light – which Lawson says significantly reduces the owner’s lighting bills – while all the doors and windows were put on bi-fold tracks increasing the home’s cross-ventilation and thermal comfort.

“In essence they are living in a tent – meaning the owners can open it all up or close down one or both sides if necessary” Lawson says. “This minimises power costs for those few months in summer that people like to air condition.”

The home was constructed using lightweight steel framing and corrugated iron roofing, along with timber decking and James Hardie cladding and flooring materials.

The choice of materials contributed not only to the home’s aesthetic appeal and sustainability credentials but also to its speed of construction.

“With the home hanging over the side of a cliff, lightweight was the easy option,” Lawson says. “The skeleton of the house was made from lightweight steel, which we left exposed to become a focal point.”

He adds, “The long and narrow design of the house meant the lightweight floors and roofs were able to be built very quickly.”

Lawson explains the key to creating a dream home on a budget is to employ a building designer and contractors who genuinely care about the project.

He explains, “If the sub contractors aren’t scared of doing something a little different to what they are perhaps used to, you will often find that creating an original and sustainable house is not as complex or as expensive as you first thought.”

FACT SHEET:

Location: Redlynch Valley, Cairns
Builder: Chris Blandford
Designer: Lawson Design
Featured material: James Hardie Villaboard® lining & Scyon Secura™ interior flooring

Eco beer: The best green options around

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

1. Carry it eco-style

Carrying your beer? Eskis are good: reusable and ice-friendly. Recyclable cardboard six-pack holders get the eco tick of approval, too. But to add just a dash of hipster green to your next beer excursion, try a reusable bottle-carrier like this ‘6-Packer’ here.

2. Give green this Christmas

If you’re starting to think about Christmas gift hampers for clients – or in-laws, long-lost friends or perhaps a secret treat for yourself– how about an eco-friendly beer or two?

These hampers from Naturally Gifted include low-carb Virgin Blonde beers (brewed in a NSW organic brewery) as well as a heap of organic snacks.

3. Buy local Australian beer

Burragum billi Organic Lager is Australian-made by Koala Beer. A truly organic product, every step of production is audited as Australian Certified Organic – from the farmers to the malthouse, brewery to the bottling – meaning it is free of any contaminants, pesticide, herbicide residues or processing aids. Plus, it tastes good.

4. Drink at an eco bar

Look out for eco-friendly bars – they are starting to pop up and take hold. Mostly they sell locally-brewed beer to cut down on the impact of transport costs and to also support local producers and industry.

If you’re in Sydney, take a look at Hive Bar in Erskineville. A ‘sustainable bar’, it sources local beers on tap and boasts its very own Erskineville Pilsner (made without additives, preservatives or pasteurizing) made in nearby St Peters. It also continues its sustainable footprint in its food (most is sourced from the local area) and general business ethos (its furniture is made from recycled fabrics and its energy is 100% accredited green power through Energy Australia).

The Green Building Show EP 8 – creating a 9.5 star rated home

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

In Australian Style, we will hear Tony Lawson, a building designer who has proven it’s possible to create a sustainable and eye-catching home within a tight budget.

Also in the show Victoria Lea, will bring us the latest green living craze, showing you how to turn your favorite amber liquid green.

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Episode 8 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show..... will be coming soon

CARLOS: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

As our regular viewers will know, we’re taking a close look at the energy efficient home. This week, I’ll speak with Sophie Barrett. She’s a building designer who’s created a 9.5 energy star rating home for under $250,000. And in Australian style, we’ve got the third installment of our tropical housing series. I’ll speak with Tony Lawson, the designer of an award winning and sustainable light home in Cairn’s North.

Ok, well thanks for being with us Sophie.

SOPHIE: Thank you for inviting me.

CARLOS: Pleasure. So you’ve, basically, you’ve just finished the design of a 9.5 star sustainable home?

SOPHIE: Yes. It’s a project based in Cairns, it’s a sustainable home, 9 and a half star, it’s got all the features, sustainable features, for $250,000 budget. So we’re really excited about bringing this kind of home to the affordable market.

CARLOS: Fantastic. And, I guess to help us answer this question we’ve had from Benjamin: How would you go about creating a sustainable home?

SOPHIE: It depends on where you’re located, but there’s some basic principles of passive design, getting the right orientation for the site, getting the right overhangs. If you’re in Queensland, for example, you would want big overhands. For the south and Victoria, you might wanna get some heat into the home to emit through the night. So it’s working with your local climate and conditions and getting that passive design right first is the most important thing.

CARLOS: Ok, so do you think there’s a growing demand for energy efficient and sustainable homes in the Queensland market?

Definitely. I think a lot of the homes that you see in Cannes are actually designed for the Melvin or Sydney markets. They’re all standard project homes. So coming up with a home that’s specific to the Queensland climate and having that lightweight construction and the good overhands and things like that, it’s really important to design for the actual environment that you’re in and make sure that the home is well designed. That sort of is the biggest part I think.

CARLOS: Ok. And how much does it differ in terms of getting the most out of the energy efficient aspects of your home state to state and climate to climate?

SOPHIE: There is quite a bit of variation. I mean, you’ve got to look at each site individually and the orientation. In Queensland particularly, and especially in Cannes, we’re not really concerned at all with keeping the home warm, we’re trying to keep it cool. So we’re really looking at keeping that heat out and that’s things like overhangs, window tinting, cross ventilation and venting the rooms and things like that. But the further south you get, the more you’re actually looking at keeping the heat in during certain times and keeping it cool at certain times. So there’s different things that they have to look at with their orientation and so forth.

CARLOS: Ok, fantastic. I guess, for someone who’s in the design stage of creating a new home and they want it to be as energy efficient as possible, what would be their first consideration in your opinion?

SOPHIE: Well, firstly, we’d be looking at doing that site analysis. So looking at the best orientation of that home for the block. So making sure… in most areas in Australia north facing is the best. So… and that’s where all your living zones go. In the south you can put the services in bedrooms, so that’s pretty much Australia wide as a principle. So when you’re buying the block in the first place, buying a block that’s got good access living area to the north, if you can. And if not, just working with what you have. So the orientation is about 90% of it.

CARLOS: So if you’ve just completed your energy efficient 9.5 star home, what’s been the market reaction?

SOPHIE: Well, we’ve actually… it’s being done as a collaboration of the Tropical Green Building Network. So it’s got the support of the council of JCU doing some testing there. It’s had a lot of publicity locally, so everyone’s really excited that this kind of home is now available on the market and it’s actually affordable. So this is the first time that something like this has actually been available for that kind of price range. So we’re really excited and people have been responding saying, “We’ve been waiting for something like this to come out.” So it’s been really positive.

CARLOS: Fantastic. And do you think there’s education leaving the market for people to really understand the benefits of an energy efficient home?

SOPHIE: Definitely, but I think in the mainstream market most people can see the benefits of having a home that, firstly, that’s comfortable to live in and also that’s affordable to run. So those kind of selling points, I think, everyone is actually really keen to have those. But the actual features, I think, people are learning a lot more about that kind of thing and there is a lot of information out there. But the home is actually an education tool so people can go in and actually have a look at those things in practice and see how they can bring them into their own homes.

CARLOS: Benjamin’s goal is to achieve a ten star rating home. Your home you just completed was 9.5 star. Can you tell me the difference between a 9.5 and 10 star rating home?

SOPHIE: Well, every extra star you get costs a bit more. It doesn’t cost a lot to go from say a 6 star to an 8 star, we did one recently that cost only $1,000 to upgrade from a 6 to 8 star and that was things like light colours, window tinting, vented roof space, and larger fans. But once you get up to the 9 and a half to 10, there is a bit more cost associated there. And that’s… a lot of that’s about zoning areas, but it can be just getting the right orientation, the right colours, and you have to look at each one individually. But there’s definitely ways to achieve that 10 star depending on your location.

CARLOS: And I suppose when you’re talking additional costs to increase the energy efficiency of your home, what kind of payback period are people looking at?

SOPHIE: At that $250,000 budget, it does pay itself back very quickly, and we’re finding that that kind of budget. If you actually spend $250,000 on a home and you’ve got no ongoing running costs, well then you might be paying an extra, say, 30 or 40,000 for that home compared to a standard home. But that actually pays itself back probably over 10 years or so.

CARLOS: So tell us, how did this project come about?

SOPHIE: Well, we have a network called the Tropical Green Building Network in Cannes and that’s a network of builders, designers, and product supplies and community groups and we all get together and we look at what’s missing in the market and we discovered that there was a need for a sustainable home in the market that was actually affordable. So everyone kind of got together and donated certain parts of the home. Kenick Constructions built the home and I designed the home and we had people providing solar panels and so forth. So it was a real collaboration of the community group and everyone felt real ownership of the project.

CARLOS: Is the skill set different to an average building?

SOPHIE: I think they could all do it. Some of them aren’t really interested in doing it, but, yeah. I mean, I guess it’s more that they’re sort of… they’ve seen the benefit of it. But it’s not that it’s built any differently. It’s still standard construction. The other thing about this home is that it’s actually a safe… it’s been designed for work, health, and safety and also access for aging populations as well.

CARLOS: Oh, ok.

SOPHIE: So as well as having a home that’s sustainable, not only sort of environmentally but also as all the paints and everything have been selected to make it safe as a workplace for workers building on the site. And all the widths of the hallways and the level changes have been designed for future access, so it’s sort of a lifestyle.

CARLOS: And who’s this home aimed at? What part of the market?

SOPHIE: It’s aimed to basically take people through all different stages of the market. That’s why it’s got these wider hallways so if you’re older and you end up in a wheelchair or something, you can actually adapt the home. So it’s a very adaptable home for all stages of your life.

CARLOS: Sophie, what are the core features that make this home so energy efficient?

SOPHIE: Well, firstly, you’ve got the passive design, as I mentioned before. That’s the most important thing, getting the right orientation, the cross ventilation, open planning, good overhangs. And then you’ve got light coloured walls and roof and then lightweight materials in the walls and well insulated wall and roof. You’ve got a passive ventilated roof with vented eaves and it’s actually got a solar roof vent. And then there’s also solar power, solar water, and then all your water saving features such as rainwater tanks, water saving devices. There’s a new product called The Collector on the showers that actually keeps the water that you run at the start as the water is heating up and then returns it to the system so you’re not wasting that water at the start. And there’s a special sink where you wash your hands above the cistern and that water runs into the toilet and use that to flush. So it’s lots of water saving features as well, so… and also, native gardens and composting and so forth.

CARLOS: Very cool. And what about cross ventilation?

SOPHOIE: Yes, there’s breezeways throughout the home and triple sliding doors. So everything opens right up and it’s real indoor-outdoor connection.

CARLOS: Energy efficient lighting?

SOPHIE: Yeah, it’s LED lighting throughout so 100% LED lighting which is really low energy use and that adds to the benefits and the energy savings I mentioned before.

CARLOS: Sophie Barrett, thank you so much for your time today.

SOPHIE: Thanks for having me.

CARLOS: Victoria, I’ve never heard the term eco beer, can you tell us what it is?

VICTORIA: Alright, eco beer. You could start with a… an eco beer six pack holder such as this thing called the Six Packer, which is pretty stylish, that I found on the web. You could buy your work colleagues an eco beer hamper from NaturallyGifted.com.au a whole bunch of organic beers, organic crisps, etcetera. Could be a good corporate gift. Even better, you could go for a completely eco beer, Australian made, Koala Beer produces Organic Lager. It’s Australian certified organic. Or you could drink at an eco bar. There’s increasingly loads around, but if you’re in Sydney there’s the Hive Bar in Urscanville which is a sustainable bar. And on tap has Urscanville Pilsner from St. Peters right in Sydney. Lots of options with eco beer drinking.

CARLOS: Ok, I’m here today with Tony Lawson. He’s a building designer and owner of Lawson Design, a building design firm in Cannes. Thanks for being with us Tony.

TONY: You’re welcome.

CARLOS: Today we’re talking about a new home of yours in Greenwich Valley, also in Cannes, and this home is quite unusual from the pictures I’m seeing here Tony. And it’s also won several building association awards such as Best New Home and Most Sustainable Home. Can you tell us, what was the brief and how did you go about doing that?

TONY: Well, I was given a brief from the client to build a small, a very small, home on the edge of a big drop back in the rainforest in Cannes. We had to design it so that we didn’t do… didn’t touch the ground. It was already… we had to work with the ground that was given us. And part of the brief was a collection of really large furniture, doors and windows, and artefacts that had been collected over the years. And I had to design the house around these items. And it was also… they had a large collection of old telegraph poles, recycled timbers, a lot of old, 50 year old, hardwood that was on telegraph poles, that sort of thing.

CARLOS: Ok great. And you mentioned, Tony, that it’s a lightweight home. What lightweight materials did you use and why did you decide on a lightweight construction?

TONY: Well, in the tropics, lightweight is probably the best way to go. It doesn’t hold heat like heavy construction. Because it was hanging over the side of a cliff, lightweight was obviously an easy option. So we basically designed the skeleton of the house out of lightweight steel and we also then exposed all of that steel so it become the focal point of the house. And then we… this house is also very long and very narrow, so the weren’t large so that we could then build lightweight floors and rooms very quickly.

CARLOS: And what kind of lightweight product did you actually use?

TONY: Well, we used timber floors, lightweight floor, and decking. We had a catwalk on either side of the house, which was in essence an access, a passageway. And some of that decking came into the house to aid with the ventilation. And most other things were kind of gathered on roofing and walls just to eliminate maintenance and ongoing expense and use of materials.

CARLOS: This week’s You Asked Us is gonna be very short for the simple fact we have no questions. So please, if you have something you’d like us to answer, if you have a query you’d like clarified, then get your questions in because we’d love to answer it.

Energy ratings explained

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

For the second installment of our tropical housing series we hear from Nicole Ewing, a building designer with Cairns-based architectural firm Studio Mango who have given new life to a dated Queenslander, while reimagining a multi-residential development suited to the tropics.

In this week’s What’s Hot it’s all about water. Victoria Lea brings us some beautiful, sustainable and quirky water features.

And in You Asked Us we address some sustainable building strategies - a theme that’s dominated viewer questions in recent weeks – with a handy checklist on how to “green” your home.

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Episode 7 Transcript: The week on the Green Building Show.....

VOICE-OVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week we’re going to continue our look into energy efficiency. I’ll be speaking with Anthony Nolan. He’s an energy assessor who’s going to help us explore the plethora of ratings schemes out there throughout Australia and help us make sense of them and how they can benefit you. I’ll also be speaking with Nicole Ewing. She’s the building designer of a lightweight and multi-residential project in Cairns.

So I’m here today with Anthony Nolan. He’s the director of Kennedy Associates Architecture. Thanks for being with us.

ANTHONY: That’s okay. Thanks, nice to be here.

CARLOS: So tell us, Anthony, how do you really make sense of all these rating tools? It seems to be such a convoluted minefield of ratings and accreditations. What does a homeowner or a home-builder really need to know?

ANTHONY: Okay. It is complicated. At one level there’s a plethora of different things out there, and they’re all competing at some level. But the easier stance of that is that generally they’re competing in different territories, so they’re either competing in the commercial sense or in the residential market, which are the two big distinctions. So some of the ?? neighbors tend to be more focused on the commercial sector, or on the GreenTown commercial sector, but have Basix for the residential sector. The other big distinction between them is some of the uses of design tools, so they conflict in their modeling. Some of them are familiar with the tools for like an energy rating for ?? building development. And that’s where Green Star, for example, has a Green Star design tool and a Green Star as-built tool. Something like NatHERS is only a design tool, and Basix, only a design tool. So they have different territories which operate during different types of jobs. They’re really different types of tools. Having said that then, they’re not compatible across the range. A Star rating in one isn’t equal to a Star rating in another, and probably never will be.

CARLOS: Oh! So I guess, what is the solution to overcome this confusion, or is there a particular rating tool or scheme that is more important than perhaps another?

ANTHONY: Well, I think for most projects it’s pretty straightforward. If you’re doing a residential project, you’re generally looking at NatHERS and Basix, and that’s really all you have to engage with.

CARLOS: And on Basix, is Basix the same as the Star ratings in Queensland?

ANTHONY: No. That’s going to be then quite a whole different category, if you like. The different states have different regulations. Only New South Wales has Basix. It’s probably easier to talk about Basix as a whole specific thing….

CARLOS: Sure.

ANTHONY: ….then just to answer that question you had then. But for most projects there’s only really one requirement for that project which you need to comply with. You don’t need to worry about all the other ones – they’re for different types of projects.

CARLOS: Okay. And how does a homeowner know which system they have to be compliant with?

ANTHONY: Well, in the case of residential, it’s very easy, because it’s mandated in regulation. So it’s Basix they need to comply with. Basix is part of the DA process, and there is no option other than to comply with Basix. So if you’re lodging a DA, then on the checklist of things – ‘Have you got the Basix certificate – yes or no’, then you can’t lodge it without one.

CARLOS: Okay. And in other states in Australia, there’s a compulsory six-star energy rating they need to have?

ANTHONY: Yeah.

CARLOS: How does that pair up to a Basix certificate?

ANTHONY: They’re very different in the sense that in New South Wales we have Basix at the DA stage. So before you can get your consent, before you can even lodge your application, you have to go into ?? energy modeling which omits some targets. In all the other states, they do it at the construction stage. So through the Building Code of Australia, they’re bringing star ratings using the NatHERS type of tools. And so that happens only at the construction stage. It’s not looked at by Councils, for example. And just the staging is very different. And then the second part of that is when they do the NatHERS ratings, or Basix – NatHERS is used in Basix as one of the options that is used for compliance – they measure the outputs differently. So the tool produces stars; the tool also produces a vast array of other information, including energy use per square meter for heating and cooling, as separate things. Basix looks at the output differently. So other stats look at star ratings, and Basix looks at the original numbers for heating and cooling ??. It sounds more complicated than it is. But it does mean it’s hard to compare New South Wales to any other state. That’s hard. I mean, if there’s a six-star house in every other state, then they’re kind of created to what the Basix targets are.

CARLOS: And what kind of test, Basix or six-star?

ANTHONY: They’re using Basix in New South Wales, which is energy-smart homes policy. And every Council that signed that had their own little control. At the time that the Building Code of Australia was looking to bring in something nationally for energy efficiency, New South Wales already had the frame in place. So all the other states adopted, through the Construction Certificate stage, the Building Code of Australia with the Star ratings. And at the same time Basix came out – sort of concurrently, Basix came out, and took all the state ?? level Council controls and put them into a state-based control. Okay, so that pretty much compounded at that point. And then Basix has continued to expand to other types of residential projects, alterations, additions, and multi-units. And similarly the Building Code of Australia has expanded as well.

CARLOS: So is Basix a rating system?
ANTHONY: Yeah, essentially it is. I mean, it’s for thermal comfort, which is different for every state. But thermal comfort is given a pass/fail. If you have to meet a certain target, you get it for thermal comfort. You get through that comfort, and you get to your objective.

CARLOS: So it’s just a threshold, it’s not so much a rating system?

ANTHONY: Well, that’s a threshold, and you can go obviously better on the threshold. And that has a feed-in to other parts of the rating. It’s the fundamental thing with Basix as compared to the Building Code of Australia Star ratings. Basix looks at water and energy use and thermal comfort, although the Star ratings just look at thermal comfort. So Basix is more comprehensive. There is a link in Basix between the thermal comfort rating to the NatHERS type modeling and the energy use. So you can improve your energy score by improving your thermal comfort score. That’s quite unique. But Basix looks at total energy use for the house as quite unique. And the other states, through the Building Code of Australia, are looking to expand their territory, if you like, to have a Basix type scheme.

CARLOS: Okay. And if a home is extraordinarily energy efficient or has a very high thermal rating, how is that acknowledged in the Basix system?

ANTHONY: You get – the general thing with Basix is, it asks you to – the score it gives you is a score based on how much percentage of improvement you have on an average house. So the targets for most people are 40/40 – 40 for the energy use and 40 for the water. So they’re trying to make you get better than average on carbon on that. You could elect to go higher, and there are often projects where the clients elect to get Basix 60/60. But there’s unfortunately no incentive for that. If you go to Council and say, “I’ve got a Basix 60/60 project, they often just nod and say, “Thank you very much,” but it doesn’t help you.

CARLOS: So are there incentives in other parts of Australia?

ANTHONY: It’s been talked about. I don’t think there’s anything very concrete that there are other incentives. But it’s quite controversial about, you know, can you get floor space bonuses or faster approval processes? And that’s probably the most likely. You know, you can get a faster approval in some cases if you’ve got a more energy-efficient building. But that’s been one of the tricky things. I think because Basix and the Building Code of Australia set the minimum threshold, that’s become the default threshold for most people. And in most of our projects, there are very few people who want to go higher than that compliance – I think it’s just a matrix only.

CARLOS: And speaking of compliance, throughout Australia, excluding Basix, Six-star is the threshold?

ANTHONY: Generally. I think the confusing thing about it nationally is – and this goes back to a constitutional thing that ?? ?? that the Federal government doesn’t have the power to regulate housing. So each state government has the power to regulate housing in their state. So we have – every state has its own individual targets. So generally they’ve gone six stars. Some states don’t go six stars for energy for the thermal comfort. They then also have different rules about how to measure their six stars. So generally six stars is where things are headed, but it’s not universal.

CARLOS: Victoria, what’s hot this week?

VICTORIA: This week I was looking into a couple of things out of London to do with water and art. If you’re heading to London before next March, the Barbican has this amazing display, an interactive display with water, in which you walk into a room and it’s raining. So you feel like you’re surrounded by rain, and every time you make a movement, the water stops. Also in London is Sarah Turner, who creates – it’s sort of quirky, but she creates artworks out of plastic bottles. And Coca Cola actually commissioned her during the Olympics to create these amazing features from Coke bottles. It doesn’t look anything like Coke at all. It just looks like these incredible chandeliers. I don’t know, the container, the bottle, the movement of water, lots of interesting perspectives there on different things you can do with water and art, and hopefully bring it into the home.

CARLOS: Okay. I’m here today with Nicole Ewing. She’s with Cairns-based architectural firm Studio Mango. Thanks for being with us, Nicole.

NICOLE: My pleasure.

CARLOS: So we’re here today talking about a multi-unit residence in Cairns north. It’s a medium-density housing project that you’ve described as two units together, at the same time salvaging a Queenslander and renovating a shed which has been translated into a fourth dwelling. Can you give us the rundown about this project and how it came about?

NICOLE: Well, the owners came to us and didn’t like what they’d seen in the market for residences, which were unit dwellings at the time. And they came to us with this block of land and said, “Well, what can you do?” The initial idea was to knock down the Queenslander and put up another sort of unit block. And we came up with a few different options. One obviously was saving the Queenslander and seeing how we could retrofit the garage at the back. And we came up with a situation where we had the four detached dwellings on the front. We were lucky enough to get a long narrow site where we could actually stack the dwellings one behind the other, and within the Queenslander, bring it forward and keep that streetscape.

CARLOS: Great. And what really makes this project unique, and what were the main challenges for you as the architect?

NICOLE: Well, the main challenge was dealing with the Queenslander, which was actually quite impressive. We had to remove a lot of the existing tack-on fixtures that had happened over the years and squeeze in structures such as kind of detached dwellings such as this type. So that was probably another challenge that we came across. I guess you can get a sense that’s sort of a pattern for medium-density housing, where it’s really not actually sharing (paddy) walls. We were also looking at still trying to keep a bit of the heritage that we had for the Queenslanders as well.

CARLOS: And how did you achieve keeping the Queensland heritage?

NICOLE: I guess it was basically the material. We looked at the construction type of this kind of Queenslander, and we didn’t replicate it, obviously, to a T, because we’ve got modern technology nowadays. So we looked at using lightweight construction with both steel and timber, and looked at the spacings and proportions of the Queenslander, and put that into a modern sense, as what it is to have a modern lightweight house, I guess.

CARLOS: Great. And just to underline the materials, why did you choose lightweight materials, and what were the benefits?

NICOLE: Well, I suppose that lightweight in Cairns in a tropical environment is paramount if you don’t want to have any thermal mass in a building to store that heat. We don’t have a big dome of change with our weather, so there’s no point in storing any heat in the walls to keep heat overnight, because you know, you want to actually have all that temperature dissipating. So that was – you know, it basically comes to a crunch as to the way you should design it.

CARLOS: Well, that’s great. Nicole, thank you so much for your time.

NICOLE: My pleasure!

CARLOS: Many of our recent reader questions and viewer questions have focused around the best way to create the best sustainable home possible. Well, I’ve come across a great checklist from the government web site Your Home. And basically it says, plan space efficiently, face living areas north if you can, design for safety and access, close off rooms that you heat and cool, group wet areas together, and find the best places for rainwater tanks and for solar panels.

Green design: water, art and sustainability

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Sustainable design: the Rain Room

UK-based design firm rAndom International have taken water creativity to the next level with a spectacular installation that recreates the fun of playing in the rain – except it’s indoors and you never get wet.

Through the use of injection moulded tiles, pressure regulators, custom software and 3D tracking cameras – visitors to the installation in London’s Barbican Centre are able to walk under a downpour as the water responds to their movements, leaving them bone dry.

The developers of the 'Rain Room' say the installation gives visitors the feeling they are somehow controlling the falling water, as they become completely encapsulated by the rain without getting wet, as if they are mysteriously protected from it.

The designers explain, “As you progress through, the sound of water and a suggestion of moisture fill the air, before this carefully choreographed downpour – that responds to your movements and presence – confronts you.”

The Rain Room will be on display at the Barbican Centre until March 3, 2013.

Eco design: Coke bottle art

During this year’s London Olympic Games, soft drink giant Coca Cola also jumped on the sustainable design bandwagon, commissioning eco artist Sarah Turner to create a massive chandelier made from recycled bottles for its Hospitality Centre.

The creation makes quite an impact, including five two-metre chandeliers that were made from 190 plastic Coca Cola bottles each. Turner’s ‘Cola 30 design globe’ – made from 30 Coca Cola bottles hand-cut and sculpted into decorative forms – make up the centrepiece of the chandeliers.

The Cola 30 was the first light Turner made from waste plastic bottles when she began her work four years ago.

TROPICAL HOUSE SERIES: HP Tree House

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

The HP Tree House – which took out the House of the Year Award at the Australian Institute of Architects 2012 Far North Queensland Architecture Awards – sits suspended above the forest floor on a secluded lot on the slopes of Mt Whitfield in Cairns.

The single-storey structure is comprised of three pavilions connected with breezeways that navigate the lush forest canopy.

Green building: innovative and affordable

Commenting on the project, HIA Award judges said the house cleverly engages its rainforest shroud from every room and interstitial space. “Its unassuming exterior belies a sequence of varied scaled interior spaces that embody a relaxed tropical lifestyle in all possible weather conditions.”

Meanwhile, the home’s designer, Peter Pierce of MMP Architects explains the principle aims of the low budget home was to create a simple, elegant and unpretentious form that is sustainable, low maintenance and has minimal site impact.

“It was a simple and elegant solution for the site,” Pierce says. “We set out to create something that would have a low impact, was comfortable to live in all conditions, and had minimal use of electricity.”

The home’s central living space opens up to the forest through a glazed wall while the open dining area extends further out into the treetops, protected by a simple canopy roof.

The master bedroom and bathroom also offer magnificent views of an adjoining rock face that transforms into a waterfall during the rainy season.

Eco home design: sustainable and lightweight

Pierce adds the sustainability credentials of the home were enhanced with the use of long term low maintenance materials such as FSC sheeting, sustainably harvested timber and locally sourced natural stone.

“We tried to use sustainable materials as much as possible on the site,” Pierce says. “We used lightweight materials throughout the home including fibre cement sheet in a number areas. They are very stable and durable long-term materials with good sustainability credentials.”

According to Pierce, the HP Tree House was designed to be occupied in all weather conditions and seasons without the need for any heating and cooling, and a minimal reliance on grid electricity.

“There’s no heating installed, which is generally not necessary here in Cairns,” he says. “In summer the home is cooled by a system of breezeways, control cross ventilation, and minimal sun penetration.”

“Here in the far north, we spend most of the year trying to keep heat out not keep it in, and this house does that very effectively.”

Green design: low budget and low impact

Solar panels on the roof have been used to minimize the amount of energy the house takes off the grid, while the construction method and “off the ground” design minimizes the home’s impact on the block.

“The only earth works we did was to park vehicles at the site,” Pierce explains. “There was minimum excavation as the building sits above the natural slope. We have kept the natural contour and as much of the natural vegetation as possible.”

Fact Sheet

Builder: Work In Progress
Architect: Peter Pierce, MMP Architects
Featured material:
James Hardie Versilux®
James Hardie Villaboard® lining

Green Building Show Episode 6: Key drivers of an energy efficient home, tropical housing series, green jewellry, the business case for solar

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

We hear from Victoria Lea who brings us found some designers taking green living to a whole new level with a range of green jewelry, and we kick off our Tropical Housing Series with an interview with Peter Pierce, the designer of an award winning and sustainable tree house in Cairns.

And later, we will address a question from a reader who’s looking for a way to get her neighbors excited about solar. We speak with solar industry expert Ged McCarthy who presents us the business case for solar in a home.

Here's The Green Building Show audio file if you don't want to watch the video.

Here's how to subscribe.

The ins and outs of subscribing to The Green Building Show podcast series via iTunes, RSS or YouTube.

Episode 6 Transcript: This week on the Green Building Show…..

VOICE-OVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week on the Green Building Show we continue our investigation into the energy-efficient home. I sit down with Steve King, a senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales, and he’s going to explain what it really takes to get an energy-efficient home, and the key drivers and contributors to energy efficiency within the home. And in this week’s Australian Style, we kick off our Tropical Housing series. I’ll speak with award-winning architect Peter Pierce, who’s designed a lightweight and sustainable tree house on the slopes of Mount Whitfield in Cairns. We’ll also hear from Victoria Lea and get a quirky and fashionable take on green jewelry. And for this week’s You Asked Us, we’ll be focusing on solar. And I’ll speak with solar energy expert Ged McCarthy, who’s going to help us answer your questions.

So I’m here today with Steve King, who’s a senior lecturer of architecture at the University of new South Wales. Thank you for being with us, Steve.

STEVE: Not a problem.

CARLOS: We’re talking today about the energy-efficient home. So can you explain to us some of the general principles that go into energy efficiency?

STEVE: Okay. The first thing to understand is that these days in a place like Sydney, or New South Wales more generally, the energy efficiency of a family home is now not dominated by heating and cooling any more. It’s dominated by the appliances and by its water use and by a couple of other things that are actually potentially affecting your energy bills more than heating and cooling.

CARLOS: Okay.

STEVE: But nevertheless, if we could, let’s start with a dwelling that is energy-efficient in the sense of requiring as little artificial heating and cooling as possible.

CARLOS: Okay. And talking about dwellings, you’ve written previously that not only the appliances in a home contribute to energy efficiency. So what is, in your opinion, the biggest contributor to energy efficiency in a home?

STEVE: I think the two things are the roof – because it’s simply the biggest and it’s exposed to the elements the most – everything else is sheltered to some extent, but the roof is not sheltered by anything. So the first thing is to make sure that the roof is adequately insulated, and preferably a light color. Why a light color is really interesting. Everybody, I think, understands that a lighter-colored roof reflects more sun in summer and therefore stays cooler. And in our sort of climate, that’s supremely important. That cuts down your air conditioning costs potentially down to a third, comparing very light-colored roofs with very dark-colored roofs. The second – and one that remains even after you do the best possible job on roofs – is the glass – so your windows and doors. And I can say with great certainty that the weak point, especially in individually designed dwellings, whether they are houses or apartments, is that they are over-glassed. It’s almost as simple as that.

CARLOS: Yeah. Obviously, you’ve written previously also that glazing is measured disproportionately in some energy ratings. So if it’s not doable for some people, what are some of the solutions?

STEVE: I mean, if you’re doing a new build, don’t be greedy with your amount of glazing. There’s a temptation to just throw a lot of glass in the view, when in reality you can manage that view more effectively if you’re conscious of the fact that rather less glass is better for you than too much glass. And the reason why that’s so is because glass is highly conductive, and it’s just a little thin skin between you and the outside. Every other element of the house – the walls, the roofing, or whatever – is safe, and you can put insulation in it. So a central rule of thumb is that you lose ten times as much heat in winter through overuse of glazing as you do through weak wall insulation. So it makes it very simple – optimize your areas of glazing and preferably reduce them. If you look at the kinds of houses they build in Europe, especially the cold climates in Europe, and the kinds of houses they build here in Sydney, you can see immediately that they’ve got much smaller windows and doors, glass doors.

If you compare prototypes to architect-designed homes here in Sydney, you see that the prototypes have it down pretty tight. You know, they’ve glazing ratios of maximum 20 percent of floor space. Architect-designed homes can go to 100 percent of their floor area in glass. Now, you can imagine how much easier it is to make a house with 20 percent of its floor area, or a 20 percent ratio to the floor, well-insulated, than it is the one that’s over-glassed. So having said that, good window treatments go a long way towards reducing the penalty that’s associated with glazing – so if you put heavy curtains with helmets, with ?? blinds, and are actually using them instead of leaving them open on cold winter nights, or leaving them open on hot days, it can improve the performance of that glazing tremendously. So simple principles, like if you’re trying to keep the sun out, use reflective colors and reflective surfaces. If you’re trying to stop losing heat or gaining heat by lots of conduction – in other words, from the warm air outside for whatever temperature you’re trying to keep inside, or vice versa, trying to keep warm inside when it’s cold outside, then insulation is your friend.

CARLOS: Okay. And what about thermal mass? A lot of people think you need high thermal mass to have an energy-efficient house, whereas there have been a few studies which say that’s a misconception. What’s your take?

STEVE: No, it’s not entirely a misconception. But I like to put it as, it’s not so much maximum thermal mass or high thermal mass that you’re interested in, it’s the right amount of thermal mass that’s of interest.

CARLOS: Okay.

STEVE: Basically, if you’re trying to run the house in what’s called passive mode – in other words, not having artificial cooling in summer, or artificial heating, you have no choice. You have to have some thermal mass. Think about it in terms of winter. If you have free solar heating – in other words, your orientation is good – you can put glass in the right directions, you’re actually getting useful sun heat, so that’s pretty good. And thermal mass is where you absorb that heat so that it carries you over into the evening when you need extra heating. If you don’t have the thermal mass, all that’s going to happen is that you overheat instantly in response to that sun, and then have to open the windows to get rid of that.

CARLOS: Okay, so where’s the most important place to have thermal mass – is it the walls or the slab?

STEVE: Always the floor, because that’s the most convenient place to put it. Usually if you’re putting it in the walls, especially in a climate like Sydney’s, it’s overdoing it unless you have lots of free solar heating. The only time when it becomes beneficial to keep increasing that thermal mass is actually for summer cooling, because again – think about it – shading, all it does is, it reduces the load of the sun shining on your house or shining through your windows. It doesn’t lower your temperatures. The only way you can actually get cooling – in other words, end up cooler than it would be, is that you have to absorb the heat into something – thermal mass. And then when it cools down outside, open your windows and ventilate and get rid of that heat, right? So it’s thermal mass that’s acting like the fire heat. But again, you have to have the right quantity. I keep emphasizing that, because if you put too much thermal mass in a building that has, for instance, no free sun in winter, then when you try to artificially heat that building, then you’re going to have heat the thermal mass as well. In other words, you’re wasting heating by heating up the house rather than heating up the air in it and the occupants in it. And so if you have an unfavorably oriented site, or if you have a house that simply cannot get enough free sun, then with thermal mass you have to be very, very careful about how much you put in, and usually balance out that summer performance with the desired winter performance. You need a little, certainly, to help you in summer, but under certain circumstances it’s actually best to have a completely lightweight building because you’re relying on artificial heating alone.

CARLOS: Steve King, thank you so much for your time.

STEVE: A pleasure!

CARLOS: So Vic, green jewelry – what’s it all about?

VICTORIA: Yes. Well, last week we talked about green living furniture. And I just saw a great post on news.com.au this morning about living jewelry. An Icelandic designer – his name is Hafsteinn Juliusson – has created these really funky beautiful rings that have moss inside of them. And you water them once every five weeks. They’ve got these really kind of cool kind of chunky designs, a single ring or a whole knuckle-duster, for both men and women. So they’re kind of fabulous. And I looked around the web a little bit, and there’s this really gorgeous one from a Canadian designer called Allison Wells with Papersnake, that again will grow if you water it. And then this really lovely idea from American designer Colleen Jordan – so she wrote a thesis on whether you can make plastic green, because it can last as long as gold, or it can last further. So is there any way to make it kind of beautiful? And she’s just come up with these wearable planter ideas, which is a plastic necklace that just has a plant inside. It’s just an interesting idea of looking at different materials and questioning what is ecofriendly and what’s not.

CARLOS: Okay. Well, I’m here today with Peter Pierce of MMP Architects in Cairns. This is a firm that’s taken out this year’s Australian Institute of Architects House of the Year Award down in Queensland. Thanks for being with us, Peter.

PETER: You’re welcome.

CARLOS: Well, with regard to this award, the judges have said your entry, the HP Tree House, is a low-budget home with a simple, elegant, and unpretentious form. It has a minimum impact on the site, uses sustainable strategies, and is low-maintenance. So I guess we know what the judges think. Can you tell us why you thought it won, and really stood out against the other finalists?

PETER: I guess it was a simple and elegant solution for the site. We set out to create something that would have low impact, was comfortable to live in in all conditions, and with minimal use of electricity.

CARLOS: Okay. And when the judges said you used sustainable strategies, can you elaborate on what those sustainable strategies actually were?

PETER: Okay. Well, we tried to use sustainable materials as much as was possible on this site, including a lot of sustainable timber resources for the floor and framing, and some roof framing. Although we used some steel out of necessity, the steel is left in a natural galvanized state, so it needs no maintenance.

CARLOS: What part did lightweight materials play in creating a home that’s both aesthetically appealing and cost-effective and sustainable?

PETER: Okay. Well, we used lightweight materials surely at the home, including the use of fiber cement sheet in a number of areas. It’s a very stable and durable long-term material with very good sustainability credentials.

CARLOS: And I guess can you just elaborate a little bit more here as to what makes this home sustainable?

PETER: It’s essentially designed to be occupied in pretty much all weather conditions and also even without – there’s no heating installed for winter, which is not necessary generally here in Cairns. And in the summer it’s cooled by a system of breezeways and opening windows that control cross-ventilation. There’s minimal sun penetration, which is very important here in the far north. Most of the year we’re trying to keep heat out, not to keep heat in. And it’s very effective for that. We’ve used mostly LED lighting throughout, with minimum power consumption, and we have this affordable power system on the roof to minimize our energy that we take off the grid.

CARLOS: And how did you minimize the impact on the block?

PETER: The only earth works we’ve done was to park vehicles up past the building, and minimal other than that for this promotion. The building sits above the natural slope, and we’ve left the natural contour and as much of the natural vegetation in place as possible.

CARLOS: Fantastic. Well, congratulations on your win, and thanks for your time, Peter.

PETER: Thanks, Carlos.

CARLOS: This week we have a question from Carla. And she’s looking for the best way to get her neighbors and neighborhood excited about installing solar. To help me answer this, I speak with Ged McCarthy, an energy expert on solar, who’s got plenty to say on this topic.

Well, I’m here today with Ged McCarthy. He’s the founder of the Australian Renewable Energy Consumer Alliance. Thanks for being with us, Ged.

GED: All right.

CARLOS: We’ve had a question from one of our readers, and they’re trying to find out what’s a great way to get their neighbors excited for installing solar. So can you give us a bit of a rundown for the business case to solar? I mean, what incentives are there for home-owners to come up with some of these up-front costs and get solar in their homes?

GED: Now, I think the best way to get people excited about solar power is to get them to have a look at their power bill every quarter when it comes in, with all the high costs as they are. And solar power is a great way of reducing that cost. Yes, there is an upfront cost for solar power. But the thing is, any power which is produced by solar has a peak price, so it’s not going to rise over time. The incentives of solar – there is an incentive that the Federal Government’s put in place, which is a solar credit. So what that entails is, certificates are created depending on the size of the system you install. And those certificates are then sold for monetary value. It rises and falls depending on what the market value is. But there can be a few thousand dollars involved with the money that you get back off of that.

ARLOS: All right, fantastic. And what kind of hardware does the average household need to get solar up and running in their home, for, say, an average household of four people, a couple and two kids? What kind of kilowattage system are they looking at?

GED: Well, it is hard to say because every household is different. Every household lives in a different manner. The basic system that the majority of people put in starts with a 1.5 kilowatt system. And if that won’t cover your household usage for the average house, you’ would probably be looking at somewhere around a 3 kilowatt system to actually cover the majority of your usage.

CARLOS: Okay, great.

GED: The problem we’ve got at the moment is because ?? powers are low, it’s a catch-22 situation now, if you put a big system in that covers that. It is probably best at the moment to put a smaller system in with an upgradable inverter, so if we do get these ?? powers to increase, you can then put some more solar on at a later date.

CARLOS: Great. And for a 1.5 kilowatt, say, what kind of costs would a home-owner be looking at?

GED: You’d probably be looking at out-of-pocket – for a decent system you’d probably be looking at somewhere around the $2000 mark, out of pocket, two or two and a half thousand dollars. So that probably gives you probably about a four to five-year pay-back on that system, and then it’s basically providing you free power.

CARLOS: Ged McCarthy, thank you for your time.

GED: All right.

Green design: living jewellery

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Last week we talked about living furniture: furniture that actually grows, incorporating living greenery in it, within it or even over it as a large growing garden armchair.

A great post on news.com.au today features a twist on where greenery can live. And that twist is upon your very self, through jewellery that lives and grows.

Sustainable design: Knuckleduster gems from Iceland

The news.com.au blog profiled the Growing Jewelry collection by Icelandic designer Hafsteinn Juliusson.

Aimed at both women and men, these super-cool pieces, including badass knuckledusters and elegant solo rings, are made of silver and filled with moss from Iceland.

The ring should be watered every five weeks.

Juliusson calls his collection “a redefinition of modern values”. Describing it as “a clash of jewellery and gardening couture and organism” and “an experiment in drawing nature toward man”, it is aimed at people who live in cities to help them reconnect daily with nature.

Hafsteinn Juliusson photos by Harpa Hödd, Saga Sigurðardóttir & Sóley Þórisdóttir.

Eco living: Canadian and American eco rings

A quick scout round the web found a couple of other beauties for the sustainable living minded.

First is this beauty from Canadian jewellery designer Allison Wells of Paper Snake. Like the Growing Jewellery collection, apparently the plant will grow if cultivated!

Then there is the ‘A Wearable Planter’ collection from American designer Colleen Jordan.

A series of plastic necklaces with plants inside, it was inspired by her thesis work on whether beauty can be created from plastic.

“The question I sought to answer in my research is if it is possible to defy the expectation a material carries,” she writes on her website.

“Most people view plastic as disposable, although it is a complex and long-lasting material.

“The physical evidence of this project came in the form of jewellery. A bracelet or a necklace made of plastic lasts as long as one made of gold.”

Beach house series: Design Ambassador's Choice

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:00:00 GMT

When assessing what could be built on the property on Middleton Beach in south coast WA town of Albany, the client along with designer Keiron Benson decided a less is more approach was needed, and came up with a three-unit lightweight development that kept views to a maximum, and costs to a minimum.

According to Design ambassador Penni Sutton the site was large enough for four units, but this would have required all the dwellings to be three stories in a close proximity to each other, and only two would have had ocean views.

Instead, the design positioned three units “growing” in height towards the back of the sloping block, which means that all units have a magnificent beach view.

“Instead of placing the maximum number of units they could on the land they actually placed the units in a way that gave them open spaces, lifestyle and an individual feel to each unit,” Sutton says.

Inside-outside connection

According to Peter Jongen, the clients were keen to have plenty of open space around each building, and didn't like the idea of boxed in living to maximise site use, as they preferred ocean views, private garden courtyards and plenty of landscaping spaces to soften the built form.

“A lot of developers look for the most bang for buck and the most amount of return they can get,” Jongen says. “But with this project the client and the designer really worked hard to ensure there was a nice balance of outdoor space.”

He adds the designer managed to express some of these circulation spaces externally such as stairwells.

“The way that the internal and external spaces play on each other is nicely done,” Jongen says. “All of these elements are mixed in together to the form of the building so it’s not just a box housing the internal spaces.”

Lightweight, cost effective and sustainable

Plantation pine framing and lightweight claddings were chosen for the development as it enabled the client to keep costs down, according to the Design Ambassadors.

“Multi residential and high density living is relevant to Australia in terms of cost of construction, and the cost of actually owning a home these days,” Sutton says, “so designs like this are ideal for people who are interested in owning as well.”

The Ambassadors explain the lightweight materials were easy and quick to install on the tight site. There was also no need for large cranes and machinery, while the chosen builder was also a carpenter who could also install the claddings, saving on additional wet trades.

“We like this non-traditional take on a unit development,” Jongen says. “The idea of doing multi residential using framed systems is probably not as popular as it should be, but some of the outcomes you can get are really exciting.”

Fact sheet:

Designer: Keiron Benson
Builder: Steve McKinven Homes
Featured materials:
HardieTex™ system
Versilux® lining
Villaboard® lining

Green furniture that grows – literally

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Research loves plants, especially indoor ones. 40 years ago NASA released findings saying common house plants could improve air quality, and since then we’ve been told everything under the sun: that indoor plants make us smarter, more productive, happier and healthier.

So as eco home designs take off, where are furniture designers in all this? Seeing as (most of us) sit down an awful lot at home, can a plant be incorporated into a chair? Can a chair actually ‘grow’?

It’s a chair, it’s a potplant…

Two overseas designers think it can.

Take the Lin Pod bench, for sale through De La Espada. Deliciously minimalist, its clean simple lines incorporate a space within the chair itself for growing a pot plant.

As Japanese designers Leif.designpark explain it, “This bench was designed to create a conscience of living together with nature, and generate a comfortable atmosphere formed by the plant, the human and the bench itself.”

Now that’s an example of green furniture. But could we get greener?

Eco chair with oomph

One designer has taken it further, with an eco chair boasting plants literally inside its form.

Inspired by the concept of terrariums – indoor gardens living within glass or plastic containers – Italian designer Fiore Arcangelo has come up with the Ecoo chair.

Made of clear polycarbonate, it is a miniature, growing garden within the chair itself.

As Treehugger.com explains it: “Plants – the best to use are hardy ones – are grown in the lower part of the seat, while water and air can be brought in from the open upper part of the seat.”

So you’re actually sitting on a garden. Which makes us think of taking it still further…

Sustainable home: in the garden

If you like green furniture, and you like living furniture, why not take it to the garden? Why not grow your own chair from scratch?

From the team at design studio Nucleo, in Torino, Italy, comes the Terra! Outdoor Chair, a build-it-yourself growing garden chair. Receive the flatpack cardboard base, erect it and start covering it with earth and seeds.

As the Nucleo team write on their website, Terra! is not a finished product, it’s an idea. “We provide the cardboard frame and the seeds, the main ingredient, [and] the dirt can be found everywhere on our planet. The armchair is born in your garden and becomes part of your landscape.”

Conceptually, they take the idea even further than green furniture, saying Terra! is not only a grass armchair, it is “an armchair of the world”.

“If you are in a desolate suburb surrounded with cement, make it out of cement, if you live in front of an American highway, make it out of asphalt, if you are in the North Pole, use the snow.”

Green Building Show Episode 5: What is an energy efficient home? Green furniture; Lightweight apartments; Weatherboarding vs extreme weather

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:00:00 GMT

We hear from Victoria Lea who brings us a quirky take on green furniture, and we will speak with Design Ambassadors Penni Sutton and Peter Jongen on their latest Ambassador’s choice.

And later, we will address a question from a reader who’s looking for the best material to withstand the weather extremes of Vanuatu.

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VOICE-OVER: Welcome to The Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week we’re going to kick off a new series on the energy-efficient home. We’re going to find out what it is exactly, why you should care, and we’ll focus on the costs involved; and we’re going to delve into the rating systems and schemes throughout Australia to help you make sense of them. We’re also going to bring you some great energy-efficient examples. Also in this week’s show, we’re going to be speaking with Design Ambassadors Penni Sutton and Peter Jongen, who’ve brought us their latest Ambassador’s Choice. We’ll be speaking with Victoria Lea, who’s got a quirky take on green furniture. And in You Asked Us, we’re going to address the best materials to withstand those pesky cyclones and earthquakes. But first, to kick off our energy-efficient series, I’ll be sitting down with Richard Hyde, a professor of architecture from Sydney’s University.
I’m here with Richard Hyde. He’s a professor of architectural science at Sydney’s University. Thanks for being with us, Richard.

PROFESSOR HYDE: Good morning. How are you?

CARLOS: Good, thank you. So please tell us, Richard, in one sentence, what really is an energy-efficient home?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, I think an energy-efficient home is largely about achieving comfort in buildings, largely within a particular cost sort of framework and an energy framework. So it’s really using our energy to create comfortable houses. I mean, that’s the most important thing.

CARLOS: Well, what’s the key drivers towards energy-efficient homes in Australia?

PROFESSOR HYDE: I think the key driver is, as I said, comfort for occupants. And we have to have houses that are comfortable to live in, and that kind of service our needs and so forth.

CARLOS: Have houses not always been comfortable?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, not necessarily. I mean, for example, the house I live in at the moment, it’s too hot in summer and it’s too cold in winter. And it really needs to be retrofitted or changed to actually make it more comfortable. So we think part of the energy-efficiency equation is trying to make comfortable houses for the least amount of energy that you can use.

CARLOS: So you’re saying that the driver for energy-efficient homes is not so much people worried about the impact on the environment or their energy costs, but their level of comfort that they’re looking for?

PROFESSOR HYDE: I think comfort is a major issue. And basically the idea is that the houses are designed energy-efficiently to reduce the bills, the cost of that comfort to the occupants. So if we put more energy, so to speak, what we call embodied energy, into the building to make it more efficient in itself, it will cut the demand for energy and therefore will cut the utility bills for the consumers or the occupants. And that kind of has a massive impact on the carbon footprint of the building, because basically most of the fuel that we use in heating and cooling our houses comes from fossil fuels, as we all know. And so for every kilowatt of energy, we save a kilowatt of CO². So there’s a direct relationship between energy-efficiency and comfort and the buildings that we live in.

CARLOS: So do you think we’re seeing a large shift in the way residential homes are constructed in Australia, or in the world?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, the standards are moving to improve buildings, houses. There’s government initiatives to push forward the quality, the performance of the buildings or the housing that we live in. The extent to which they raise progress on that is perhaps debatable, but there is an extent to think about how we can take our houses and make them more sustainable for future occupants, for future energy needs, and so on.

CARLOS: And just on general policy, do you think that government policy in Austria is aiding or hindering Australia’s push into energy-efficient homes?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, government policy is kind of aligned to internationally – there’s international kind of moves to sustainability. And so the government’s trying to kind of align itself with that, largely trying to use market mechanisms – we call it push mechanism versus pull mechanisms to try and move people’s position on this to move to a more sustainable future. So it’s got legislation in place to provide for minimum standards for energy performance in houses. It’s trying to develop initiatives to really….

CARLOS: Is that the six-star ratings?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Yeah, it’s starting to set up those kinds of star ratings on houses, which really will mandate the kind of level of performance of new construction. What we’re interested in is actually how that can be retrofitted back into existing homes, because a large proportion of our building stock is existing buildings, and many of those buildings are uncomfortable and energy-inefficient, so there’s kind of a really huge market for really trying to deal with our existing building stock.

CARLOS: So what are some of the biggest pitfalls in terms of making all these actually energy-efficient, or is it all just brainwash?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, the term ‘pitfalls’ seems to be a bit negative, so I kind of like to think about one of the things that we really need to do make the building – you know, if we’re going to retrofit it….

CARLOS: What needs to be done in these buildings?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, if you go on many of the government web sites, you’ll see that there’s lots of advice. The federal government’s got the Your Home book, which is an excellent kind of ‘to-do’ manual if you want to make an energy-efficient house. So if you kind of arm yourself with that, you can really get to grips with what needs to be done. So things like orientation, layout, improving insulation, improving thermal mass, a number of things that Australians use for improving ventilation – all these things that many houses are missing – we can really start to change that. Now my feeling is that when we’re designing these houses, we really need to look at it as an integrated whole. So very often people will say, “Oh, I need more insulation in the roof,” so they’ll put more insulation. But then they may not have enough ventilation in the house if the house starts to overheat in summer. So kind of part of the problem with moving through this, we need to look at the building that we’re retrofitting or designing a lot more holistilically in terms of all these strategies really coming together to make a building more efficient. So as we move up the star ratings, as our star rating schemes improve their level of performance, I reckon it’s going to be really important that we get those synergies going between all those kind of really important ‘to-do’s,’ you know.

CARLOS: And who’s pushing this trend toward energy efficiency? Is it the millionaires with infinite money to spend on architecturally designed homes, or is it the government, is it the architects themselves, is it the….

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, I think a lot of it we’re seeing – one of our research projects is looking at occupant attitudes. And we’re seeing that a large proportion of the population is becoming more pro-environmental, and they’re beginning to select houses based on their environmental performance because they think that climate change is a real phenomena, and so for all sorts of sustainability reasons and for comfort reasons, they’re trying to buy high-performance houses, or be in or rent high-performance houses. So that’s kind of the social paradigm; the way we think as a society is really crucial to moving forward, I think, in this area. So we’re seeing that, and I think it’s part of the market mechanism, so now of course builders are starting to understand that there’s a section of the population that is more pro-environmental, and they’re beginning to design houses to suit that, to that group.

CARLOS: Now you’ve given the indication – you mentioned earlier kind of the difference between an energy-efficient designed home and an energy-efficient operational home.

PROFESSOR HYDE: Yes. Well, I think the standards that we’ve got such as the star ratings for houses – it’s a complex issue. But that’s really to help us set standards for the design of houses, new buildings in particular. Now, very often we find that there’s a difference between the design of the house, its performance, its theoretical performance, and its operational performance. So when you get into the house, if you have six-star building, it may not operate at a six-star level because of a whole series of other factors….

CARLOS: Such as?

PROFESSOR HYDE: To do with how you use the house, how well the building was constructed to specifications – a whole of series of factors – compliance with legislation, and so forth. So this kind of disjuncture very often causes quite a bit of frustration for people that are buying these kind of high-performance houses.

CARLOS: Why?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, because there’s the expectation that they’re going to get a high-performance building and they’re going to have lower energy costs and better comfort, but then they find that they don’t have those things. So how we manage those expectations, I think, is clearly important.

CARLOS: So what’s the solution to that?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, the government has got a NABERS home rating scheme now, which is based on operational performance. You can go on the web site, and you can audit your building and find out how it’s performing, whether to put (??) into it, so on and so on. So that’s a really good start for actually helping us to understand what the operational performance of our building is.

CARLOS: What’s more important, the design or the operational performance of the home?

PROFESSOR HYDE: Well, we think it’s a holistic problem. So if we’ve got really pro-environmental people in the house, very green, who want to save a lot of energy, they’re going to have a significant impact on their energy bills and the CO². If they’ve then got really good technology in it – so, you know, lots of efficient appliances and so on, they’re going to ratchet up their performance even more. So we’re factoring in behavior as a major player. It sounds a bit quirky, but it’s actually important to kind of understand these variables in using a high-performance house. It’s like when you’ve got a car, you can either drive it really fast where you’d use lots of fuel, or you can drive it slow and you can a bit more understand its traits, and you can get better consumption out of it. So a house is a bit the same.

CARLOS: Richard Hyde, thank you so much for your time. Thanks for being with us, Vic. So what have you got on green furniture?

VICTORIA: All right, yes. Green furniture is what I’m going to talk about this week. For years and years we’ve had research that plants make you happier and make you healthier, and they make you smarter, everything. So it got me to thinking – obviously lots of the designers – how green could your furniture actually be? So a wonderful designer, Life Design Park in Japan, is selling these fantastic minimalist couches, straight benches, that actually have incorporated in the design a space for a pot plant. So it’s a couch with a pot plant incorporated into the design. That’s one kind of level. But taking it much much further is this brilliant idea from an Italian designer, Fiore Arcangelo, which has a plant literally inside the chair. It’s inspired by the idea of terrariums, which are indoor gardens, which generally means they’re glass or plastic. So you’re literally sitting on a plant. Don’t you think it’s great? And then taking that even further is an idea you do see around a little bit, but again it’s from Italy – a fantastic idea is the terra outdoor chair. It arrives flat-packed. It’s strong cardboard. You unpack it, erect it, put it in your garden, fill it with soil and earth and some grass seeds and water it, and lo and behold, fingers crossed, you’ve got literally your own garden chair that is growing in your garden, completely covered in grass. That’s it this week, livable furniture, green furniture taken to a new step!
CARLOS: I’m here today with Penni Sutton and Peter Jongen, our Design Ambassadors. And we’re here talking about the Middleton Beach Uniblock, which is a residential project in Western Australia – it’s Middleton Beach in Albany. So tell us, Peter and Penny, why did you choose this project for your Ambassador's Choice, and how do you think it reflects a light home?

PENNY: Well, because we had been looking at multi residential and high density living, it’s quite relevant to the Australian in terms of cost of construction, cost of actually owning a home these days. So this is for people who are interested in owning as well.

CARLOS: And what do you think the architect has done particularly well?

PETER: Well, in this case it’s a building designer, it’s not actually an architect. And what James managed to do here is very clever the density and the open space of this particular site. I guess they could have fitted four units on. If you’re looking from the developer’s point of view, a lot of times the most important for them is getting the most amount of return that they can get. On this particular project, the client and the designer really worked it out to ensure that there was a nice balance of outdoor space and also cost effective solution. So they’re really quite interesting there. That amount of solar access in the whole roof above them was really an important aspect to come into the development, a lifestyle, sense of community and garden spaces and security. It’s all different issues that a lot of the time were handled particularly well. As far as the projects, they were driven more by how much profit, and that crowds out lifestyle.

CARLOS: Okay, great, thanks, Peter. And looking at the photos, it looks like a real quite modern design – because what was one of the main drivers for this project?

PENNI: Well, the clients were actually farmers, so these are actually holiday homes for the client. The maximum number of units that they put on the land, they actually priced the units in a way that they gave them the most of their lifestyle in an individual unit.

CARLOS: This week we’ve got a question from Ramina. And she’s building a house in Vanuatu, where cyclones, earthquakes, and humidity are serious problems. Weatherboard would actually be a good solution for this, Ramina, as it can handle all types of weather extremes. Weatherboard has got a number of advantages in extreme weather conditions, such as its ability to flex, its ability to handle large amounts of water, and also even its resistance to fire. To illustrate this point, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the U.S., and it destroyed almost 15,000 homes. But there was a little bit of good news to come out of this destruction. A home-owner named Larry, even though he was in the middle of all this destruction, came home to find his home actually still there. And he credited that stroke of luck to the fact that when his home was built, it was hardy-planked. “There were other houses nearby that actually didn’t have solid hardy-plank or something like that. Even a brick house down the street, the bricks collapsed.” And weatherboard also holds up pretty well on the cost front. According to a cost comparison published in The Smarter Green Book, a square of brick veneer, say, will cost you about $183.00, while a square meter of Scyon™ Linea™ will cost you only $140.00.

Australian invents world's smartest light bulb

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

After being inundated with pledges on crowd funding website Kickstarter.com, Melbourne entrepreneur Phil Bosua’s little idea of a light bulb that can be turned on and off by a mobile phone is set to catch on.

Called LIFX, it is a light bulb that can last for 25 years and be controlled by smartphone. It also uses up to 50 to 80 % less energy than other light bulbs.

According to a report in Fairfax Media, Melbourne inventor Phil Bosua thought of the idea just six months ago. After developing it, he floated the concept on Kickstarter.com and the result was phenomenal. LIFX has received USD$1,309,880 in pledges, far in excess of the initial goal of USD $100,000.

So what’s all the fuss about?

This super smart light bulb is wifi-enabled, and can be controlled with an iPhone or Android phone. It can dim, strobe, change colour and be programmed to switch on or off automatically.

It lasts 25 years, can screw into normal fittings and also act like a normal light bulb if needed.

Most importantly, it is an ideal accompaniment to a green home as this is an energy efficient light bulb – using up to 50 to 80 % less energy than ordinary light bulbs.

British newspaper The Telegraph also reported the story this week, quoting Bosua as saying that traditional bulbs “use heaps of power and those energy efficient fluoro bulbs have that cold white light that we all hate.

“So I started thinking with all the technology we’ve got today, surely there must be a better way. I mean it’s not like we get up to change the TV anymore, so why do we still do that with our lights?

“Six months and more than a dozen prototypes later, we’ve managed to create the world’s smartest energy efficient light bulb.”

BEACH HOUSE SERIES: weathering Stradbroke

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The holiday house known as Karboora, perched on Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island, just 20km off the coast of Brisbane, not only makes the most of the island’s breathtaking scenery, but also harnesses it’s temperamental climate, which stands noticeably apart from the mildness of the mainland.

Sustainable building: responding to the climate

O’Neil explains that as well as forming a relationship with the surrounding landscape, Karboora was designed to take advantage of the extremes in weather, which ranges from gentle sea breezes to fierce southerly gales.

“For two thirds of the year, the island is the most comfortable environment you can live in. It’s usually blessed with gentle northeast breezes,” he says. “During that time the house is a breeze, you just provide the opportunity for flow through ventilation, and the wind does the rest.”

However, O’Neil explains that for the rest of the year, the island is buffeted by a howling southeasterly wind, which means the house, needs to completely shut down to the southeast.

“During this part of the year, the house is designed to open up to the northeast,” says O’Neil. “So even in the difficult times, you can still have a large majority of the house open, but still protected from the violent winds.”

Lightweight cladding: supporting local trades

Karboora is timber frame with lightweight sheeting strips, which O’Neil says provides the lowest maintenance, and has fewer long-term upkeep requirements. He adds the choice of materials and soft colours also enables the home to blend with the surrounding bush of North Stardbroke Island.

“It’s an incredibly vicious, saltwater environment, with a lot of rainwater and wind,” O’Neil explains. “So fibre cement sheet on a timber frame is actually the most suitable for this particular home.”

O’Neil adds that 95% of the labour that built the sustainable house lived on the island, so it supported the local economy during construction.

“It’s a reflection of the quality of the builders and carpenters and tradesmen that live in Stradbroke,” he says. “They’re a great team that work really well together.”

Fact Sheet

Architects: Justin O’Neil – O’Neil Architecture
Builder: Craig Frampton
Featured material: James Hardie HardieFlex™ sheet

Episode 4: The key to carbon neutral, light-weight in Currumbin, re-inventing the light bulb, advice from Kevin McCloud

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

We will touch base with Light Home’s Victoria Lea who brings us a new take on the humble light bulb that’s up to 80% more efficient than the average household light bulb.

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VOICE-OVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week we’ll be speaking with Rob Norman, a building designer who has created a number of lightweight dwellings in a new sustainable development on the Gold Coast. Obviously we’ll also be speaking with Victoria Lea, and we’ll be answering your questions. But first we will speak with Craig Riddle, an award-winning sustainable builder who’s going to tell us the best tools to assess the carbon in our home.

I’m here today with Craig Riddle. He’s an owner of Living Green Designer Homes. Thanks for being with us.

CRAIG: Thanks, Carlos. No problem.

CARLOS: Okay. Tell us, we’re focusing on the carbon neutral home – what experience do you have with carbon neutral homes in Australia?

CRAIG: As Australians, we’ve been at it – totally focused on trying to reduce the emissions and striving for carbon neutral – for the last seven years. I’ve been a conventional builder since 1983, so it’s been my whole life. I realized there was too much waste and overlap in cost. I originally started back in about 2002. I actually just stopped building and went into a research and development phase.

CARLOS: And when you say ‘overlap in costs,’ what do you mean by that?

CRAIG: In the standard way we’re building homes, it’s really been separated into too many individual trades. For an example, while I was pushing them through, just the gyp rock trade, you know – in the old days, a single trade. There was a point where it became four trades, so someone that would sheet, someone that would sand, someone that would do the corners. Just everything got separated all the time. So there was lots of overlap. There was lots of waiting for trades. There was lots of transport when a mission was being created. And I knew it could be simpler, so I just set about trying to find what would be the most pure way to build with just a simple crew, because we had this right about 50 to 70 years ago.

CARLOS: By having a simple crew, how does that eliminate carbon emissions?

CRAIG: Okay, if it can be in a lightweight construction where you can have minimal wet trades, we have now gone on to do some manufacturing in a factory, so you can send out less trucks, less crews, have an assembly type process, finish the built form, and they might walk away in less time.

CARLOS: Yeah.

ROB: We’ve actually done a study for a small two-bedroom home and studied just all our contractors and material supply routes, and I was absolutely blown away. But the report that we finally came up with, the numbers on this small home (it was only 80 square meters), they had driven 3,600-odd kilometers just to put this home together. That’s across Australia. It just doesn’t make sense.

CARLOS: When you’re in the construction stage of a home, Craig, where is the most time-intensive aspect?

CRAIG: Look, we’ve done a lot of research on that, and we’ve proven that three – concrete, steel, and transport are the three highest emitters in the construction phase.

CARLOS: So what could someone do to eliminate it as much as possible?

CRAIG: Yeah, look, that’s been our journey. And once we commissioned that report and realized the spikes, we set about to eliminate those. So we’ve ended up with a full lightweight option, high manufacturing in a factory where we can control waste and timing and get the details a lot better.

CARLOS: But obviously, you’d still need a concrete slab and people to transport the materials, no?

CRAIG: Yes and no. You don’t need a concrete slab in all cases. We certainly have come up with a really well-insulated high performance timber floor. To give you an example, for that 80-square-meter size two-bedroom home that we seem to do a lot of, we’re pouring about 2.8 cubic meters of concrete in total. Now, that’s equivalent to a single garage floor, to give you an idea.

CARLOS: So what are some of the key drivers for a carbon neutral home, Craig?

CRAIG: Well, learning emissions first. Look, there’s only three ways to go about this. You use, whenever possible, naturally based materials. You use recyclable materials, and you use less of them.

CARLOS: Recyclable or recycled?

CRAIG: Both. Recyclable – so whether they have been, or can be. Use less of them, is really important. And you know, you’ve minimized the – finally, at the end of the day, all we can do is offset our emissions with some carbon offsetting in trying to reduce those emissions.

CARLOS: Okay. And I think you’ve said previously that achieving a truly carbon neutral home is an unrealistic goal. What is a realistic goal for a component builder?

CRAIG: For a builder to minimize – look, there’s no doubt….

CARLOS: Can give you me some type of a signature or figure?

CRAIG: Yeah, 50 percent.

CARLOS: 50 percent.

CRAIG: Yep. And I believe there’s 25 percent in reducing the size, and then looking at another 25 percent in the type of materials, and what you expect the house to do. So you know, if we all expect it to be a glass tube and it’s fully air conditioned like a glass hotel with water features everywhere, obviously it’s just 0.0. So I think we’ve got to be realistic in our expectations, and it really does depend on what climatic region that you’re building in. And I say that because obviously we’ve got the Snowy Mountains, we’ve got Darwin. You know, we’ve got to be realistic on what you’ve got to put in to live comfortably. But I think we need to accept that gee, we can’t buy sustainability, so we’ve got to expect a bit less. It could be in winter we’ve got to use a jump a little bit more than maybe we’d like to. But the reality is, we’re asking the environment to look after us, so it’s how much we expect.

CARLOS: Okay, and when you say you can’t buy sustainability, is that not what paying for offsets is?

CRAIG: Absolutely. We’re trying to minimize our footprint, and we’re heading in that direction. And I think it’s exciting, once people even look at paying for offsets, what they’ll inevitably do is want to minimize the emissions they’re creating to minimize the offsets. So that’s a learning curve. Look, we’re sitting here talking about the Model T Ford. Give this another 30 to 50 years, and you can see what’s happened with cars. We’re going to get way down this path. For me, I can’t see total sustainability, but gee, we’re going to get really close. It’s exciting. There’s so many options at the moment.

CARLOS: Okay, fantastic. And you mentioned earlier, it’s good to use recyclable materials.

CRAIG: Sure.

CARLOS: Is that not a bit of a catch-22 when we’re talking end-of-life, because to recycle material basically takes more high energy consumption?

CRAIG: Yeah. So again, it’s looking at the naturally based materials. And the first one that comes to my mind is plantation pine – easy to recycle, but will also break down really easily in landfills, as opposed to concrete and steel – really high in energy to recycle. So again, a little bit of research, a little bit of thought, keep it simple, and you’re on the path.

CARLOS: So great. And what tools are available for someone to assess the carbon neutrality of their home, and to actually do something about it?

CRAIG: Look, a quick Google search will come up with lots of sites that show individual materials, whether it be timber, concrete, steel, glass. And it’s a little bit – for a one over – or an owner-builder or someone sort of doing it themselves, it is a bit of guesswork. That’s why we commissioned a company to study exactly our process all around materials, with a transport ledger. And we wanted to go right back through all of the life cycle analysis of every material. And that’s extreme, because we want to do it in volume for people. But when they research, you can get millijoules per cubic meter or weights, and they’ll be able to do a fairly rough calculation with a little bit of research. But there’s lots of sites showing materials’ emissions.
CARLOS: So what do you say to someone who says, “If you want a sustainable home, or have a carbon neutral home, you’re going to have to pay extra”?

CRAIG: They’ve been misled by the builders at large. It’s not right, it’s just not right.

CARLOS: So how would you correct them?

CRAIG: I would advise them to really think about it and see if there are other alternatives. We believe we’ve got some ideas, and I love the adoption from some of our clients, and we take them. So you challenge it, just challenge it, because it’s not right.

CARLOS: Craig Riddle, thank you so much for your time.

CRAIG: Thanks, Carlos.

CARLOS: Victoria, I hear it’s all about lighting this week.

VICTORIA: What we’ve got this week is the world’s smartest light bulb, or the world’s smartest energy-efficient light-bulb, or both. It’s taken off with a story around the weather bit this week. It can last for 25 years, and it’s controlled by a Smart Phone – so either an iPhone or an Android phone. And it’s 50 to 80 percent more energy-efficient than any of the other light-bulbs on the market. It was invented by an Australian, Phil Bosua, a Melbourne gentleman. And he put it on kickstarter.com with a goal to reach 100,000 U.S. They reached over a million with over 8,000 pledges. So the pledges have been shut. So why is everybody so excited? It’s wifi-enabled. You can use it with either your phone or your iPhone, as I said. It can dim; it changes colors; it strobes. You can program it to switch on and off. It lasts 25 years. And most importantly, as I said, it’s energy-efficient.

CARLOS: So I’m here today with Rob Norman. He’s a building designer with Symbiosphere. And he’s created a number of lightweight sustainable homes, with a development on the Gold Coast called The EcoVillage at Currumbin. So thanks for being with us, Rob.

ROB: Oh, well, my pleasure.

CARLOS: So as the developer of The EcoVillage you had a number of sustainable planning principles to adhere to. Were there any challenges that they brought, and how did you overcome them?

ROB: Okay. Yeah, they did create some challenges, I suppose. Part of it was just around the construction industry and the builders, I suppose, who were looking to do the work on the Village, where they had the best intentions but still were not quite up to speed with what was being asked for by those codes.

CARLOS: What was being asked for, Rob?

ROB: Okay, it was essentially lightweight construction, so basically getting away completely from your traditional slab-on-ground construction, which as most people know, most project housing and affordable housing is done by. So slab-on-ground is probably a bit more economical on other types of sites. ButThe EcoVillage is a pretty sensitive site, and those developers were trained to maintain a mimimal impact on that site, and so they chose to avoid slab-on-ground. A lot of the sites are quite steep, so they’re also avoiding slab-on-ground for reasons of ground till, which can create all sorts of problems – you know, technical and environmental. So they’re lightweight housing, so they’re almost going back to the olden days of housing in Queensland, where everything was elevated.

CARLOS: And what’s the advantage, in your experience, of designing and building with lightweight materials?

ROB: Well, I love lightweight materials. They’re just easier to work with. You need less things like cranes, less scaffolding. They go a lot quicker. The embodied energy is less because you use less materials, and because - in this climate anyway, if you’re trying to have passive solar design, you tend to want to have more mass within the building envelope, with insulation on the outside. So to do something like a brick-veneered house in this climate is not generally a good idea, because the brick work is really an external mass, and if you put it on the outside of the building it doesn’t actually work very effectively at all. So what I tend to is have the mass be in the floor elements or clad walls within a building, and then clad the entire outside as an insulated [fork], which means lightweight in framing and insulation, and then lightweight cladding. So to me lightweight materials are the best thing to use in this particular climate.

CARLOS: Okay. And do the lightweight materials also have an aesthetic appeal?

ROB: Yeah, yeah. I think really what I’m trying to do with my housing is to blend it into the environment. So we’ve got some pretty beautiful bushland settings here, so I tend to just go for darker colors, dark finishes, and just using the lightweight material that’s been painted, then it’s quite simple to do that

CARLOS: Very good. Rob Norman, thank you so much for your time.

ROB: No problem.

CARLOS: Okay, thank you.
Well, for ‘You Asked Us’ this week, we’re taking a slightly different tack. We spoke with Tiffany, who was lucky enough to head along to the Grand Design Show in Melbourne. And she spoke with Kevin McCloud, who gave her some great design tips on her new home, which she’s designing on the outskirts of Adelaide. And in the home, she’s trying to reduce her energy costs and her heating and cooling bills. And Kevin gave her some great ideas, which were using the evaporating air from her swimming pool to cool the house by driving that cool air into the home through louvred windows. It was also a good idea to stack the home, which is a thermal stacking system, which allows heat to escape through the roof. I think the best idea from Kevin was using a reverse brick veneer construction, which is a great way to increase the thermal rating of a home. Basically, it’s a brick or concrete material on the inner part of the wall with a gap of insulation and then a lightweight cladding on the outside. And some experts say this method can almost halve your energy costs.

World’s first cardboard bicycle

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The bicycle, which will be made almost entirely of cardboard, costs as little as $15 to manufacture and can support the weight of a person weighing over 200 kg.

An exercise in sustainable design, not only is the frame made from cardboard but so too are the handlebars, wheels and even the seat.

Only the brakes and chain are not cardboard.

Invented by Izhar Gafni, an Israeli-based engineer, the bicycle is now reportedly in development and has financial backing.

According to a report this week by the UK’s Daily Mail, Gafni says his bicycle is durable, waterproof, emission-free and environmentally-friendly to produce.

To create strength he folds the cardboard over and over. To achieve water-resistancy, he covers the cardboard with a waterproof resin and then paints it. To keep costs down he uses just AUD$15 worth of cardboard in each bicycle – and believes the end product will likely sell for between $60 and $90.

Gafni says he first imagined his green design after hearing about a man who built a canoe out of cardboard.

Ultimately, he wants it to prove not only that design can be sustainable but that cheap transport can be brought to the masses.

According to the Daily Mail, he describes it this way:

“Like Henry Ford who made the car available to anybody, this bike is going to be cheap and available to any child in the world, including children in Africa who walk dozens of miles to school every day.”

Inhabitat.com is already calling the bicycle "the coolest eco-vehicle to hit the streets in quite a while."

BEACH HOUSE SERIES: Double-up with prefab

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

When asked to double the size of this quintessentially Australian beach house in the NSW central coast suburb of McMasters Beach, while at the same time retaining the home’s generous garden area, architect Dianna Thomas knew the project would be a challenge.

“The house needed to grow, and quickly,” Thomas says. “There were a number of challenges that needed to be overcome including a triangular shaped block bordered by a main road, western orientation, and working with the existing kit home, which was far from a high quality building to start with.”

Her solution was to custom design a modular addition, prefabricated in a factory by Parkwood Homes in nearby Somersby. Delivered to site on the back of a truck and craned into place, Thomas says the transport logistics presented yet another challenge.

Sustainable architecture: renovation rationale

With the home just a stone’s throw from the picturesque waters of McMasters Beach, it’s no surprise owners Cherie Castaing and Bryce Aitchison decided to renovate rather than sell up and move elsewhere.

Castaing explains that both budget and the need to live onsite throughout the renovation, led them to opt for the prefabricated extension option.

“It solved all our concerns,” she says, “and the thrill of having a crane lift the prefab over our existing house and eucalypts was unforgettable. We moved in within days, which freed up our old place for renovating.”

Sustainable design: cost effective solution

The total cost of the extension was $244,000; the prefab pavilion was $102,000, while renovating the existing building and constructing the connection between them came to $142,000.

“Our impression was not using prefab was going to add at least a further $15,000,” Castaing says. “Once we told our builders what the quoted prefab cost they quickly said they couldn’t match it.”

The ability to live onsite during construction also saved the family big dollars in rent. “We managed to avoid paying around $10,000, and also avoided the hassle of moving and finding alterative accommodation,” says Castaing.

Episode 3: Designing a carbon neutral home, sustainable Stradbroke, prefab electrical, lightweight flooring alternatives

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Carlos Martinez speaks with SA-based developer Paul Davy – who along with his firm TS4 Sustainable Solutions has won the South Australian Government’s Zero Carbon Challenge – to find out what it takes to design a truly carbon neutral home.

And later we touch base with Justin O’Neil, an architect who has created a beautiful, lightweight and sustainable home on Queensland’s picturesque North Stradbroke Island.

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VOICE-OVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week we’ll be speaking with Justin O'Neil, an architect who’s created a lightweight and sustainable home on North Stradbroke Island in Queensland. We’re also going to be speaking with Victoria Lee, who’s going to bring us this week’s hottest products. And we’re going to answer your questions. But first, we continue our investigation into the carbon neutral home. I’ll speak with Paul Davy, a South Australian developer who’s won a state government competition for carbon neutral home design, and once it’s built, it could well be Australia’s truly first carbon neutral home.

So we’re here today with Paul Davy. He’s the director of TS4 Sustainable Living, a South Australian based developer who has originally won South Australia’s Land Management Corporation’s Zero Carbon Challenge. And so Paul, thanks for being with us. Can you tell us what is the Zero Carbon Challenge, and how did TS4 Sustainable Living become involved?

PAUL: Yeah, sure, and thanks for having me here, Carlos. It was a state – South Australian state government competition that was run early to mid last year. They provided some land at the Lochiel Park Green Village in Adelaide in order to allow builders and developers to create what was hoped to be the next generation or frontier of carbon positive housing.

CARLOS: And so what were the requirements for the entries, and how did TS4 Designs really stand out from the other finalists?

PAUL: Yeah, sure. I mean, there were some fairly straightforward requirements. It had to be a three-bedroom home, had to be two storeys, had to be affordable. So it had to be built under a construction value of less than 300,000 dollars. They had some performance requirements. It had to get a minimum 7.5 star home energy rating and meet the Urban Design Guidelines down at Lochiel Park, which are fairly stringent, with a big, big focus on orientation and natural insulation and landscaping. Importantly, it had to be carbon neutral within a 35-year time frame, taking into account all embodied and all operational emissions. And it also had to be demonstrable as a livable space, so it wasn’t just so much about the environmental performance.

CARLOS: Can you elaborate a little bit more on that, what do you mean by a 35-year time frame?

PAUL: Yeah, so we had to account for the predicted emissions in the actual construction of the house, show that the materials – but also looking at how – you know, with a typical family, how the home might actually be used, and ensure that over the life of the home – and that was set by state government at 35 years – its total emissions would equate to zero or actually become carbon positive over time. So that was quite a challenge. We had to design – have it becoming carbon neutral, including operational emissions and usage too, so we beat out some [??].

CARLOS: Okay, so I guess when someone moves into a home, it’s not carbon neutral straightaway, but it’s carbon neutral after a certain period of time – is that how it works?

PAUL: Yeah, that’s right. So you know, how it works is, the main way that the operational and the embodied emissions are offset, there’s quite a large photo solar ray on the roof of the home, which has got a 3-kilowatt, and that basically begins to pay back the embodied emissions in the home, and also the operational emissions are starting to run out.

CARLOS: In your opinion, what was the most challenging hurdle when it comes to constructing a carbon neutral home? From a design aspect, what has to change in order to come up with a home which is going to be carbon neutral?

PAUL: Yeah, look, I think if you’re going to take into account operational emissions as well, it’s getting a really good combination of as small an embodied footprint as possible in the actual construction of the home – so using locally sourced materials. I think it’s important, and using more natural renewable materials as opposed to very high-energy materials. So using low-emissions materials like timber and natural aggregates, recyclable materials, and locally sourced is key. But I think one of the important things to really focus on is getting the balance right between sort of the carbon account and the energy profile of the home and livability. And I think that was one of the key standouts between us and some of the other designers – which perhaps was one of the reasons why ours was promoted as the winner. And if you look at a lot of low or negative emission homes or low energy or zero energy homes, they tend to follow a similar kind of aesthetic. They’re either very, very small windows and, you know, and they look quite rural. And I think it’s like anything, to make it livable it’s got to be contemporary, so you get the balance right between energy saving and access to daylight. So we’ve got considerable light in our house, with quite extensive glazing. And we used double glass, and it’s well shaded. There’s lots of external green shading, but we’re pulling lots of daylight into the home where it allows the windows to be open at appropriate times so that the home can be fully naturally ventilated.

CARLOS: And so just what did you as a developer, in collaboration with the architects, have to do differently when designing this home?

PAUL: It really was covering all those bases. So like a traditional house-builder would still need to get a home energy rating with a certain star level to comply with code. But a traditional house build doesn’t have to take into account the embodied carbon. So the carbon encounter piece is quite a big point of difference with this one. And I think the way that we’re looking to develop this in our homes is also perhaps a little bit different in that we are taking each site and each property on its own individual merits, so we’re not sort of taking out a cookie cutter and trying to punch them around different plots. And I think that’s key as well. You’ve got to look at orientation, you’ve got to look at the opportunities each site provides you in terms of vernal access, shading, prevailing emissions, and it’s clear that you are creating a response that suits the local environment.

CARLOS: In your experience as an SA developer, is it possible to build a home which is carbon neutral from the get-go, rather than having to wait 30 years?

PAUL: Not where we are right now. There isn’t at the moment any way of making every component of a home in a carbon neutral manner, in what I would describe as an authentic carbon neutral manner. So I mean, if you were to purchase all of your building materials from manufacturers who had carbon footprints and processes in place, and if you fully offset all of your footprint by purchasing offset, then you could say that your home was carbon neutral from the get-go. But that would be a process of purchasing offset, some things like buy offsets from organizations that are investing in forest reconditioning and planting trees. It’s the same thing that you’re doing, but I don’t see that as being particularly authentic.

CARLOS: Paul Davy, thank you so much for you time.

PAUL: Thanks – a great call – thank you.

CARLOS: Victoria, I hear it’s all about pedal power this week. What have you got?

VICTORIA: Well, it’s actually the world’s first cardboard bicycle. The story’s been around since about mid this year, but it’s really kind of cranked into the mainstream this week. An Israeli designer has invented what he believes is the world’s first cardboard bicycle which is super-strong and completely lightweight, and he believes could change the face of the developing world. So it’s made from cardboard, and he says it can cost just 15 dollars to manufacture. It’s super-strong. It can carry someone who weighs up to 220 kilograms. He paints it with a water-resistant resin, so it’s also water-proof. And I’m not sure how cheap this is, but he believes it could sell for between 60 and 90 dollars. There’s a great quote from him in a story from the Daily Mail this week, which is: “Like Henry Ford, who made the car available to anybody, this bike is going to be cheap and available to any child in the world, including children in Africa who walk dozens of miles to school every day.” So it’s just a fantastic example of lightweight design, thinking of something completely new that could just be really fun, really different, and really cheap, and possibly save the world! Okay, it might not save the world, but inhabitat.com is already calling it the coolest eco vehicle to hit the streets in quite awhile.

CARLOS: I’m here today with Justin O'Neil. He’s the principal of O’Neil Architecture. And we’re talking about Carabora, which is a home on Queensland’s picturesque North Stradbroke Island. Tell us, Justin, how do you spend your time there, and what makes it so unique?

JUSTIN: Well, it came from a sort of client in Brisbane who were looking for holiday homes for their extended family, so the brief was to have up to a dozen people. Each one of those needed a number of different places, to have good relationships in that general environment. And so the house is configured around a central courtyard, which provides a place for breezes to run through the house, and it’s generally one room deep across the sections.

CARLOS: Great. And what materials did you choose, Justin, and what made you choose them?

JUSTIN: Importantly, 95 percent of the labor that built the house lived on the island, so it supported the local economy. But it’s also a reflection of the quality of the builders and carpenters and tradesmen that live in Stradbroke. They’re a great team that work really well together. So the trend in construction over there is timber frame with sheeting and [carbon] strips. We find that it provides the lowest maintenance, long-term requirements for the building because it’s an incredibly vicious environment, a very saltwater environment, with a lot of rainwater and wind. So the FC sheet on a timber frame is actually the most suitable for that particular home.

CARLOS: And how does this type of construction, this lightweight type of construction – how is if cost-effective?

JUSTIN: It’s definitely a very flexible construction, so you can get a lot of detail built into the house very simply. It’s good for – you just bring the timber over onto the island, and it’s basically then just labor assembling the timber, rather than the concrete columns and all the requirements that masonry brings along with it. So it’s very much a sort of a stick-based construction which is applicable to the island.

CARLOS: You mentioned earlier, Justin, that this island has some extreme types of environments such as high wind and a little bit of salt in the air. How does this design really fit into the surrounding environment of North Stradbroke Island?

JUSTIN: Well, the trees are two parts of the environment for probably two thirds of the year. It’s the most incredibly beautiful and comfortable environment you can live in. It’s usually blessed by pretty gentle northeast breezes – that would be for 50 percent of the time. And then southeast breezes that are not too strong for another quarter of the time. In that situation, the house is a breeze, and basically you just provide the opportunity for flow through ventilation. And the wind does the rest. For the quarter to third, or the rest of the year, there’s a howling southeasterly, usually wet, blowing through the place, and it’s quite unpleasant. But in most situations the house shuts down to the southeast. But it’s designed so that It opens up to the northwest. So even in those difficult times, you can still have a large majority of the house open, but protect it from the really violent winds.

CARLOS: Our first question comes from Terry. And Terry wants to know what electrical work is included in a pre-built home. Well, Terry, we didn’t speak with pre-built, but we did speak with another prefab manufacturer called Parkwood Homes on the New South Wales central coast. And they said that all the internal wiring of the prefab modular is included. That includes the power points, light fittings, and the mains box. However, when the modular does get to the site, that’s when you’re on your own. That’s when you need to get an electrician in to make sure it’s hooked up to the grid correctly. And the next question is from Manoj. And he’s looking for a lightweight alternative to a [??] floor. Well, Manoj, we’ve spoken with Anthony Malostic and James Hardie, and we’ve come up with the best solution, which would be a Scyon Secura internal flooring product. Then it’s just a matter of hunting around for the best [??] membrane that suits your style and your particular tastes. Our final question comes from Benjamin, and he wants to know how you can build a ten-star energy efficient rating home for under $250,000. Well, Benjamin, you’re in luck, because next month we focus our new podcast series on the energy-efficient home. Basically, we find out what these ratings actually mean, how they can benefit you, and how you can achieve them. Among other experts, we speak with one particular building designer named Sophie Barrett. And she has built a ten-star energy-efficient home in Cairns for – wait for it - $250,000!

A 3kW PV system generates more electricity annually than the house will ever use.
Your comfort is optimised all year around in the climate responsive Collaborative Future House.
Expansive north facing double glazed windows offer excellent thermal performance.
The Climate Wizard high performance indirect evaporative air conditioning system adds no moisture to the air, so you get lots of beautifully fresh, naturally-cooled air.
EcoSmart bioethanol fires deliver clean heat for winter comfort so you get the ambience of a real open fire without the mess or hassle.
The high performance evacuated tube solar hot water heating system with gas backup ensures steaming hot water all year round.
The house has a completely landscaped outdoor space including a rain garden that filters stormwater, invites nature and encourages a seasonal urban lifestyle.
Recycling stormwater and harvesting rainwater, the house will reduce your reliance on fragile water resources.

BEACH HOUSE SERIES: mastering the remote

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

“Building is a process – how much joy can you get out of that process?” He says. “A lot of building projects can be very sterile, so we loved this project, working with local tradespeople to bring it to life.”

The beach house takes its influences from American River, upon which it’s built. These influences go right down to the floor plan, which is fish-like in its outline.

“The house has got a lovely movement about it and a great journey through it,” explains Harris. “The principle of the house is that all the movement is external between the spaces. It’s a really fun place to stay in.”

With courtyards, verandas and decks, as well as a lookout that offers the ultimate sunset viewing, the emphasis, as with most Troppo projects, is on the outdoor environment.

Located on the island, the first challenge with this project was accessibility. It is expensive to bring materials to the island, so using locally sourced earth and recycled timber from the nearby demolished Ballast Head jetty helped keep costs down.

Fibre cement cladding was used externally, helping to reduce costs in transporting materials to the island.

“These lightweight materials are balanced with the thermal qualities of the rammed earth,” says Harris. “We couldn’t have achieved the same results with heavyweight materials – there are little seating areas everywhere, where you can sit and dangle your legs. Areas like that couldn’t have been achieved with heavy materials.”

Harris is no stranger to working in remote areas, with Troppo making its name in this space, establishing itself as a leader in climate-responsive building.

“We enjoy working in more remote areas and with indigenous communities,” says Harris. “We have worked hard to become experts in delivering sustainable building projects to remote places. If you work in the Territory, you haven’t got much choice – you have to be able to deliver in a remote place!”

Fact sheet

Architects: Phil Harris and Lucy Crawford
Builder: Steen Constructions (first fix), owner-built (second fix)
Ballast Head images: Phil Harris, Troppo Architects

Where is the carbon in my home? Fremantle’s sustainable gem, structural insulation panels vs traditional framing, the underside of eaves.

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Carlos Martinez sits down with sustainability consultant Matthew Parnell, to find out where the carbon is in a home – which parts of building and running a house are the most carbon intensive – and what can be done to reduce it.

And later, we catch up with Francis Burke, a Fremantle-based developer who's built a home so sustainable...it's been certified 'carbon positive'. This has been achieved through the use of passive solar design, lightweight cladding, and the re-use of existing materials.

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Transcript

VOICE-OVER: Welcome to the Green Building Show, where we investigate green design and building trends throughout Australia.

CARLOS: Hi. This week we continue our investigation into the carbon neutral home. I sit down with Matthew Parnell, a sustainability consultant, to find out where the carbon is in a home and what can be done to reduce it. And later I’ll catch up with Francis Burke, a Fremantle-based developer who’s built a home so sustainable that’s it been accredited as ‘carbon positive.’
Victoria, what have you got for us this week?

VICTORIA: Carlos, okay, this is a bit odd, but what I want to talk about this week is something that’s in our house every day that we look at, and that I as a mother sometimes use five times a day. It is the dustpan and brush, which I personally find to be one of the most ugly items around, right? And I use it a lot. So it got me thinking, can a dustpan and brush ever be art?
Okay, so I looked around a bit. The Museum of Denver in the U.S. has this giant fabulous sculpture outside, the wonderful giant dustpan and brush. And I got to Googling, and I think I have found what I think is the most beautiful and also eco-friendly dustpan and brush in the world. It is made by a Japanese designer, Oji Masanori, and sold through Analoguelife online. And it’s made of paper coated with a natural tanner. So it’s beautiful and eco.
Another fabulous one is – it’s called the ‘giant dustpan and brush.’ It’s sold through the UK web site Labour and Wait, and it just pulls on that classic industrial inspiration. It’s fabulous. Or, if you want to get a little bit colorful, the folks at Alice Supply Co. just sell these gorgeous kitchen little numbers which are also really cheap. If you’re in Oz, you want to go to Top3design.com.au, a fabulous web site, and buy through Australia. They’ve got three brilliant products on there.
They’re all actually European, and none of them are Australian made. But there are some absolutely gorgeous ones there, the kind of things you just don’t want to put away under the sink, but you actually want to display. All right. I think it’s just an ordinary everyday object that some of us have to use so often. And I just wish it could be more beautiful.

CARLOS: Amanda, what idea have you stolen this week?

AMANDA: Well, Carlos, it’s pretty simple. But as any really well-dressed woman will tell you, it’s all about the detail. And so when I walked past this particular place, I couldn’t help but noticing that they just did really a couple of interesting things to make their eaves look more interesting. I know that might seem a little bit weird, and actually people could look at the last issue of the Light Home magazine, where we did a whole What’s Hot feature on “All About Eaves.” But what these people have done are really two key things: they clad the underside of their eaves, not with anything that was just kind of white and boring.
They actually put really nice like timber paneling under the eave, and then they clad along the side of it, along the bargeboard with some express jointed panels painted in a really rich color. And the whole thing just really made the eaves and their little back addition so much more interesting, definitely an idea anybody could steal.
CARLOS: Welcome to the second installment of our Carbon Neutral Home series. This week, we talk to Matthew Parnell. Okay, so I’m here with Matt Parnell. You’re an energy, or you’re a sustainable consultant?

MATT: Sustainability Consultant is the title.

CARLOS: And you work with Green Synergy?

MATT: Yeah – well, Green Synergy Consulting, a small mobile consulting operation based in Coffs Harbor, but I also work out of Sydney and all over the place.

CARLOS: Thank you for being with us, Matt.

MATT: It’s a pleasure.

CARLOS: So please tell us, what exactly is a carbon neutral home?

MATT: Well, a carbon neutral home is probably a growing definition, and people that are enthusiasts for this kind of home are probably making up their own definitions. But essentially, it’s a home where at its greatest extent, the materials, the way it’s built, and the way it’s operated is not generating any additional carbon into the atmosphere. How you get to that point where you can claim it, there’s a lot of different pathways.

CARLOS: Okay. And in an existing home, where is the carbon?

MATT: Well, you could say that all the existing materials have probably paid back their embodied energy investment, if they’re sort of more than about 10 or 15 years old. But for those kinds of existing homes, it really gets down to the appliances that are plugged in using energy – or if they’re on gas, the gas that they’re drawing, or if they’re even using sort of fossil fuel – other fossil fuels for heating and so forth. So it essentially gets down to the activities of the people in the house and how they operate it.

CARLOS: Okay. And what are some of the biggest offenders in terms of a carbon footprint in a home?

MATT: Air conditioning, first and foremost. It’s the single biggest reason why in New South Wales we can’t cope with peak demands with our current generating power stations and so forth. It’s one of the reasons why we actually needed to have a solar program, to deal with peak energy. So air conditioners are probably the biggest fault because they’re often put on houses that are poorly designed and poorly insulated. And they’re working extra hard, or they’re much, much bigger than they need to be, or used more than they need to be. So air conditioners are the major one, and that’s for heating and cooling. Then also, our refrigerator is the main source now. Many, many houses don’t just have one fridge nowadays, they have several. And often, the worst offender is that extra fridge out in the garage that’s got a six-pack in it. And it’s just chugging away there, and it’s usually a very old fridge, so it’s not efficient, not being efficiently used, and not necessary. So those things should be turned off.

CARLOS: Okay, interesting.

MATT: And then probably after that, lighting is one of the other things. Pool pumps as well, if you’ve got a swimming pool, that’s a big source of energy usage in a place.

CARLOS: Okay. And when it comes to energy efficiency versus zero carbon and carbon neutral, these are two terms which I guess consumers hear quite often.

MATT: Yeah.

CARLOS: What is actually the difference between star rating and carbon neutral?

MATT: Well, these terms do get conflated. When it comes down to energy efficiency, that’s really about how you design a house and the types of appliances you select for the house, and how you operate it. You can be carbon neutral by just doing nothing in your change of behavior in the house. And you can just purchase carbon offsets from a carbon offset company. So you’ve not changed anything. All you’ve done is hope that someone has planted a tree somewhere else to offset you, and you have done nothing. So I think that energy efficiency is the first step to being carbon neutral.
So you reduce your demand on the system as low as you can by good design choices, good appliance choices. Then when you’ve got an efficient lifestyle and you still want to maybe offset, then you can go to a pathway where maybe you invest quite heavily in a solar system on your house that covers all your needs, or you then go and look for offsets. So that would be for the existing home-owner. Obviously, if you’re designing a house from scratch, you’ve got many more opportunities to maximise your energy efficiency to integrate solar systems and other renewable energy systems to reduce your carbon footprint without having to go to offsets or anything like that.

CARLOS: And so I guess in your opinion, for a sustainable-minded home-owner who perhaps is even in the design stage, is carbon neutral a realistic goal for them, of should they be aiming for energy efficiency ratings first, and then perhaps moving on to carbon neutral?

MATT: Definitely energy efficiency ratings, because some of the houses that are being put forward as carbon neutral – you know, they’re making big investments in quite sophisticated technologies and in solar. So for example, typically people are putting, at the moment, on their houses, a 1.5 to 2 kilowatt solar system. You really need to be looking at a 6 to 10 kilowatt solar system to completely cover even an energy efficient lifestyle. So that’s a bigger investment; that’s a question of whether people want to make it. And it’s the same thing when it comes to the star ratings, which you asked me about that and I didn’t properly answer that. The star ratings – they get confused as well. Star ratings are a measure of the amount of energy a house requires to keep it comfortable summer and winter, all right? So there’s an assumption that a house with a certain star rating will need a certain amount of energy input from artificial heating or cooling. So the closer you get to 10 stars, the less is the requirement. And there’s a few people making claims now about 10-star houses, and in some climates that is quite possible; other climates, very, very difficult to achieve. So the nature of thermal design of buildings – certainly, for example, in the mild climates – where I am in Coffs Harbor, for example, and I think in Queensland – we’re actually given a very, very small energy allowance because of the climate. And we can have a hard time getting much beyond about 7 stars, to 8 stars, you know, and any arrangement of materials, because you get to a point where you can’t add any more insulation. It doesn’t fit the numbers at all.

CARLOS: Some home-owners say perhaps they can’t assess accurately what the carbon footprint is. But what can they do during the construction stage to ensure the carbon footprint of their home is as low as possible?

MATT: Do you know what I think is the simplest thing? And most home-owners, people building new houses, do not want to hear anyone tell them this. Their houses are too big, pure and simply. I think if you want to actually reduce the embodied carbon impact of our building materials, instead of worrying about whether a stick of timber versus a bit of concrete’s got these different embodied energies, I’d say think about whether you need a 350-square-meter house, or a 400-square-meter house.
And maybe think about getting below 200 square meters, and don’t worry too much, then, about the embodied energy, because you’ve halved the amount of materials that were used. You know, this is where we can get a bit carried away with, you know, carbon neutral. Well, I’ve seen, you know, 9-star houses, but they’re 400 square meters. And my currently un-renovated 1950’s era 100-square-meter house in Coffs Harbor, if I rated it, would be less than a star. But I would use way less energy than a new 9-star house. That’s 400 square meters, and certainly worth that. So this is where it can get a bit ridiculous. So I think if people are really serious about it – I’m really not happy seeing people promoting green houses and carbon neutral houses that are really, really big!

CARLOS: I’m here today with Francis Burke. He’s director of EarthCare, a developer in WA’s Fremantle. And we’re talking about 58 Stevens Street. It’s a development of four dwellings, also in Fremantle. Just tell us, Francis, how did this project come about? And what makes it so sustainable and energy-efficient?

FRANCIS: Well, firstly we lived at the site for about 10 years, my partner and I Louisa. And so… it’s a large site on the fringe of Fremantle which was an old – quite a – a location that supports innovation. So we felt that if we were going to build a sustainable project, this would probably be a good location in terms of the sort of product and the sort of people that would be interested in such a product. I mean, it is a high-quality project. And in regards to sustainability, my approach to sustainability has been really to tackle it from multiple angles. So we reused some of the material from the site, we reused the existing house that was our house for two years. So the cement blocks were reused, crushed and turned into essentially a road base, which we then mixed with cement and used for the rammed earth walls. So the rammed earth walls were 100 percent recycled material. The jarrah floorboards from the original house were reused. And then throughout the construction of the project, all of the materials there were reused for processing. So from a recycling point of view, it’s at the high-end. In terms of the [passive solar deisgm] – all the houses are north-facing, so we did things like picking the concrete mix which picks up the winter sun, so that we get the sort of increased vernal effect. All the windows are A-rated, so they have a stronger – a better ability to retain the heat and coolness. We used, as I said, recycled materials wherever possible. We looked at the life cycle manifestors quite strongly. There is – certainly a couple of the decisions we made include – originally there were hot water systems, solar hot water systems, for each of the houses. And then we installed 1.5 kilowatt 3D cells connected back to the grid. We decided to basically do away with the hot water – it’s a hot water gas system – do away with the hot water – the solar system, and increase the amount of solar panels. The landscape is very low in water usage. We’ve got rainwater tanks and plumb back into the toilets and bathrooms. And I think the other thing that has really made it is using materials with a lightweight frame construction.

Pine timber with steel, and also the composites are lightweight concrete, cement cladding – which is quite interesting, because they were unpainted so from the life-cycle point of view. There were essentially no maintenance on this place, and it was one of the attracting features for it for the sort of people who ended up buying it.

CARLOS: Now it’s time to take some questions from our readers and viewers. And our first question this week comes from Sheila. And she’s asked, “What’s the best way to drain a 2-acre boggy block so that it’s suitable to build on?” Well, Sheila, your first call should be to a hydraulic engineer. They’re the ones with the specialist skills to handle just about any drainage issue on a residential property. Our next question is from Jessie, and she’s asked what size should her west-facing windows be in order to improve her energy efficiency. To help us answer this one, we got in touch with Clinton Cole, our Light Home Ambassador. And he’s written in with his response.

VOICE-OVER: Smaller windows on the west are preferable to reduce the heat load from the afternoon sun. Alternatively, deep eaves and shading devices should be employed when west-facing windows are essential. High-performance glazing that lowers the heat gain through the glass would be an added long-term benefit but will increase the cost up-front.

CARLOS: Amanda’s here to answer our final question, which comes from John. He’s asked us to compare structural insulation panels with traditional wooden framing. Amanda?

AMANDA: When you think of building a house normally, yes, you’re right. You have the frame, and then you’ve got to put the outside wall on, and then you’ve got put insulation in. And then you’ve got to line the inside wall, and then you’ve got to go and paint the whole thing. Well, really a SIP is like an all-in-one wall, and so essentially it’s a layer of foam, and it’s sandwiched between two layers of board. So it’s like a whole wall gets dropped into place. It’s used a lot in the United States. They have quite a high proportion of usage of SIP’s.
And people think that because of the foam and also the fact that it’s an all-in-one wall, that it gives you a lot more thermal efficiency, but it also makes it a lot easier to construct – you know, much faster to construct with. We actually did a little article on this in the autumn issue of Light Home Magazine, and people could go back and have a look at that. But essentially we looked at a small project that was done for the Department of Housing in Western Australia. And they used SIP’s.

CARLOS: Tell us about these Western Australian projects. What was their experience with SIP’s, and how did they benefit?

AMANDA: Well, really the key benefit was in saving time. In fact, they say that it cut the construction cost in half, and they saved about 16 to 20 weeks. Michael Roberts, who was the architect on that development, says that the other thing about SIP’s is that they’re really good for construction that’s in a regional environment because the walls, the entire wall can be basically trucked to site and then installed, and uses very little additional trades.

Can a dustpan and brush ever be art?

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Dustpan as giant art

You better believe it. The Denver Museum of Art has a giant dustpan and brush sculpture in its grounds, somehow managing to make boring old bristles tactile and fun.

The question is: can designers deliver in the real world?

Most beautiful dustpan in the world

These two beauties are design breakthroughs.

The Harimi Dustpan and Hand Broom, made by Japanese designer Oji Masanori and sold through Analogue Life, is made of thick layers of paper and coated with natural paint persimmon tannin.

The Giant Dustpan and Brush, made in America and sold through Labour and Wait, pulls on industrial inspiration and balances flat when laid down so it can be used with either a handbrush or broom.

Colour me happy

Who said dustpans should be a muted grey or brown? Not the good folk at Alice Supply Co, who sell these colourful numbers. In their words: “The humble dustpan's days of being shoved away in the closet will soon be over.”

Top 3 to buy in Australia?

Australian website Top3byDesign, which aims to scour the world for the best design and sell it direct to Australians, has selected these three pieces.

First is the dustpan + broom from designer Ole Jensen for Normann Copenhagen. Made from a piece of flat plastic, it was inspired after Jensen used a folded newspaper to sweep dust off the floor.

Next up is Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbaek’s sweep up dustpan and broom for Eva Solo. “It was an interesting challenge breathing new life into a product which everyone uses but which is always kept out of sight because it looks so clumsy,” Top3 quotes Holbaek as saying.

Finally, Stefano Giovannoni’s Mago broom for Magis is so brightly coloured its just begging to be put on display, loud and proud.

Sustainable building: a cost effective sea change

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

After re-locating to Hobart from Sydney, owners Csaba and Maria Moldan initially looked at heavyweight materials for their new Tasmanian home. However due to the challenging site, they found constructing the house with lightweight materials would halve the cost of construction.

The site was quite cheap to buy as it’s very steep,” says Misho. “But the cost of the heavyweight materials were outside the parameters of their budget.”

While the use of lightweight materials was much more cost effective, Misho says the efficiency of material handling was also significantly improved throughout the steep site.

“When a truck gets to the site, the transfer of material across the property is economical, rather than having to get cranes in.”

Lightweight design

The internal design of the two-level home features a centralised kitchen and lounge area. The upper levels are dedicated to living areas while the lower level contains the home’s amenities.

“The design is elegantly simple,” says Misho. “It’s not complicated to look at, but it works with the site to maximise sun penetration facing north, even though it’s on the southern side of the hill.”

Misho also points out that the corrugated sheet metal used for the external cladding blends the structure in with the surrounding vegetation; the colour palette includes the green of the local wattle with an accent colour of the yellow wattle blossom.

Sustainable home: Six-star

The Geilston Bay home also holds up well on the sustainability front, according to Misho, who says the home has a “very” low impact on the surrounding environment. It also achieves a Six-Star energy rating.

“The home has a limited disturbance to the existing site through excavation and the retention of large mature trees around the property,” he says. “This provides shade in summer as well as privacy from adjoining neighbors.”

As well as orientating the home for maximum sun penetration, the design also optimizes cross ventilation and features double-glazed windows with thermally broken aluminum frames. Misho poits out that the design uses cross ventilation in two ways.

“Firstly the stairwell that connects the two floor acts as a chimney to allow hot air to rise and draw air from the lower floor to the roof area.” Secondly, having the windows in compartments and adjacent to each other on the same level allows each section of the house to vent.

Adding to this, the walls are filled with insulation while a wood heater box is used to effectively warm the house.

In addition, as Tasmania has all its power through hydro electricity rather than black and brown coal fire stations, Misho says, the home is already energy efficient in comparative terms.

Misho adds the corrugated external façade and roof of the home is also more sustainable than heavy materials, as metal typically has less embodied energy and is 100 per cent recyclable.

Project: Geilston Bay residence
Designer/ builder: Csaba and Maria Moldan
Featured material: Scyon™ Secura™ flooring under tiles on the internal floors

Design Ambassador: Misho

BEACH HOUSE SERIES: A Whale of a Beach House

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The Whale of a Beach House, nestled a stones throw from the water on Adelaide’s picturesque south coast, is not just big on space, it’s big on sustainability, too.

As architect Phil Harris puts it, “It’s built of humble materials, but they are all exposed for what they are.”

There is unfinished fibre cement, with raw cypress pine battens over the joints. There is minimal steel, and what there is, is covered, as it’s right by the sea.

The sustainable home also includes “passive solar design as well as cross ventilation,” Harris says. “And we’ve used materials of low embodied energy – wood, in this case.”

Sounds good – but the project was not as straightforward as it looks.

“The site was a pretty standard suburban-sized block, and we had to fit a lot on it,” remembers Harris. “The client basically wanted a big beach house. They live big – they love to entertain for lots of people – so this is very much a party house at the beach.

The house will accommodate up to 14 people, explains Harris. “But at the same time, it works well with just two people there.”

On top of this, the project was constrained by some tight planning guidelines in relation to height, set back and footprint. “All these things are taken to the absolute limit,” says Harris.

The main living space is upstairs, where the best views are. This ‘primary space’ forms the centre of the house and means two people don’t get lost in the large building.

Another challenge was how to make a really big beach house that still boasted external space.

“It’s been teased apart to let the light and the air in, and to create a diversity of space,” Harris explains. “There is the courtyard and an entry court, as well as beach-facing outside space.”

The courtyard is sheltered space, an important aspect in the design explains Harris, as the site is often windy. He adds however that finding a comfortable spot to take in the surroundings is no challenge.

“There is always shade somewhere in the summer and there’s always sunshine somewhere in the winter,” he says.

Fact sheet

Architects: Phil Harris and Jamie Gill
Builder: South Coast Constructions
Whale of a Beach House images: Jamie Gill, Troppo Architects

Green building materials: Axolotl launches ‘world first’ concrete door range

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The signature door range (which is yet to be named) is clad in a fluted profiled substrate and coated in Axolotl’s award winning ‘shale’ concrete.

Axolotl adds that its patented (pending) technology removes the risks and restrictions of solid concrete including weight, the need for structural reinforcement, and brittleness causing chipping.

Sustainable alternative to solid concrete

Axolotl claims its ‘shale’ concrete is a sustainable building alternative with the quantity of raw materials required for one square metre of Axolotl Concrete just 1.5% of raw materials required for the same surface area of solid concrete.

“This translates to a fraction of the carbon emissions of the production of solid concrete,” the company says. “Using a lightweight sustainable substrate for construction, an item coated with Axolotl Concrete weighs up to 20x less than a cast concrete object of the same size.”

Lightweight concrete: ease of installation

Incorporating a concrete aesthetic can be restricted when using traditional concrete technologies, due to associated limitations such as access, weight, size, cost of installation and curing time, according to Axolotl

The company adds that with Axolotl Concrete, panels, objects and forms can be constructed offsite from virtually any substrate, including lightweight, sustainable materials.

“The object can then be coated in an Axolotl Concrete surface, to give the object the appearance of a solid concrete object,” the supplier explains. “The object is then complete and ready for easy installation, with no onsite construction work required.”

What’s in a name? Facebook competition

Coinciding with the launch, Axolotl has petitioning the social media realm to help name it’s newest product.

“Surprisingly, we are finding it a little difficult to come up with a unique name which embodies both the technological advancement of Axolotl Concrete and the lineal, architectural aesthetic of our latest door,” the company says.

Axolotl has created a Facebook competition, and will give away a custom designed Axolotl ‘Viper’ iPhone case to one talented person who comes up with the best, original name for the new concrete door.

To enter their competition, simply like Axolotl on Facebook (if you haven’t already) then continue through to the entry page to submit your entry details.

Ingredients of a sustainable home: PART 2

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Sustainable roofing: rain hail or shine

Bondor’s SolarSpan® Roof Panel is an insulated panel with a ribbed upper skin, insulation and a smooth underside ceiling finish all in one panel. Its pre-painted steel underside has a tongue and groove rollformed edge and is bonded to an insulating polystyrene core with a profiled roof sheet on the topside.

So what does this mean? It means the panel can be used for house roofs, patios, pergolas and carports, as well as portable and industrial buildings.

It was chosen for the Smarter Small Home because it not only created a finished building component immediately after it was installed, but also because the polystyrene core provides efficient insulation and helps reduce noise from rain and hail.

Smart flooring is green flooring

Used in the floor frame of The Smarter Small Home, the Hyne I-Beam combines timber components with advanced technology to form a structurally efficient I section. Now if you’re wondering that on earth an I-section is used for it’s particularly suitable for use as floor joists, but can also be used for rafters, lintels, purlins and girts.

The materials selected for the floor frame also shape up well on the sustainability front, as they are sourced from Australian plantations and don’t contain the heavy metals chrome and arsenic. The active ingredients are organic, known to degrade in soil and are not bioaccumulative.

Windows: affordable and sustainable

Trend aluminium windows, in Anodic Natural Matt, were used in the Smarter Small Home prototype. While most of the windows were standard products, the company was able to work with green builder Brett Blacklow’s design team to turn a standard glass slider with a 1,500mm opening into one with a 3,600mm opening.

The solution was developed after Blacklow’s team took the standard frame and re-built it in their office! All the glass panels in the slider now stack on the outside of the building.

The new window also cost about half the price of the standard slider.

Lights: the sustainable approach

The Smarter Small Home features Fanaway^® Retractable Blade Ceiling Fan lights. Blacklow says conventional fan blades can be intrusive, but in this fan they automatically retract so that the unit transforms into a slim, modern light pendant.

Turning the fan means blades swing out of the unit horizontally to full fan sweep, creating a centrifugal force which circulates air within a room.

Additionally, by using a low energy fluorescent 40 watt T5 light source with electronic ballast, the Fanaway creates open space in the room environment, accumulates less dust, and is unobtrusive…it also creates enough light for just about any building interior.

Installation is easy and quick as blades are already installed and balanced in the factory.

Eco-friendly decking

The Smarter Small Home uses ModWood Decking. This is a wood composite, made from recycled wood and plastic, and while it looks and feels like natural timber, it requires none of the maintenance of traditional wood.

Paints and stains aren’t needed. In addition, it has a high degree of UV stability, and is highly resistant to extreme weather, moisture and termites. ModWood will outperform conventional timbers in many areas as the products won’t rot, crack, warp or splinter.

ModWood Technologies is an Australian owned company that was Australia’s first manufacturer of wood/plastic composite products.

Sustainable design: prefab sustainability star

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Described as like designing a brick inside an esky, managing builder and CEO, Simon Dempster created the Twilight Brae, an experimental prefabricated home with high performance passive-solar design and high quality finishes.

You can listen to the podcast of our interview with Simon Dempster here.

The idea was spawned as a response to what Dempster perceived as “illegitimate claims” of sustainability from project home manufacturers who might “chuck in a bit of insulation and a rainwater tank, and call that a sustainable home”.

Twilight Brae is built from prefabricated materials, minimising the wastage of offcuts. It also features total insulation and extra thick walls as central pillars of its design, which help to create an aesthetically pleasing feel to the dwelling.

Sustainable building: efficiency measures

Tropical and double glazed doors and windows allow the house to efficiently regulate its temperature all year round, by trapping heat in winter and cooling the air in summer. “Guests have remarked that they can wear t-shirts around the house all year round,” says Dempster.

An innovative flooring method which layers steel, polystyrene and polished concrete ensures that flooring never gets too cold in winter, a problem which often deters people considering polished concrete as an option. Even the concrete itself is made from sustainable fly-ash tailings.

Standard solar cells and uniform LED lights allow the Twilight Brae to remain a net power exporter, while backwater recycling systems ensure that there is always an excess of tank water available. Finishes were selected for their low toxicity, with boot polish being used for the floors and organic options used at every opportunity.

Sustainable construction: common sense approach

For Dempster, the most important factor to consider when measuring embodied energy, is common sense rather than an abstract calculation. He considers durable materials such as renewable plywood or HardieFlex™ sheet as “really excellent products that form integral components of sustainable construction”

To create a dwelling that sits at the bleeding edge of sustainable design, Dempster readily admits that the cost will be a primary consideration for prospective investors, as the renewable building industry cannot rely on economies of scale to deliver prices comparable to the traditional building industry.

However, “if people are going to buy a McMansion that is going to need a huge amount of maintenance over its lifetime, the initial cost outlay is going to be outweighed by the benefits in the long term,” he says.

Dempster is confident “that the durability of materials that were used in Twilight Brea mean that it will still be standing in 100 years and beyond,” a goal shared by all members of the sustainable building community.

Green design facts:

Project: Twilight Brae
Architect: Paradigm Architects
Builder: Splice Projects
Location: The Avon Valley WA
Featured materials: HardieFlex™ sheet

Is your builder sustainable? 7 questions to ask

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Can you deconstruct?

If you’re planning a major project, which requires at least part of the house to come down, ask the builder if they can “dismantle” the materials for recycling and reuse – rather than just tearing it down and sending the scrap to landfill.

Can you reuse material?

If you did decide to deconstruct part (or all of) your home, find out if the builder is able to use some of the salvaged material in the new construction. This not only saves resources – the old material can also provide pleasing aesthetics to the new construction and help keep the project’s budget under control.

Do you have a green accreditation?

Australia’s two major building industry bodies – the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and the Master Builders Association (MBA) – both provide green training and accreditations to their members.

An HIA GreenSmart Professional is an accreditation that’s awarded to individuals who have completed the GreenSmart Professional training course. The course focuses on a structure’s overall sustainability performance including:

Thermal performance
Passive solar design and natural ventilation
Design and operational issues for water and energy efficiency
Selection of water and energy efficient appliances
Marketing sustainable housing to clients.

MBA members who complete the Association’s ‘Green Living’ training and adopt sustainable innovations in their operations will be able to identify themselves as Master Builders Green Living Builders.

The aim of the training is to provide builders with:

The necessary skills to understand the scope and application of energy provisions in sustainability innovations
Improved management and business skills to enable builders to pursue energy innovations
The necessary tools and information to design and construct energy efficient structures that not only meet minimum standards, but set a new benchmark in the housing sector for energy innovation.

Can you source materials locally?

While locally made building materials may be limited in your area (or a little out of your budget), it doesn’t hurt to find out what’s available.

Remember that materials and products that are manufactured locally travel a shorter distance to site, meaning they have lower embodied energy than materials that have been shipped in from overseas.

Do you choose materials with embodied energy?

The embodied energy of a building refers to the energy consumed throughout all process of its initial production – from the mining and processing of natural resources to the manufacture and transport of the finished product.

Until recently, it was accepted that the embodied energy content of a building was relatively small compared to the energy used during operation of the building throughout its life. Recent research however has shown this is not the case.

According to the CSIRO, the average household contains about 1,000 GJ of energy embodied in materials used in its construction, equivalent to around 15 years of normal operational energy use.

There are a number of tools available to help builders, owners and designers calculate the embodied energy of a building and therefore make informed choses on which materials are the most environmentally sustainable.

Do the materials you choose have other benefits?

Many homeowners are beginning to catch on to the non-environmental benefits of sustainable materials and products. Efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems are not only capable of keeping your home comfortable throughout the year - but they can also cut big dollars from your utility bill.

In addition, some recycled plastic decking can last longer than its wooden counterparts and VOC-free paint can have a number of health benefits for any family members with allergies.

How will you manage waste?

This is a two-pronged issue, and if you really have a finger on your project’s sustainability pulse, you will ensure your builder reduces and recycles material waste both during, and after the construction process.

During the construction process, waste reduction can include designing and building a house to material sizes. This not only slashes the amount of waste heading to landfill, it can also give you access to significant construction savings.

Queensland-based designer builder Brett Blacklow has told LightHome that designing first and cutting material later can add all sorts of costs that aren’t immediately obvious into a building.

“Obviously, if you design a building around material size you are buying less materials so you are saving some money,” he says. “There is a significant costs these days for disposing of construction waste, so if you have less waste during your construction that is the second layer of saving.”

When the project is nearing completion, you should also ensure your builder recycles materials such as scrap metal, and disposes of any hazardous waste at the proper facilities.

Remember that builders often have a financial incentive to recycle some materials, which can not only work out cheaper than sending it to landfill – but can also turn a healthy profit.

But it’s important to also ask about those materials where it’s more expensive to recycle and dispose of properly (such as treated wood or chemicals) than it is to send them straight to the local landfill.

Ingredients of a sustainable home: PART 1

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

To answer this question LightHome picked the brain of green builder Brett Blacklow who talks about the products he chose to use on the green affordable home prototype, the Smarter Small Home.

Blacklow – who teamed up with real estate veteran Kevin Doodney to create the Smarter Small Home in response to rising housing prices and a growing demand for sustainable homes throughout Australia – says the Smarter Small Home project owes much of its success to the smart choice of materials.

He believes that taking a leaf out of his book and using these products – in conjunction with good sustainable design - can help make any home sustainable, green and affordable.

Walls: sustainable lightweight cladding

Hey presto: laundry

Scyon™ St ria™ cladding is a wide cladding board has a 15mm horizontal joint that has the classic appeal of decorative render. However, as well as looks, it’s also pre-primed and easy to install, which was one of the key reasons this product was chosen to line the laundry of The Smarter Small Home.

Instead of installing another lining, which may have needed to be set by a plasterer and then painted, the Stria cladding was easily installed then painted. The laundry lining was quickly complete — as well as durable for the moist environment.

Quick and easy

Scyon™ Axon™ cladding is a vertically grooved cladding panel with a stepped shiplap on the long edges which means it’s very easily installed. And that means speed.

It’s pre-primed, so it’s not only painted quickly but also needs less paint and time to achieve a high quality finish. Finally, sheets are sized to fit common wall frame sizes, which means less waste and cutting.

Looks like weatherboard…

But it doesn’t weather like a timber one…Scyon™ Linea™ weatherboard’s 16mm thickness gives it the deep shadow lines of traditional weatherboard — but the advanced cement composite that it’s made of means it just doesn’t weather like it. Some timber is susceptible to cracking in exterior applications, which in turn can lead to shrinking or warping. Linea weatherboard on the other hand will maintain its integrity and general appearance significantly longer than timber.

This means that they not only hold paint longer than wood, but they can also be painted dark as well as light colours. Linea weatherboards are also back bevelled to sit flush with the stud so they’re easy to install and because they’re pre-primed they’re fast to paint.

Beauty is in the details

Want to add a finishing touch around your windows – and know that it will keep its finish? Scyon™ Axent™ trim comes in a range of thicknesses and sizes and can be used with any James Hardie cladding and any domestic window, which removes the need for special window orders to match different cladding.

It’s also pre-primed for fast paint application and, like Linea weatherboard, Axent trim will maintain its integrity and general appearance significantly longer than timber.

Get the basics right

HardieFlex™ sheets are tough, hard-wearing, low maintenance flat sheets that make it easy to achieve a smooth, painted finish – and are a great foil for all sorts of decorative trims (like Axent trim). They can be used as an eaves lining, external wall cladding and veranda and carport soffit lining.

Spice up the garage

Want an impact-resistant internal wall lining with a timber panelled finish to spice up your garage, workshop, rumpus room or even an elegant practical dado in your hallways? PineRidge® lining could be the answer..

Consider this option too: in The Smarter Small Home it was used inside walk-in robes, as a robust lining that could take the knocks and scrapes of suitcases and shoes!

See through style

Makrolon® Multiwall sheets are part of a polycarbonate glazing system that provides outstanding flexibility in design and advanced heat reflecting and light transmitting performance. An advanced construction of internal walls and chambers gives excellent insulation properties and impact strength 250 times that of glass.

Both sides of the sheet have a co-extruded UV barrier, which provides protection from 99.9% of harmful UV radiation, giving superior resistance to outdoor weathering. Made from Makrolon® polycarbonate resin, Makrolon®

Multiwall ensures high-impact strength, clarity and excellent weather resistance.

In part 2 of this sustainable home blog post, LightHome will assess some smart and sustainable material choices for roofing, flooring, windows lighting and decking.

Sustainable kitchen: green benchtops

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

LightHome was contacted by Sally Dillon, who is looking for a non-toxic coating for a granite kitchen benchtop. “I chose granite because I didn't want wood laminate filled with urea formaldehyde glue,” she says. “Now I find out granite is often sealed with polyurethane. Ideally I'd like something I could apply myself.”

While impartial information on benchtop sealers isn’t readily available, we have published the links to some of the greenest, non-toxic materials available, below.

Sally’s question also prompted LightHome to do some more investigation into this hub of Australian households, to compare some of the most environmentally sustainable kitchen countertops available.

Sustainable stone

If properly maintained, a natural stone bench top (such as marble or granite) should last the lifetime of the house. The longevity of the stone can offset the greenhouse gases created during its quarrying, manufacturer and transport…but that’s only if it withstands the design tastes of the home’s occupants.

Unlike wooden countertops, stone is not renewable, and unlike stainless steel, it can’t be recycled. However, stone benchtops can be reused, or ‘down-cycled’ into other products, such as engineered stone.

Wooden and green

Wooden surfaces are a must have for some homeowners, and if the timber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), you can be rest assured you’re not contributing to the decline of old growth forests.

Adding to this, if you source wood that is native to your region, you will also be cutting down on transport emissions and thus the embodied energy in the finished product.

While many homeowners have a soft spot for hardwood, bamboo is another eco-friendly alternative. It’s fast growing, durable and longer lasting than many other timbers – you can read more about its sustainability characteristics in a previous LightHome article.

But by far the greenest wood countertop of all is reclaimed or recycled wood, which can also have some stunning aesthetic features.

Stainless steal…sustainable?

Today, stainless steel is made up of approximately 60% recycled content including 25% reclaimed scrap, 35% industrial scrap, and 40% new raw materials, according to the Australian Stainless Steel Development Association (ASSDA)

While the manufacturer of stainless steel is notoriously energy intensive, this material’s environmental points are scored at the end of its (considerably long) life when a stainless steel countertop can be 100% recycled.

Recycled composites

There are a number of alternatives to stone slabs now available, made from a range of recycled materials from fly ash to glass, which can be used as a sustainable compromise to traditional or engineered stone counters.

BottleStone – a Californian-based ceramic material manufacturer has released a new benchtop material made from recycled glass, which they claim is a “breakthrough” in ceramic and recycling technologies, combining the virtues of high recycled content, zero emissions, and low embodied energy.

Paper Composite

Paper composite countertops stand as a green alternative to the ill famed laminate materials, which often contain volatile organic compounds in the glues used for the particleboard or bonding the laminate sheet, which can compromise the air quality of a home.

Paper composite benchtops offer the same durability of laminate without all the chemicals, by impregnating post-consumer recycled paper with a small amount of resin.

EcoTop – supplied by interior design specialist Baresque – comprises of a 50/50 fibre blend of 100% post consumer recycled fibre and renewable bamboo fibre. It’s then bound with a clear 100% water-based system.

Some laminate countertops however, have improved their green credentials - such as the Laminex Group’s Greenfirst range of high-pressure laminates, which have been certified by Good Environmental Choice Australia.

Green Benchtop sealers

Spirit – Premium Grout Sealer

Stone Benchtop Magic

Stone Foam

Granite Gold Sealer

Green guide: steel versus wood framing

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

However when it comes to deciding on the framing to be used in your new home, it’s important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of both materials – after all, this is what’s holding your home together.

Sustainable construction: to steel or not to steel?

Opting for steel framing can ensure the longevity of a home – it’s stronger and more resistant to fire than timber, and according to Steel Framing Australia can also cost less to insure.

Steel doesn’t warp, rot or split, and it’s white ant and vermin proof . Somewhat surprisingly, it also creates a 100% recyclable waste product.

While still relatively new in the residential building, steel is a veteran of the commercial construction industry. It has been developed to include consistent wiring, insulation and connection standards and can be used for larger spans than timber.

However, the majority of contractors and builders have little or no experience working with steel framing, which requires different tools and a different skill-set. (There could be a few nervous phone calls from your builder if you decide on steel).

Steel is more expensive than wood, and once on site, it can be difficult to alter. The metal framing can also make a home less energy efficient as it acts as a heat conductor – meaning the occupant will be forking out more for heating and cooling.

(To get over this, builders use a series of thermal breaks. Read more about this next week when we talking about thermal bridging.)

Adding to this, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has commissioned an interesting report to give builders and owners looking for sustainable building materials a way to compare the thermal performance of the two materials.

Sustainable housing: what about the wood?

Despite the issue surrounding the recycling of treated wood – we cover this in more details in a recent story with sustainable designer/builder Brett Blacklow
– many sustainable designers claim building with wood framing is one of the primary building blocks – yes excuse the pun! - in creating a “green” home.

One of the reasons is that a timber framed home has the potential to be more energy efficient, because the thermal transfer of heat tends to be higher in steel homes than timber ones. This can mean that with the same amount of insulation and air conditioning a timber framed home is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

In addition, with most of the timber used in Australian homes sourced from renewably plantations, rather than old growth forests, timber has a much smaller carbon footprint than steel or brick says the Timber Development Association.

In addition, timber framing is the most common method used in residential construction throughout Australia – so you won’t receive any blanks stares when you ask for timber framing from your contractor. Builders are familiar with it, have the tools to work with it and can easily alter it on site.

On the flip side, because wood is a natural product, it’s less uniform in its strength characteristics with knots and flaws. It’s also combustible and susceptible to decay and insect damage.

For more information about modern timber frame properties and their common problems, check out this article.

Recycling timber framing

Recycling timber is a labour-intensive process and the chemicals used to treat timber require careful disposal – and as a result, wooden building waste often ends up in the local landfill rather than the correct facility. The adhesives used with building timber also complicate the recycling process.

While timber frames feature less embodied energy, once you’ve considered that less steel is required to construct a new home and takes up less space in landfill, the embodied energy margin is narrowed significantly.

An article previously published on LightHome includes an interview with David Baggs, CEO of third part material certifiers Global Green Tag & Eco Specifier. He provides insight into the complex embodied energy issue.

Energy efficient home: Springfield scores 9.5 stars

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In addition, the Queensland builder choose to build the Lakeview 28 display home on a narrow, sloping block in order to demonstrate that regardless of the challenges, there is always a design solution to create a liveable, sustainable and cost effective home.

Richard Bremner, Queensland state manager, Integrity New Homes says the Lakeview 28 – located in Queensland’s Springfield Lakes – was developed in response to a rising demand for energy efficient homes in the Queensland market.

You can listen to the podcast of our interview with Richard Bremner here.

“People are conscious these days of increasing electricity costs,” Bremner says, “and they are always looking for a home that will give them savings through the design.”

Sustainable design: reducing energy use

The home was built to the rear of steep block, which opened up water views of a near by lake, while elevation of the house provides views to the front of the property.

The issue of a close proximity to the neighbours was overcome by installing highlight windows high up on the internal walls. Bremner says this allows natural light to be drawn into the home but removed the sense that the neighbours were quite close.

“We came up with a range of clever design aspects which are specific to the block,” he explains.

“But they also demonstrate there’s always a way to create a home that’s fantastic to live in day-to-day, and has energy benefits in terms of long term operating costs.”

The two-storey 260sqm home features a range of energy efficiency measures including hoods placed over windows to reduce direct sunlight into the home, covered deck areas and tinted windows, and thick insulation in the walls, as well as the roof.

The 9.5 star rating home also includes a series of solar panels on the roof for generating electricity for use throughout the home. (Any excess electricity can be sold back into the grid.)

There is also a water tank on site, which allows rainwater to be reticulated to the gardens and the toilets throughout the house.

Energy efficiency: cost savings

Bremner says the energy efficiency measures implemented throughout benefit the occupant two-fold because they not only reduce the costs associated with running the house but also improve its ‘liveability’.

“The client stands to have energy savings over traditional coal powered electricity during their time living in the home,” he explains. “The day-to-day way in which they live will also be more comfortable, the atmosphere is controlled throughout the home.”

The home, which was constructed from a range of materials –including Scyon™ Stria™ cladding and HardieTex™ system – has received positive feedback from the Queensland house market, according to Bremner.

“People like the fact it’s a design driven house,” he explains. “It shows you can be energy and cost efficient, as well as creative and innovative on a small block.

Ready to meet Kevin McCloud?

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

And after receiving a huge number of great responses to our free Grand Design Live ticket giveaway, LightHome has selected the lucky readers who will be heading along to see Kevin McCloud and other celebrity experts live in Melbourne – for free.

With more than 220 exhibitors, organisers say Grand Designs Live is the place to view the latest products and innovations on the market, as well as gather ideas, advice and some great show specials. A number of celebrity experts will share their insights and knowledge live on stage.

Light Home winners: What you told us

Prash Ravindran is currently building his first two-development townhouse as an investment property. After finalising the project’s plans and permits he’s now on the lookout for a builder, and some grand ideas.

“My plan is to eventually sell the property,” Prash says. “So I want to head along to Grand Designs to find some clever ideas, which are good value for money and will really give my townhouse the WOW factor!”

Blanca Pizzani and her husband have been renovating their first house for – wait for it - the past 15 years. She says it’s been a pleasure doing the work themselves, using the Grand Designs television series as an infinite well of inspritation.

“We used to spend our holidays watching the programs on the LifeStyle channel,” Blanca says. “The programs and Kevin himself kept us motivated and we never want to miss the finished products. The creativity of people and the sustainability focus of most of the projects fascinated us.”

Gail Rutherford is a semi-retired designer and long term Kevin McCloud fan. She’s currently reading Kevin McLoud’s latest book 43 Principles of Home as part of her preparation for her next project.

“No matter how old you are you can always learn,” Gail says. “I’m interested to see whether Kevin McCloud live – after television, documentaries and books – will be as entertaining and challenging in the flesh.”

Matthew Camilleri is an architectural draftsman and huge Grand Designs enthusiast. While he watches the television series every chance he gets, attending the live show would be a huge benefit to his work - giving him exposure to different materials, finishes and designs.

“I love Grand Designs,” Matthew says. “Both professionally and personally it gives me inspiration, and without that you cannot create anything grand.”

The Grand Designs Live Melbourne kicks off in Melbourne during September and Grand Designs Live Sydney in October.

Congratulations to all the LightHome winners. We’ll be contacting you by email with instructions on how to redeem your prize.

See you at the show!

Sustainable building: creating a carbon neutral home

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

There are some major challenges bringing the construction phase of your home into a state of carbon neutrality; namely calculating the total emissions produced throughout the project.

According to the CSIRO, the average household contains about 1,000 GJ of energy embodied in materials used in its construction, equivalent to around 15 years of normal operational energy use.

While there are a number of online carbon calculators available to help create a sustainable building, industry experts say the accuracy of tools providing the embodied C02 from a construction project based on a few simple variables are rough at best.

You can find out more about green building materials and assessing embodied energy of materials in this LightHome article.

Building sustainably

According to Craig Riddle, owner and managing director of Living Green Designer Homes, offsetting 100% of your home’s emissions during construction or throughout its lifetime is an ambitious, even unrealistic goal.

However Riddle adds by taking the design of the home into careful consideration as well as the materials you plan to use, it’s possible to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of the project – meaning it has less impact on the environment, and your back pocket.

“When we set out to minimise the emissions created during the construction phase, the two things you should be doing is designing wisely and using natural products,” he says.

Purchasing carbon credits is also an option to creating a carbon neutral home, however this is a rare practice in residential construction due to the complex calculations involved, according to Riddle.

He says, “There are companies out there that can provide carbon offset products, but calculating the emissions can take months, and if one variable is changed and not accounted for, then they will effectively be just making up a number.”

Smart green design

Riddle also explains that by designing smarter, efficient spaces, which incorporate passive solar design and by building with sustainable products – such as James Hardie’s Scyon™ range – it’s possible to significantly reduce a project’s carbon emissions.

“Forget about the in depth calculations and figures, and just build smaller and smarter, and use natural products,” Riddle says. “It’s difficult to reduce a project’s carbon emissions by more than 70%, after this you will be spending a lot of time and resources for just a few extra percent.”

Sustainable and affordable

Riddle continues that by designing and building sustainably, the owners will often have the money available for additional green infrastructure such as solar panels and rain water tanks, which further offsets the project’s emissions once constructions is complete.

“Most people are still missing that building sustainably, means building affordably,” he says. By building smarter and more efficiently, you can afford green investments. And these will give you payback from day one.”

Affordable homes: housing affordability at its best in Qld

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The initiative – dubbed the URBAN90 – is a sustainable home developed sponsored by James Hardie and developed by Panelbuild, a pre-assembled building components contractor and Van Ross Constructions, in association with Stocklands and the Housing Industry Association.

The project is aimed at couples and singles looking to buy for less than $275,000 in South East Queensland.

Affordable housing

HIA’s executive director Warwick Temby says the main aim of the URBAN90 was to demonstrate to the market there are appealing, high quality and affordable housing products available in the region.

Listen to the interview with Warwick Temby here

“The goal was to deliver a home to the Queensland market below $300,000 while maintaining a high quality,” he says. “The concept was to provide smaller, more affordable but still good quality housing to help get people into the housing market.”

The URBAN90 features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, adaptable living spaces, high and raking ceilings, and car accommodation, built using rapid construction methods.

Affordability: driven by efficient construction

Temby adds that much of the construction is done offsite – this makes the URBAN90’s assembly very quick once it does get to site, which contributes to its affordability.

“It’s a well designed house,” he explains. “It’s constructed of mainly lightweight building materials including James Hardie product on the exterior and a Colourbond steel roof, which makes it light and easy to transport.”

“This means it can be produced offsite and moved to the site and constructed relatively cheaply,” Temby adds. “It also meets all of the Six Star energy requirements that we have here in Queensland, so it certainly ticks the sustainability box.”

HIA Exhibition: Public reaction

The URBAN90 was showcased at the HIA Exhibition in Brisbane earlier this month, where visitors were given a chance to walk through the demonstration of the affordable home.

Temby says the show – which had more than 10,000 visitors – was the perfect place to publicly launch the URBAN90 affordable home project.

“The public’s reaction was extremely positive,” he says. “There were lots of positive comments made about the URBAN90’s suitability to both first home buyers getting into the marketplace and also older people looking to downsize.”

Small homes: a growing niche

According to the HIA, Australia’s residential requirements are changing, and the URBAN90 is an innovative solution that addresses affordability, sustainability and speed of construction.

Temby says, while the URBAN90 project may not be revolutionary in term of building techniques and materials, it’s effectively definitely targeting a niche in the market, which hasn’t been well addressed to date.

He says, “The aging demographic in Australia will mean there’s a growing demand for downsizing opportunities, and the first homebuyers are always looking for affordable ways to get into the market, and this product will be very competitive.”

Grand Designs: Bringing industry experts together

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In the meantime, we are bringing you a rundown of Grand Designs Live – the show where all the industry’s most reputable experts can be found in one place.

Grand Designs: leaders take the stage

Budding designers, DIY warriors and green-minded renovators will flock to the Grand Designs Live show that kicks off in Melbourne during September and heads to Sydney in October. The show brings together leading companies and experts in all areas of design, renovation and home building.

With more than 220 exhibitors, organisers say Grand Designs Live is the place to view the latest products and innovations on the market, as well as gather ideas, advice and some great show specials.

The show will be divided into four key zones: Building; Outdoors; Interiors; and Kitchens & Bathrooms.

Visitors will also hear from top celebrity TV experts including design guru Kevin McCloud (appearing at the Melbourne show only), architect Peter Maddison and landscape legend Jamie Durie (appearing in Sydney only) to name a few!

The celebrity experts will share their insights and knowledge live on stage. Click here to find out who else will be at each show.

Light Home has free tickets to Grand Designs Live to giveaway. To score yourself a free pass, simply email edassist@lighthome.com.au and tell us in 20 words or less why you would like to head along to this year’s show.

Heart of the show: Scyon Expert Advice Centre

The Scyon Expert Advice Centre (located in the heart of Grand Designs Live’s building zone) will give visitors the opportunity to speak with experts in every building related field – from financing a project to designing with an accredited architect or furnishing with an interior design team.

Visitors can book time at the Grand Designs Live Scyon Expert Advice Centre to meet the experts who will provide free 30-minute consultations on all aspects of a build, renovation or development.

Show-goers are also encouraged to bring plans, sketches, photos, blueprints, budgets and anything else relating to their project to discuss with the people in the know.

Rebates axed but solar still on the rise

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Queensland’s minister for energy and water supply Mark McArdle said the solar hot water rebate is ending as part of the Government’s election commitment to fix the state’s finances and get the state ‘back on track’.

“Applications for the rebate have slowed over the last six months and the cost of delivering the service for a reduced number of applicants can’t be sustained,” McArdle says. “This cost saving is all part of the government’s plan to get this state back on track.”

Unsurprisingly, the news has provoked the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) – which has called on the Government to reinstate the rebate.

AuSES chief executive John Grimes says the move seems to punish Australians for supporting one of the most successful clean energy programs introduced in recent years.

“The disastrous solar policy rollercoaster continues,” Grimes says. “Another solar scheme shut down without notice, more solar jobs lost. That’s bad policy and bad process.”

“The axing leaves householders and solar companies in the lurch putting at risk more than 1,000 jobs at companies that had planned for ongoing demand,” he explains. “The Government is rightly focused on building a clean energy future, but it should not ignore our clean energy present.”

However one solar provider in particular is far from deterred. Queensland’s Green and Gold Solar explains that the nationwide roll-out of rooftop solar in Australia has occurred at an unprecedented rate. So fast in fact that Queensland was able to achieve its solar PV target three years ahead of schedule.

The company recognises that as electricity retailers begin to feel the sting of decreased profits, various government rebates have progressively been removed – much to the dismay of solar owners.

Home solar leasing

Brett Adams, national sales manager for leading Green and Gold Solar, says solar companies are not yet down for the count. However the county’s solar installers are now in a race to develop innovative, zero cost solar leasing solutions.

“With the economy in its current shape, people are actively searching for smarter ways to save money,” Adams says.

“The solar industry is at a point right now where the upfront cost to invest in solar power for your home is becoming increasingly negligible; however there is still a small portion of the market that would greatly benefit from zero cost solar installations.”

Whilst the solar industry continues to suffer from a clear government commitment to renewable energy, key players in the industry are starting to look beyond the current solar hot water rebate programs and into the future.

Solar leasing creates an exciting future for the industry, but most importantly for homeowners.

“We are expecting to release a product later this year that offers homeowners, business owners and landlords the ability to benefit from the savings that a solar PV system can generate over its lifetime,” Adams says.

How do I... make my lighting more energy efficient

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Barely a month ago Australians were hit with the carbon tax, which in some states landed on top of electricity price increases that were already in effect.

While we don’t know exactly how much these combined forces will increase our power bills, we do know that embracing energy efficiency is becoming necessary economically, as well as environmentally.

An easy way you can achieve true sustainability is by installing energy-efficient lighting.

Lighting currently accounts for almost 20% of worldwide electricity consumption, making it one of the single highest power guzzlers on the globe. Conversely, efficient lighting has the ability to be one of your greatest energy savers.

As there are so many lighting options available, it’s important to ensure you are not only buying the most efficient products possible, but also ones that don’t compromise on light quality.

Halogens

On top of the recent electricity price rises, the Australian government has also banned the import of halogen globes , which, historically, have been a popular form of incandescent lighting. This has further compounded the need to find an alternative.

Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFLs)

While CFL bulbs have been considered the only suitable lights for a number of years, their light quality leaves a lot to be desired. Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is a way of measuring how vibrant a light source makes colours appear and is rated out of 100. Tellingly, CFLs only have a CRI of around 50. They’re also only relatively efficient and contain small amounts of mercury, which is harmful to the environment.

LEDs

To make your lighting more energy efficient, you are best served to install LED lights. According to the report Lighting the Clean Revolution by global non-profit organisation the Climate Group, this fledgling technology is changing the way the lighting industry operates.

While LEDs are not entirely new to the market, their first incarnations were so dull that they wouldn’t even illuminate your car’s glove box.

Since then LEDs have since turned the corner and now surpass halogens for brightness while using just a fifth of the electricity. You can now find halogen replacement bulbs that draw the same brightness from just 10 watts, while halogens use 50. This can amount to as much as an 80 per cent reduction in costs on your power bill.

When looking at purchasing LEDs, make sure they meet the following criteria:

Long life: LEDs last for 70,000 hours, which equates to 30 years. Don’t settle for anything less.
Lumens vs. watts: LEDs are so efficient that wattage is no longer an indicator of brightness. Instead, make sure you purchase something that matches or betters halogens, which rate at 720 lumens according to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
CRI (Colour Rendering Index): Make sure your LEDs provide good light quality with a CRI of at least 90.
Warranty: Top range LEDs should be backed up by a warranty of at least three years.
Fast payback: Lights with a high efficacy will pay for themselves quickly by saving you money on electricity bills. You should receive a payback in under a year.

This is a guest post from Alexander Miller, Brightgreen lighting specialist

Lightweight renovation bridges eras

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The new single storey structure was added to the rear of the Smith Residence – a federation house located within a heritage conservation area – in the northern Sydney suburb of Cremorne.

The affordable construction project won the Best Alteration and Addition award in the 2012 Abode House of the Year awards, and has been shortlisted in the AIA NSW Architecture Awards and the Houses House of the Year Awards 2012.

Lightweight building materials

Light Home Design Ambassador Clinton Cole says the heritage listing restricted the way the new work proceeded by constraining material movements on site.

“The architect’s choice of materials was limited as it had to go either through the house or over it – that’s where lightweight materials came into play,” Cole says.

“The architect has used the same geometry of the existing building to create the form of the new dwelling, which uses a lightweight construction system in an almost effortless way.”

You can watch the full interview with Light Home Design Ambassador Clinton Cole here

Lightweight materials form the skin of all the new work, and Cole says the use of James Hardie’s HardieFlex™ sheets in the structure’s external work provides a pleasing contrast to the existing double brickwork.

“The architect has used lightweight materials in a really creative way,” says Cole. “While the new structure contrasts starkly with the existing home, there is still a sense of consistency to the geometry, dimensions of space and widths of the rooms.”

Federation features: contemporary response

According to architect David Boyle, the house – listed as a heritage contributory item by the local council – provides a sensitive and contemporary response to the existing structure.

“The project involves restoration of the contributory streetscape appearance,” Boyle says. “The new work includes a living pavilion at the rear of the house opening directly to the rear yard, and creates a new central courtyard extending the landscape setting.”

The new pavilion steps up from the existing house to mediate the natural ground levels, and has been sculpted to respond to a mature jacaranda tree in the back yard.

Boyle comments, “The new work explores the relationship of house and garden to maximise the sense of space to provide an open yet protected suburban environment.”

Environmental design principles

The project also boasts a number of passive environmental design elements, which Coles says are both subtle and effective. “Good design is inherently sustainable,” he says. “When the builder and the architect both strive for a sustainable outcome, it’s more likely to be maintained by the current occupants and future generations.”

The project has made significant cuts to embodied energy by retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, which minimises the amount of material required for the new work.

Coles adds the use of lightweight materials also reduces the embodied energy consumed by the project, specifically in terms of labour, which he says can account for as much as 40% of a project’s overall embodied energy.

“Getting labourers to and from site, as well as erecting materials, is extremely energy intensive,” Cole says. “Lightweight materials are conducive to reducing the amount of labour and therefore the embodied energy of a project.”

Passive environmental design principles of orientation, daylight and cross ventilation underpin the design. Boyle limited the amount of ‘hard stand’ paving and concrete to the site’s northern elevation, which has significantly reduced the amount of heat reflected inside.

Moreover, the site has been re-vegetated with native (low water use) plants, and active systems are incorporated into the works including an instantaneous gas hot water system and a 2000L rainwater tank supplying toilets, washing machine and external taps.

“David Boyle has a deep understanding of the way materials go together and the way they perform,” says Cole.

“I think many emerging architects could take a lot of leaves out of his book.”

Project: Smith Residence
Architect: David Boyle
Featured material: HardieFlex™ sheet
Photography: Brigid Arnott
Gross floor area: 230sqm

Eco living: Green laundry solutions

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Environmentally friendly laundry is not impossible. Doing your laundry eco-style is one way that’s sure to make you feel a whole lot better about it. It might still not make it fun – but at least you know you’re doing your bit for the environment.
This week, as part of our ongoing series on Eco Living, we’re looking into some of the ways you can be an eco laundry queen (or king, of course).

Environmentally friendly laundry products

Switching to eco friendly laundry products is not only good for your health, as it eliminates chemicals from your laundry, it’s good for the wider environment’s health too, as you’re not polluting waterways, rivers and oceans with all sorts of cleaning chemicals.

Laundry products company ENJO prides itself on its products being 100% chemical-free. You can do away with chemical pre-stain removers and get rid of chemicals and toxins from your laundry.

The company also produces a range cleaning products, such as the laundry glove and the dust glove, which are manufactured with ENJO fibre technology.

Tips for an eco friendly laundry

Use a front-loader machine. They use 40% less water and 65% less electricity, compared to a top-loader.

Wash at a cooler temperature – 30 degrees is fine for a normal wash.

Do not use the dryer. To reduce your laundry’s environmental impact, use an airer and dry your clothes out in the sun – or hang them indoors if it’s wet.

Avoiding the dryer will also help you cut down on ironing. Hang clothes up soon after the wash cycle has ended and the dampness in them will help pull them flat.

Keep up with the eco news

This piece on environmentally friendly laundry products is part of a Light Home series of blog posts about Eco Living. Take a look at our Design Everyday news section to find out more.

Green design: Sydney’s green policy push

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

To date there are 49 approved green roofs in the City of Sydney area, ranging from simple planter boxes to the iconic 2,600sqm roof garden at the MCentral apartment building in Harris Street, Pyrmont.

Green designs such as green walls are located at 14 sites across the city, including Australia's largest: the 9m high, 40m long installation at 1 Bligh St, Sydney.

The City of Sydney says it will undertake a number of studies on green roofs and walls to assess public attitudes, costs and benefits as well as source potential locations to establish a formal policy. It will also set up a strategic advisory panel to help develop that policy.

Sydney mayor Clover Moore says green roofs can be simple additions to existing buildings or new projects that have the potential to greatly increase the city’s recreational space.

“City of Sydney is home to some of the highest urban density in the country, which makes finding ways to add more green space particularly important,” Moore says.

“There's a huge amount of unused space above street level that developers often fail to make the most of. Our studies on roof gardens and green walls will help encourage building owners to install more of these green spaces.”

Moore explains that a number of cities around the world, including Chicago, New York and Copenhagen, have developed policies on green roofs and walls across their cities – and it is time Sydney did too.

“With good planning and safe development, the possibilities are endless. Think of playgrounds, exercise circuits, picnic tables and umbrellas for office workers to lunch in the open air,” she adds. “Green roofs could be a refuge for urban biodiversity or even home to community gardens.”

Increasing the number of green roofs and walls would help the city meet its Greening Sydney target to increase the city's tree canopy by 50 per cent by 2030.

Green roofs can also reduce the energy required for air-conditioning by about 30 per cent, lowering power bills and greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Sydney aims to reduce carbon pollution by 70 per cent by 2030, one of the most ambitious targets of any Australian government.

Green design incentives

A new plan proposed by the City of Sydney may see investments in property that reduce the impact on the environment through improved water and energy use become more profitable.

Property owners and developers who invest in Sustainable Sydney 2030 initiatives, including energy and water-saving measures, green roofs and affordable housing, will be able to apply for exemptions from the development contribution levy.

The draft

Central Sydney Contributions Plan 2012, now on public exhibition, would increase the range of developments that could be exempt from the current levy and encourage development that helps achieve the objectives of Sustainable Sydney 2030.

Developers could apply for partial exemptions and waivers of the 1 per cent development contribution levy if their project includes:

Affordable housing, boarding houses or not-for-profit development
The installation of green energy facilities, such as solar panels
Showers and bicycle lock-up facilities for bike riders
Tanks and greywater treatment for the re-use of water in gardens and cooling towers
Refitting of buildings to provide small finegrain spaces for new shops.

Moore says the plan would encourage developers to consider ways they can play a more positive role in supporting their local community through green design initiatives.

“Sydney needs more buildings like the award-winning 1 Bligh Street, which has the highest Green Star rating score for a high-rise building in NSW,” she says.

“Developers need to be innovative when designing for the future, and it's essential for them to consider sustainable initiatives such as green energy, water harvesting and active transport.”

The draft plan is on exhibition from July 4 to August 2, 2012.

Affordable homes: How do I design to prevent waste?

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Queensland-based designer builder Brett Blacklow has told Light Home that designing first and cutting material later is a recipe for adding all sorts of costs that aren’t immediately obvious into a building.

Blacklow – who teamed up with real estate veteran Kevin Doodney to create the Smarter Small Home in response to rising housing prices throughout Australia – says he has long thought the Australian housing industry needed to design and build around building material sizes.

His approach means that rooms and walls are designed to match the size of available building materials. Any offcuts generated are then re-used elsewhere in the design.

Listen to the interview with Brett Blacklow here

Construction savings

Designing to fit materials is just good sense, argues Blacklow. “Obviously, if you design a building around material size you are going to reduce waste, and that means you are buying less materials so you are saving some money and I think today everyone understands that saving,” he says.

However Blacklow adds there are additional construction savings by designing to building material sizes including a significant reduction of onsite waste.

He says, “There is a significant cost these days for disposing of construction waste, so if you have less waste during your construction that is the second layer of saving.”

Blacklow also explains that creating a design with a focus on material sizes reduces the amount of time workers spend onsite, which in turn cuts labour costs and a project’s overall bottom line.

“If you design your building around material sizes and your people on site understand that, then they don’t need to go to the building to measure, mark out, cut, throw something in the bin, then pick it up and install it on the building,” says Blacklow.

“All they have to do is pick the product up, install it and move on.”

The Smarter Small Home responds to the housing affordability problem in Australia, with the team successfully providing the market with a house and land package for around $300,000.

Designing the lightweight, two-storey house to fit materials coming directly from the manufacturer was a key factor in keeping the cost of the project to a minimum, according to Blacklow.

He went looking for a number of key economic building materials first, and then designed the structure of the house and floor plan around them.

“Typically no one approaches it like that,” he says. “Usually the builder or designer comes up with a floor plan and then he works out how to make it stand up.”

Easy building materials installation

Often, time is money, which means maximising the speed of construction. According to Blacklow, a key way to achieve this is to select products that can be installed and finished simply.

After researching exterior cladding materials, Backlow and his team concluded there was “nothing that can touch a few of the James Hardie® products price-wise.”

He explains, “The thing I’d say about these [James Hardie] products is that if you can give me one standard flat sheet like HardieFlex™, I can give you six different finishes through the use vertical or horizontal battens.”

The sub-floor is another area where layers were reduced. Many James Hardie products are sheeted so a carpenter can cover an area 3sqm in 10 minutes, according to Blacklow.

Eco-friendly home: Clean, green bathrooms

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

There are simple changes you can make to save water – and turn your house into an environmentally friendly room.

Here at Light Home, we’ve been working our way around a typical house, researching how you can make your home more eco-friendly.

The basics for the bathroom are: minimise water usage and don’t throw loads of chemicals down the sink.

Eco friendly toilet: save on flushing

Millions of litres of unnecessary water is flushed down our toilets every week.

While more modern toilets save on water with dual flush devices, installing a simple toilet water saver in older loos will save water every time you flush.

If you are looking to design an environmentally friendly home, Queensland-based WaterWizz’s toilet water saver can be used in old or new toilets and will save up to 70% of water on every flush.

There are even toilets available now that feature a small hand basin above the cistern. The Caroma Profile™ toilet suite, for example, has a 5-star WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) Scheme rating. The same water is used twice – firstly for hand washing and secondly to flush the toilet.

Save water when you shower

There are lots of devices on the market to help you use less water in the shower. If you have an older style showerhead, it’s worth replacing it with an eco friendly water-saving showerhead, which will help to significantly reduce your bathroom water consumption.

Water-saving showerheads can save litres of water for every minute they are used. A WELS 3-star rated showerhead, for example, will use six litres of water per minute, compared to a zero rated showerhead, which can use more than 15 litres per minute.

The WELS Scheme’s website has a tool that enables you to search for a water-saving showerhead by its WELS rating (its efficiency and flow rate) and brand.

Another tip for saving water in the shower is to install a timer. Waterpebble measures how much water is going down the plughole and remembers how much you use. It has a set of traffic lights to count down to let you know when to finish showering, and each time it fractionally reduced your shower time.

Green bathroom products

Using eco friendly bathroom cleaning products makes a huge difference to what ends up in our waterways and sea.

Environmentally friendly options on the supermarket shelves include Ecover, Seventh Generation and Shaklee. But why not go super-eco and save money too – basic products like baking soda and vinegar will clean almost everything in the bathroom.

Sustainable design takes the lead in Canberra

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Rock Development’s Loop precinct development has become the first registered Green Star – Communities pilot project, an independent, national rating tool developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).

Sustainable development rating

The Green Star - Communities rating tool is one of the world’s first independent, transparent, national schemes able to assess and certify the sustainability of community-level projects.

The program is a voluntary rating tool that provides best practice benchmarks and third-party verification of the sustainability of community and precinct-wide developments.

According to the GBCA, the Green Star – Communities tool is expected to drive more sustainable, productive and livable communities.

Released in June this year, the tool was developed in close collaboration with the market, including all three tiers of government, public and private sector developers, professional services providers, academia, product manufacturers and suppliers.

The GBCA brought together industry and all levels of government to create the rating tool, which will benchmark community developments against six categories:

Livability
Economic Prosperity
Environment
Design
Governance
Innovation

“Green Star – Communities will support the planning, design and delivery of communities, precincts and neighborhoods that prioritise environmental sustainability,” says GBCA chief executive Romilly Madew.

She adds, “This can include minimising energy and water consumption, and reducing dependence on motor vehicles – alongside broader issues such as economic prosperity, livability and community health and wellbeing.”

Green living

The 40,000sqm Loop precinct will incorporate 338 apartments, 8,575sqm of office space, retail space for cafes, restaurants and specialty stores, as well as parklands, walkways, communal gardens and recreation areas.

Loop will encourage European-inspired street life with cafes, restaurants, marketplaces and shops opening onto shared spaces, landscaped pathways and parkland.

According to Rock Development, Loop will set the benchmark for world’s best practice for sustainable community living and property development. The project features modern green star rated buildings, combining retail, residential and commercial spaces.

Sustainable initiatives employed throughout the new precinct include:

Use of recycled building materials
Solar microgeneration systems
Geothermal Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems
Electric Vehicle plug-in points
Integrated rainwater and wastewater systems
Rooftop gardens

“We are proud to have the first registered Green Star – Communities pilot project,” says Maria Efkarpidis from Rock Development Group. “Loop will provide opportunities for everyone to participate in an active, enjoyable and community-oriented lifestyle and will set new benchmarks for world’s best practice for sustainable community living and property development.”

Innovative urban planning is at the heart of Loop’s design, with Rock Development Group’s plan for the precinct including Green Star-rated buildings, electric vehicle recharge points, a residential car pooling scheme, precinct-wide energy generation, water capture and waste management, and a focus on healthy, active living.

“We congratulate Rock Development Group on being the first to register a Green Star - Communities pilot project, and hope to engage with many other project teams Australia wide during the pilot phase,” says Andrew Aitken, the GBCA’s executive director of Green Star.

Pilot green initiatives

The Loop is at the forefront of sustainable innovation, putting sustainable design and green living within the grasp of more Canberra residents by making it easily accessible and an attractive way of life. It will provide all life’s necessities within walking distance, reducing dependence on vehicles and therefore reducing carbon emissions.

Loop generates its own power from rooftop solar panels and wind turbines. Advanced geothermal systems use the earth to regulate air temperature and deliver heating and cooling, while rooftop gardens insulate the buildings.

The project has drastically cut waste with recycled materials being used during construction. Moreover, the development also includes a rainwater capturing system; while wastewater is recycled and returned to the precinct, and composting is also done on site.

Residents can monitor their electricity usage in a precinct wide energy management system. Electric vehicles will have plug in points and excess electricity is returned to the grid.

Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the stable temperatures of the earth through the year to heat and cool the Loop’s buildings. A liquid/gas medium is circulated through underground pipes absorbing some heat from the ground in winter and exporting all heat to the ground in summer.

According to the developers, this energy efficient heating and cooling system assists in reducing total greenhouse gas emission by 50 per cent per a year.

“This assessment tool is an important step for the Australian building and construction industry,” Rock Development’s Maria Efkarpidis says.

“It follows global trends that consider the sustainability of entire communities and precincts from the beginning to the end of the development process. This tool will set the standard for building genuinely green communities.”

The project is expected to be completed by 2013.

Sustainable design: where form meets green

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Is that really a milk container?

Australian duo Nicholas Karlovasitis and Sarah Gibson have made waves since co-founding uber-chic furniture studio DesignByThem. And it’s not hard to see why. Their product range may be small but it is whimsical, tactile, fun and green.

This Butter Seat, for example, is not only quirky in looks but is created from 100% recycled content – the vast majority of which is recycled milk containers. New out in 2012, it sells for $590 (non-upholstered) and $890 (upholstered).

Ultimate tripod table

Brand new from Australian designer Henry Wilson is the delightful
A3-joint tripod table. Sand-cast in reclaimed metals and, in Wilson’s words, “almost indestructible”, the A3-joint range is a multi-use joinery system for tables, plinths, stools and fit-outs.

Based on Wilson’s philosophy of reducing design waste, the A3 joint table reflects his goal to create furniture that will last long into the future – and we hope this one does.

Monkey pot magic

Created by Australian Adam Cornish, these quirky pot plant holders fit together like the old children’s game Barrel of Monkeys. An ingenious method of introducing pot plants into small compact environments, the Monkey Pots rely on vertical, rather than floor, space.

As Adam Cornish says, “I see it as a system that can cover any area – in apartments, offices; we’ve even done a 10-metre chain that could be used in large-scale architecture. It’s really in between a green wall and a normal potted plant.”

The Monkey Pots also incorporate sustainable design: made of 100% recycled materials, they recycle their own water. Each planter has one skin with an air pocket that insulates root bundles from hot and cold and acts as a water reservoir.

“It looks simple but there’s actually a lot going on under the surface,” Cornish adds.

Broom chair

This brilliant piece of theatrical furniture is just a prototype right now, with the production piece still in development. Created by the team at Blakebrough+King, according to them it came about after someone broke their favourite old broom.

“After a lot of swearing we realised how nice the timber in the handle was,” the team says. “We salvaged a bunch of old brooms and broken garden tools from the local tip and hopefully the result is quite a contemporary form which references brooms in just a subtle way.”

Amazing metal

At first glance these eye-catching stools from Polish architect and designer Oskar Zieta seem to be made of some kind of inflatable li-lo. Look closer and they are, in fact, metal – two sheets of recycled stainless steel fused together and then inflated with high-pressure air jets.

Known as the Plopp family, the sustainably designed range has won numerous awards since its 2009 European launch and is now being distributed in Australia through Textura. The collectible stools range in price from $540 for a kitchen stool down.

Dear designer: How do I make eaves more interesting?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Simply style: interesting eaves

Style starts with the roof. A more eco style blurs the line between what’s roof and what’s veranda, while new-but-traditionally styled coastal roof designs use steep pitches, wide eaves and even sun towers. Add a finishing touch and hark back to the past with narrow-lined texture.

Roofs that are skillion, curved or flat seem to go hand in hand with wide eaves and verandas – as well as geometry. The sharp lines of expressed joint cladding used in eaves and soffits add a sophisticated kind of texture.

The simple approach: bring the outside in

When that outdoor room is almost bigger than your indoor room, and the materials palette is unadorned and honest, then sometimes a simple approach with eaves is best. Here, a wide expanse of white is relieved by subtle, simple texture.

Nothing is more seamless than bringing the outside in. Using exterior materials inside – from feature walls to feature ceilings – strikingly tells the story.

Fixed shading: effective protection

Fixed shading, including structures such as eaves, is only appropriate for use over north-facing windows. Although fixed devices provide effective protection from heat gain, they lack flexibility in situations where shading may be needed one day but not the next.

However, fixed shading is durable and does not require ongoing adjustment. It is important to allow an adequate distance between the top of the window and the underside of the shading device.

This avoids partial shading of the window in winter, and should be about one sixth or 16% of the height of the window.

This article is an edited version of a story that first ran in the recent Winter issue of Light Home magazine.

Green building materials: assessing embodied energy

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In this podcast, David Baggs, CEO of third part material certifiers Global Green Tag & Eco Specifier provides insight into the complex embodied energy issue.

Embodied energy measurement tools

There are a number of tools available to help builders, owners and designers calculate the embodied energy of a building and therefore make informed choses on which materials are the most environmentally sustainable.

One such tool is the CarbonCost Calculator, launched in 2003 by consulting firm Sinclair Knight Merz in conjunction with lawyers McKean & Park and Deakin University.

According to Sinclair Knight Merz, the calculator was Australia’s first web-based tool to measure embodied energy in commercial buildings.

The calculator requires the user to input basic parameters about the building as either numbers or from drop-down menus. These are then processed using data created by Dr Graham Treloar of Deakin University, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The output is in the form of a printed certificate containing a summary of input data, estimate of total embodied greenhouses emissions, likely additional carbon cost, and breakup of embodied energy by building items.

One of the latest sustainable building tools to hit the Australian market is from Western Australia-based eTool. It claims its life cycle assessment methodology enables it to get a complete and quantifiable picture of a project's environmental and cost impacts.

For home builders, eTool also claims to provide a ‘whole-of-house’ assessment service that analyses a design to ensure money is invested in the right materials and products to maximise a home’s sustainability.

How is embodied energy calculated?

According to a report on embodied energy calculations, authored by Richard Haynes – an environmental engineer and a partner at eTool – debate continues about the boundaries that should be applied to calculating embodied energy.

Haynes says, “Commonly, the most influential components of embodied energy are those bounded by the ‘cradle to gate’ approach, that is, all the energy required to deliver the product to the gate of the factory ready for transport to the construction site.”

He adds, “Even within an embodied energy calculation bounded cradle to gate, the complexity of embodied energy could be extreme. For example, the energy used by the factory in the processing or manufacturing process may be easily identified, however what about the energy used by the employees.”

Haynes continues that despite the difficulty in calculating embodied energy, estimated life cycle energy and CO2 emissions can be determined using sound modelling principals.

He says, “These tools allow design options to be compared against one another, thereby providing a valuable decision making tool for developers, architects, builders and consumers.”

Reducing embodied energy

The average commercial building contains tens of thousands of gigajoules of energy embodied in its construction materials. Databases, such as Australia’s Ecospecifier, can assist in selecting new innovative materials with low embodied energies (and low life cycle cost).

Reusing and recycling building materials, especially façade and structural components, at the end of their useful lives, reduces embodied energy and can also reduce capital costs for new buildings.

According to the Australian Government’s Your Home Technical Manual, lightweight building construction such as timber frame is usually lower in embodied energy than heavyweight construction. While this may not necessarily be the case if large amounts of light but high-energy materials such as steel or aluminium are used, it is if fibre cement products are used.

The short e-book, The Smarter Green Book shares LCA research that compares a number of typical materials and wall construction systems. The research shows that fibre cement cladding, used with either a timber or steel frame, has a much lower embodied energy than a brick veneer wall built with a timber frame.

There are many situations where a lightweight building is the most appropriate and may result in the lowest lifecycle energy use (e.g. hot, humid climates, sloping or shaded sites, or sensitive landscapes).

In climates with greater heating and cooling requirements and significant day/night temperature variations, embodied energy in a high level of well insulated thermal mass can significantly offset the energy used for heating and cooling.

Designers, home-builders and architects need to understand that a design should be selected based on the best combination of factors including climate, transport distances, availability of materials and budget, balanced against known embodied energy content.

“Any one point in the processing and manufacturing chain can be analysed in detail chasing endless trail of energy calculations back to the Stone Age,” Haynes adds.

With this in mind, it is important to remember the purpose of embodied energy calculations: to make informed decisions that lead to improvements in the way we use energy.

DECORATION + DESIGN: Light Home give away

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Two of the world’s leading furniture and furnishings fairs – FURNITEX and DECORATION + DESIGN – will return to Australia this month with a co-located show in Melbourne. Light Home has 10 complimentary passes for one of the show’s key seminars to give away – see below to find out how one could be yours.

Organisers say the International Industry Seminar Series will be the main feature at the event, offering valuable insights on topics and trends influencing the design industry. The six “highly anticipated” seminars will be held on July 19-20, 2012 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

Design expert

UK design guru Chris Lefteri has joined the impressive line-up of speakers for the seminar series with his topic, ‘The Importance of New Materials’. The seminar aims to capture how materials have evolved over the last decade to become such an important part of design, culture and business.

Author of seven successful books on the subject of materials and interior design, Lefteri will discuss the importance of considering materials right from the start of a project.

Lighting designs

World-renowned lighting designer Beau McClellan, whose contemporary light sculptures and product designs are amongst the world’s most respected, will also headline the series with his ‘Designing on an Epic Scale’ seminar.

McClellan’s seminar will draw on his experience of developing the world’s largest chandelier, ‘Reflective Glow’, taking his audience on a journey through its design process. McClellan’s lighting seminar will also unearth the latest advances in LED technology and how it is majorly impacting the boundaries of lighting design.

Future trends

Meanwhile, acclaimed trend forecaster Milou Ket returns to FURNITEX and DECORATION + DESIGN this year with a ‘Trend Forecast’ seminar on the emerging design themes for the 2013-14 home.

Not to be missed, Ket will share her visions on the future design materials influencing product development as well as the emerging themes for bedding, bath and ceramics.

Cross-cultural design

Finally, Australia’s own award-winning interior designer Thomas Hamel will join the international speakers at the event with his ‘Current Design & Global Cross Pollination’ seminar.

The self-professed master of the art of cross-cultural design will explore how to seamlessly integrate different cultures within an interior, as well as advise designers on how to make the most of today’s access to international suppliers.

For a chance to grab a complimentary ticket to Chris Lefteri’s ‘The Importance of New Materials’ seminar (valued at $49.50) simply leave a comment below. The Light Home editorial staff will assess the quality of the responses and decide on the winners.

Sustainable living: Brisbane’s first ‘eco-village’

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

While the design is yet to be finalised, the development – to be located within 12km of the Brisbane CBD – will comprise around seven free-standing dwellings or ‘eco-digs’ surrounding a larger ‘common house’.

The group behind the Ecodigs project has placed sustainability as their clear objective – with the aim to reduce the social, environmental and economic impact of the development as much as possible.

An eco village blueprint

Russell Austerberry, project manger of Ecodigs, told Light Home the ‘from new’ sustainable development will comprise a number of small dwellings incorporating passive heating and cooling, solar power and water recycling. There will also be capacity to grow produce on site.

Austerberry says, “Around 12 years ago I was absorbing the environmental woes of the world, and I ended up asking myself a fundamental question: how can we set up a community to be more self sufficient and sustainable?”

“By joining and getting involved you will be living a low carbon lifestyle, feeling a strong sense of community, and eating healthily,” he adds.

“This is, after all, good habitat for humanity – and we are working to make it possible for less than you would usually pay in the same suburb.”

The dwellings are expected to be quite small: a studio at around 35sqm of internal space, a two bedroom at 60sqm and a three bedroom at around 100sqm, equipped with little more than a kitchenette and ensuite.

However the site will also include common facilities such as a kitchen, dining room, laundry, guest beds, workshop, library and media room.

Lightweight construction

The main theme running through all the plans is careful consideration of solar access for passive solar design to naturally cool in summer and warm in winter. There is also a preference for water, energy and waste to be captured and recycled on site.

“We’re leaning towards building a new two-storey townhouse construction so we can get it right,” Austerberry says. “We need to consider solar passive design, thermal efficiency, noise reduction as well as good social layout.”

Austerberry adds that to ensure sustainable living the design must cater for heat as well as cold. The structure will likely be made from lightweight materials (which can shed heat in summer) with some thermal mass added via a concrete slab or rendered north-facing walls.

“Timber frame, insulated panels and corrugated iron roof is the direction we seem to be heading,” he says. “But as with so many things at the moment we have to wait until we bag a site before we can design the housing.”

“We do want low embodied energy materials, recycled, local, durable … and cost effective, which will no doubt be a juggling act.”

Living frugally

After ten years of research into eco villages, co-housing, intentional communities and permaculture, Austerberry told Light Home there are a huge number of reasons why co-operative living is beneficial.

“As electricity prices rise we want to be generating our own power,” he says. “If water bills go up we want to be able to laugh because we’re on tank water. We want to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer … without aircon.”

Asked to describe the type of lifestyle one would experience from buying into this project, Auserberry responds: “Social.”

He explains, “The whole thing is premised on cooperation and working things out together.”

“Another aspect is frugality – we’ll be living in small houses with small cars. But we expect that because we’re frugal we won’t be running huge mortgages, and will still have a fantastic lifestyle.”

Sloping block: A swim in the trees

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

With a swimming pool perched 10 metres above ground and living areas that wrap its striking boldness, this treetop abode in Brisbane’s south has brought a new dimension to hillside building - effortlessly fusing earth, water and sky.

The home, titled Toowoong-Treetops, sits unerringly atop a 520sqm steeply sloped block. When initiated, the project was fated to provide not only a vast panorama of Tamborine Mountain for the owner, but a giant challenge for the builder.

“This project was by far our most challenging,” says Toowoong’s builder Duayne Pearce. “The block is extremely steep; we were flat out even walking up and down the property.”

“I knew it would be a challenge from the start – I couldn’t believe someone wanted to build such a house,” he adds. “There were six to eight months of planning and pricing before any contracts were even signed.”

You can view our podcast with Duayne Pearce here:

Sloping construction

Designed by Artas Architects and Cunningham Designs, the hillside building’s foundation and support structure is solid concrete, made of re-enforced walls and columns, as well as core-filled block work.

Moving up to the house proper it is timber framing – along with the innovative use of glass and James Hardie EasyLap™ panel – which gives this hilltop dwelling its unusual finish.

Pearce says the owner wanted a smooth finish, and with the EasyLap panel he could ensure the rendered concrete walls of the lower house seamlessly blended with the timber-framed upper levels.

“The Easylap panel was good because it came in large sheets that were easy to work with,“ he says. “Since we used it on the [Toowoong] job we have actually used quite a bit more.”

Staying sustainable

“This house is very environmentally friendly,” Pearce says. “We did as much as we could to keep it as sustainable as possible.”

The four-bedroom home features a large atrium throughout the middle of the structure, which has levers on both sides allowing hot air to escape.

Moreover, the entire house (including the floor) is insulated, which helps keep its temperature moderate. Toowoong-Treetops is also equipped with solar water heating technology.

Elevated luxury

A continuum of fluid, vastly proportioned minimalist spaces and seamless connections to broad decks help to bring the magnificent Toowoong views inside.

Once invited in, the first impression is breathtaking, with polished hardwood floors combining with floor-to-ceiling glass, stone benches and endless views across the wet-edge pool.

To one side of the master-chef kitchen is the living area while on the other lies the dining area that opens to an expansive deck with 100km views over Brisbane city to the NSW border ranges.

Meanwhile, the master bedroom is the crowning glory of the entire hillside building. It features a secure private hallway, huge bedroom with cedar ceiling, walk-in wardrobe and a fully marbled en-suite with freestanding stone bath.

“The difficult site and unusual house design made this project one we loved to complete,” Pearce adds. “We were proud to be able to produce such an amazing and complex home on time and within budget.”

Project: Toowoong-Treetops
Architect: Artas Architects and Cunningham Designs
Builder: D Pearce Constructions
Featured material: James Hardie EasyLap™ panel

How do I recycle and re-use on site?

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Diverting waste from landfill reduces greenhouse gases by avoiding methane emissions from the breakdown of wood and other organic waste. It also cuts the amount of liquid toxins seeping into the ground from landfill areas, and encourages the use of secondary resources as an alternative to ‘virgin’ material.

Moreover, the economic benefits to recycling include reduced material cost through the re-use of materials onsite, lower material tipping fees, the sale of recyclable material, and rebates for waste material delivered to recycling facilities.

The report – A Practical Guide to Reducing Waste on Building and Construction Sites – claims there is a growing awareness in the construction industry of the recycling movement and its positive impact on landfill.

For our building, architect and home renovation readers, Light Home has reviewed the report and identified some of the best and most efficient approaches to minimising waste.

Recycling on site: setting targets

Before you implement a waste management plan, it’s necessary to audit the waste stream on site. Once you’re aware of what waste is being generated, it’s then a matter of setting targets. This helps to focus attention on recycling and provides a framework for developing strategies.

To succeed, a waste management plan must enlist the support of management to drive its strategy. Furthermore, it’s essential that management communicate the waste targets at the onset of the project, which helps to emphasise the importance of recycling to all stakeholders.

Waste minimisation plan: the low hanging fruit

There are a number of opportunities for minimising waste that can be implemented on almost any construction site. These include:

Minimising the amount of packaging being brought onto site through contractual requirements with sub-contractors;
Requiring material suppliers to assume responsibility for waste by requesting reduced packaging or a ‘take-back’ agreement;
Ensuring sub-contractors re-use off-cuts wherever possible, either contractually or through awareness campaigns;
Encouraging subcontractors not to over-order materials, and
Practising ‘just-in-time’ delivery of construction materials to avoid waste from damage prior to use.

Re-use and recycle: opportunities for savings

It’s possible to save big dollars by initiating engagement with the growing number of waste contractors. These contractors can provide rebates for either the transport cost or the amount of recyclable material delivered … or both!

Make a few calls to the manufacturers in close proximity to the site, who may collect specific waste streams for use in their own products, and encourage product suppliers to make the move to stackable, returnable and reusable packaging.

Demolish or deconstruct?

The Practical Guide to Reducing Waste on Building and Construction Sites report also describes that the way a building is demolished often determines how effectively an individual material can be re-used or recycled.

A deconstructive demolition provides the greatest opportunity to remove materials for re-use, however the feasibility of this approach to demolition depends on the age of the building, the type of contraction and access to the site.

Plan success: get staff onboard

A waste management plan won’t succeed without the fully-fledged support of workers on site.

Interior flooring: Finding the right lightweight option

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Checking out the condition of the subfloor is the first step; working out what you want on top comes next.

Light Home reader James Crawford is hunting for the right interior flooring. He wrote to us explaining he’s looking for a product for his home office renovation.

“I want a more concrete-looking and functioning floor in there,” he said. “We are looking for a product we can lay in sheets. It would need to be finished and durable. Any suggestions on a product, as opposed to trying to install concrete slab?”

Check out your subfloor

The first stop is to check on the state of your subfloor. You might, if you’re lucky, have hardwood flooring underneath the old carpet, which, with a little attention, could be restored to a beautiful finish.

If you’re not so lucky, however, and the subfloor needs replacing, we’d recommend Scyon™ Secura™ interior flooring. The product is a heavy-duty, lightweight structural flooring substrate that can be used for tile, vinyl and carpet finishes over timber or steel floor joists.

Scyon™ Secura™ is 15% lighter per square metre than conventional 15mm compressed fibre cement – making it easier to handle and ideal for the lightweight home.

Functional interior flooring

The next stop is working out what’s to go on top.

For a “concrete-looking and functional floor”, as our reader wants to achieve, concrete look laminate flooring is the best option we have found.

Adelaide-based U-Install-It Kitchens has launched a range of laminate floors with a polished concrete look, offering a modern look without the heavyweight option of concrete itself.

Austrian laminate flooring experts Kaindl have several ‘concrete look’ options, such as their soft touch “Unterbergschiefer grau”.

Other options for hard floors, which can be installed on top of a Scyon™ Secura™ subfloor, are tiles or laminate flooring.

More home ‘how to’ solutions

Check out the Light Home Dear Design Expert blog for more of your questions we’ve answered, from how to DIY the eco way to how to keep chickens and how to ship goods safely.

Lightweight design gives first homebuyers the edge in competitive market

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Through the use of lightweight materials, simple alternative design and core sustainable techniques, the complex of 24 townhouses is priced as low as $250,000 – well below the average house price for the desirable West Australian Margaret River region.

According to architect and Light Home design ambassador Peter Jongen, the complex dubbed the Magpie Project was designed with a young market in mind, with aims to give first home buyers access to a price-competitive market.

You can listen to our podcast with Light Home design ambassadors Peter Jongen and Penni Sutton here.

Affordable new homes

Jongen says the project – built by Tate Construction – addresses a lack of smaller, single and multi-bedroom units in the area which has either constricted lower-income earners to shared housing or pushed them out of the region altogether.

“Margaret River is a high priced area,” Jongen explains. “So this was a great opportunity for an architectural firm to put something on the ground that can be specifically marketed at young people getting into the housing market.”

The townhouses were priced from $250,000-$360,000 – some 30-50% below the average house price for the region – and, unsurprisingly, sold off the plan in a matter of weeks.

“They sold in the first two weeks,” says Jongen. “There is a really high demand for this type of accommodation, which I think runs across the state, not just Margaret River.”

Lightweight construction

The colourful, lightweight construction of the Magpie Project quashes the misconception that affordable means cheap or unsightly development. Instead, it has attracted a diverse range of buyers, from first home buyers and young couples to single parents and investors looking for affordable rentals.

The lightweight timber frame construction allowed the unique design to come into fruition cost effectively, Jongen explains, while also allowing a good level of architectural detailing, which became a significant factor in the marketing of the units.

The Magpie Project is a hybrid construction, meaning it has some masonry elements but the majority is timber framed, Jongen adds. “From a time perspective this gave the developers a cost effective outcome, as they were able to do it a lot quicker than [if they had used] heavy construction.”

The exterior walls are in timber frame, with a high level of insulation and a combination of painted expressed joint Scyon™ Matrix™ cladding and fibre cement sheet materials. Internal walls are insulated timber frame lined with plasterboard.

Cost effective building

The major saving in construction of this development came from the use of lightweight materials, which allowed progressive construction. That resulted in reduced build costs through a shorter construction period plus less overheads throughout the build.

Jongen adds that the adaptability of the lighter materials on the wood frame also slashed costs, meaning the unusual shapes were produced both time and cost effectively.

“If you were doing these kinds of shapes with masonry, it would be a lot more expensive and take a lot more time,” he says. “Speed of construction means the builder spends less time on site, which means lower overheads.”

Sustainable design

On the sustainability front, core environmental considerations implemented throughout the Magpie Project played a major factor in the end user affordability of the townhouses.

Each of the 24 houses has a northern orientation, which minimises the artificial light required. Moreover, good stack and cross flow ventilation, Marmoleum-covered concrete floors as thermal mass and large window overhangs all mean less energy is needed to heat and cool the space – resulting in major cost savings for the end user.

While most ‘plug in’ sustainable technology is cost-prohibitive on this kind of development, solar hot water systems were also used to further reduce energy consumption.

These core design features have been afforded to all 24 townhouses to successfully create an attractive, affordable, and sustainable housing development.

To see more details on the Magpie Project, visit the Tate Constructions website.

Project: Magpie Project
Architect: Willcox & Associates
Builder: Tate Construction
Featured material: Scyon™ Matrix™ cladding

Eco at home: Kids’ toys

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A few weeks ago, we investigated the options for eco baby rooms. Now it’s the turn of slightly older kids, as we look into what’s out there in terms of eco toys.

Sustainable wooden toys

Toys made from natural, sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable wood are good for the environment, good for your child and good for your conscience.

Melbourne-based Eco Toys specialises in eco wooden toys that are Australian-made and ethically manufactured.

We love their Lamb Rocker, made from environmentally friendly rubberwood and their Bamboo E-Racer racing cars, made from bamboo and coloured with water-based paint.

Solar-powered toys

Rather than choosing toys that run off the mains electric power, there are plenty of solar-powered toys out there that don’t drain a watt of electricity.

We’ve found this build-your-own solar-powered robot, designed for children aged eight and older. It also has a hand-cranked dynamo for extra power.

Or, for girls, how about this solar-powered bobbing flower? Flip Flaps solar-powered flowers soak up the sun, then move and sway using that power.

Eco-friendly teddy bears

Soft toys can also be eco. Teddy Treasures, based in Canterbury, Victoria, has a range of eco-friendly and organic teddies and soft toys.

The collection includes all sorts of soft toy animals, including the adorable Marley the Mouse, made from 100% organic cotton.

Follow more eco living trends

We’ve run a whole mini series on eco living here at Light Home, covering areas such as wallpaper, vintage goods, art and computing.

Visit the Design Everyday section of the website to see more posts on eco living and environmentally friendly design.

Affordable building: Sloping sites

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

But, with more and more sloping blocks – and less flat blocks – for sale, building on sloping sites is something we are seeing much more frequently.

The challenges these sites pose can be overcome – with a bit of smart design thinking and the use of lightweight materials.

Lightweight is easier for slopes

The use of lightweight materials drastically reduces a home’s impact on its natural landscape – and also makes working on a slope a lot easier. After all, whoever is charged with building the house has to get the materials there.

Perth-based building designer John McQuade favours lightweight building materials for sloping sites because they are easier to work with during construction.

“If down the track you want to change the home’s layout, it is much easier with lightweight than knocking through cavity brick walls,” he said. “Lightweight construction generally requires less cutting and filling, too.”

Sloping sites specialist

Queensland architect Sean Leigh, of Outlook Homes Qld, specialises in slope sensitive home designs. We recently profiled a new project of his: Greenwith Mk3.

Leigh’s prediction is that sloping sites will become more and more popular. “With more sloping blocks for sale these days and less flat land available, more and more people are looking at these styles of houses,” he explained.

There are obvious design challenges, but drainage is a key issue. Leigh said: “Drainage is always a really important consideration for sloping sites – basically, you can never have too much drainage!”

More tips on sloping sites

We have explored several sloping site projects on the Light Home website. Have a look at this Sunshine Coast home with fantastic views as well as Jeet St Lucia.

Affordable building: Building with panels

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

So at Light Home we’ve been running a mini series on affordable building to help you understand where and how you can make your money go further. This week we’re focusing on building with panels.

There are lots of benefits to forgetting bricks and mortar and going with panels instead. For a start, it’s cheaper. It’s faster. It’s lightweight, so easier to work with. And it achieves a more modern, stylish look.

Traditional isn’t always best

Brick veneer cladding on a timber frame has been the conventional way to build external walls in Australia for a long time. But using cladding or weatherboards is, arguably, a smarter approach.

Panels are more flexible with their design options, with different looks and colours available. Using lightweight cladding can also reduce the amount of structural steel needed, as well as scaffolding and painting costs.

They are also quicker. Hours of building brick by brick are done away with.

Ec-friendly, cost-effective building

Building with panels requires less trades on site.

We recently posted about the importance of carpenters to lightweight construction. Using panels means less tradesmen are needed. Bricklayers, for example, are not needed at all.

And using other cladding materials such as Scyon™ Stria™ cladding, rather than decorative rendering is also cheaper. Instead of laying bricks, rendering, scoring and painting, the whole job is done in one fell swoop.

More affordable building tips

Read more of our mini series on affordable building by visiting the Green Undressed blogs page.

How do I… Choose the right insulation for my home?

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Efficiently and effectively insulating your home can make a huge difference on these cold nights – and chilly days. It can also shave significant amounts off your bills for heating.

And insulation isn’t just for the winter. Good insulation will help keep the heat out in summer, too.

As well as heat control, insulation can eliminate moisture problems, such as condensation, and some insulation even has soundproofing qualities.

The most economical time to install insulation is during construction, but it is possible to retrospectively insulate.

Types of insulation

Bulk insulation: This resists heat transfer by trapping pockets of air within its structure. Bulk insulation materials include glass wool, wool, cellulose fibre, polyester and polystyrene.

Reflective insulation: This resists heat flow by reflecting and re-radiating it. Reflective insulation is usually aluminium foil laminated onto paper or plastic and is available as sheets, or sarking.

Understand the ‘R’-value

The effectiveness of insulation is indicated by an ‘R’-value, which is calculated based on thickness and density as well as heat flow and thermal performance. A higher R-value means greater resistance to heat transfer and better insulation.

For colder climates, such as Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra, you’re looking at an R-value of at least 4.1 in the ceiling and 2.8 in the walls. Similarly, for warmer climes – where the aim is to reduce heat gain – you should aim for the same R-values.

Efficient windows: understand WERS

Your home’s windows are the biggest path for heat loss and gain – so it makes sense to choose energy efficient ones.

All windows have a rating under WERS (the Windows Energy Rating Scheme). They are rated with stars, giving the technical performance of the windows and ratings for heating and cooling. Read our blog post on Green windows: What is WERS to learn more.

Eco friendly insulation

Choosing environmentally friendly insulation products will help make your home even greener.

Options include renewable wool, cellulose fibre and natural soy spray-in foam. Brisbane-based Environmentally Safe Natural Insulation has plenty of solutions.

To read more tips and stories on home building and eco-friendly solutions, go to the Light Home ‘How Do I’ section or the Light Home blogs.

A postcard from Canada

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Taking inspiration from Australian designs, Herman and Mooney have taken green living to the max. Even a two-ton glacial boulder that was unearthed during excavation of the build was not discarded, but instead transformed into a landscape feature.

The pair live in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Ontario, where the climate is one of extremes. The couple used their own research, brave designs and lightweight materials to create a modern home that suits the changeable weather conditions.

You can view our podcast here

Starting from scratch

Herman and Mooney’s project began as a piece of land with nothing on it but two ramshackle old sheds.

Designing their dream eco home was a learning curve. to say the least. They wanted something modern, as well as something green – and so it was to Australia they turned for inspiration. “We read every Australian home magazine we could find, as we were impressed by the forward-thinking, modern, green designs we found,” explains retired art teacher Herman. “Canada is sadly lagging behind in this respect. Very few buildings around here are modern – we wanted to shake that up a bit.”

The drew up their plans, with some help in the latter stages from one of Herman’s graduate students, who transferred their drawings to a CAD program. “I have designed a house once before, about 15 years ago,” says Herman. “We also built a 600ft addition on the back of our last house. Through doing these things, we learnt a bit about designing and building.”

When the plans were approved, builder Mark Holmes, of Brock Builders, was appointed and the build began – a smooth process that took seven months.

Bungalow living

To maximise efficient heating and cooling, Herman and Mooney’s home is a bungalow. Eco features include an open plan ‘great room’ that minimised building materials and makes heating and cooling more effective, as well as a recyclable metal roof, cross ventilation and large south-west facing windows to capitalise on passive solar heat.

Wanting to be as eco-friendly as possible, the pair sought out much of the materials themselves. Herman says: “We sourced the metal roof ourselves, from a local Canadian company, and got it pre-fitted so there wasn’t any wastage.”

They also researched and sourced the James Hardie PanelClad® stucco sheets themselves. “We wanted the look of a stucco finish, but that costs a fortune here, so this way we achieved that modern look within budget,” added Herman.

A local winner

To boot, the project was accomplished within the CA$325,000 ($322,100) budget. “We wanted to make our home as eco-friendly and green as we could, within our budget,” said Herman. “I think we did pretty good.”

The pair say they love living in the house – and they loved the process of designing it from scratch. So much so, they are already thinking about their next project.

“Within the next couple of years, I think we might well do it again,” said Herman. “The challenge of being able to do something again and maybe somehow improve on it is exciting.”

Facts

Designer: Robert Herman and Scott Mooney
Builder: Brock Builders
Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Materials:

James Hardie PanelClad® stucco sheets
Recyclable pre-fitted metal roof with a 50-year warranty
Owens Corning Cultured Stone®

This is an abbreviated version of an article first published in the Light Home Winter 2012 magazine. Read the full article by downloading the free Light Home magazine.

Eco living: Can computers really be green?

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In the latest of our Light Home Eco Living mini series, we’re looking into some of the options out there for eco computing.

Environmentally-friendly computers

Many computer manufacturers offer ‘green’ machines that use less power, are made of recycled material or can be recycled.

Dell, HP, Acer and Asus all have ‘green’ models on offer.

NSW’s Wollongong-based EarthCare Technology sells low-energy computers and claims its computers will help save the environment – as well as saving you money.

Their NetSense© Eco PCs are designed to “reduce your computing footprint”. They cut computer power costs, are built using energy-efficient components and are packaged in eco-friendly, recyclable packaging.

Green computer accessories

How about a self-recharging mouse made from cork? Or a keyboard made from bamboo? There are all sorts of weird and wonderful – and green – computer accessories available.

Made from renewable Moso (giant timber) bamboo, Queensland company Pure Bamboo’s keyboard and mouse set is compatible with most computers.

Corky is an eco friendly mouse that powers itself through the kinetic energy gathered from the movements of its scroll wheel. It has a cork shell and, underneath, is made from 100% recycled plastic.

Eco-friendly computing tips

If you’re not about to splash out on a smart new eco-friendly machine, there are a few things you can do to make your computing a little more environmentally-friendly.

• Turn it off! Don’t just leave your machine to go to sleep when you’re not using it – switch it off. It still uses power when in ‘sleep’ mode.
• Use the energy-saving mode. If you’re away from your computer for long periods but need it left on, perhaps to access it remotely, then enable the ‘standby’ or ‘hibernate’ mode.
• De-clutter for better efficiency. Computers that are overloaded with outdated files and programs are less efficient.
• Recycle your old PC. Don’t just throw it away – it will end up in landfill forever more. There are several options for this in Australia, including Byteback and Planet Green Recycling.

Sign up for more eco and sustainable home news

Keep up with the latest eco news and features on state-of-the-art lightweight home designs in Australia by signing up to the free Light Home monthly newsletter.

Affordable building: Carpenters are key

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Central to affordability is lightweight construction – and the tradesmen needed to make it happen.

Obviously, the more trades required, the higher the cost. That’s why carpenters are key.

Carpenters and lightweight construction

Carpenters are the crucial trade when it comes to lightweight homes.

Timber frames and timber construction are a lightweight favourite, and carpenters have the skills for assembling these.

If you’re building a home with a timber frame and weatherboard exterior, the only tradesmen you’ll need on site are a carpenter and a painter. There is no need for bricklayers and renderers.

Building come rain or shine

Queensland architect Mark Hall, of Mark Hall Designs, is a huge fan of lightweight construction because of its cost-effective results – whatever the weather.

A recent project of his – three new cottages in Townsville, north Queensland – would have suffered long delays due to heavy rain if it had not been a lightweight project.

“The project was able to go ahead through the rain,” Hall said. “Because we used lightweight framing, we could still get access to the site and continue working.

“The builder was able to stand the frames when it was muddy because there wasn’t any heavy equipment on the site, which was a big bonus. It meant that the builder and carpenter could carry on with their work, as there was no necessity to bring in steel or welders to fabricate things.”

Sign up to find out more

For regular news and tips on lightweight homes and designs, as well as eco living and readers’ questions answered, check out the other Light Home blogs and sign up to the free Light Home monthly newsletter.

Sustainable reno: One house, a trio of gardens

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Designed by Sydney architects Day Bukh, the Newtown house posed plenty of challenges.

Being under the flight path into Sydney Airport, blocking out the disrupting aircraft noise was the first priority.

Other key challenges – heat loss, lack of natural light, connecting indoors with outdoors, and how to introduce sun-soaked outdoor spaces – were posed by the south and west-facing outlook of the rear renovation.

“The idea was to rearrange the back of the house, so it had a better connection to the back yard,” explained Matt Day, director at Day Bukh Architects.

To achieve that the back section of the single-storey house, which included the kitchen, bathroom and laundry, was demolished. The spaces were rearranged, giving the living spaces a direct connection to the rear garden.

A trio of gardens

The main concept of the renovation was the idea of three gardens: a morning to midday garden, an afternoon garden and a ‘breathing’ garden.

Garden 1: The morning garden
This is the front, north-facing garden. “But there’s one big problem with a garden facing the street: no-one wants to sit out there, it’s not at all private,” said Day. “We created a fence with adjustable louvres, so the clients can sit in their front garden and get the sun – as well as privacy.”

Garden 2: The afternoon garden
This is the rear garden, which captures the afternoon western sun. “By rearranging the floor plan, we moved the kitchen and laundry to the side of the house and installed full opening stacked sliding doors to the living space,” explained Day. “They allow the living area to flow onto the outdoor deck and into the back yard.”

Garden 3: The ‘breathing’ garden
This garden is in the middle of the house. A tiny garden that the bedroom and living area open onto, it was created by replacing a small window with a bi-fold door, so that light coming into the house was increased four-fold.
“It’s not a garden you can sit in, it’s a breathing and light garden that’s also great for cross ventilation,” explained Day.

Passive design for a top energy rating

Sealing this house was an integral part of the project: sealing it to not only shut out aircraft noise but to minimise heat loss.

Double-glazing with a highly energy-efficient glass was used. “In Sydney, it’s hard to justify putting in double-glazing,” said Day. “But double-glazing here solved the acoustic problem with aircraft noise, as well as solving heat loss to the south and west.”

There are also seals around the doors.

The floors and walls feature rigid core insulation, and the exterior is Scyon™ Matrix™ cladding. The wall paint includes an additive called ‘thermalite’, which increases the walls’ insulation rating.

Against the odds of facing south and west, the state-of-the-art insulating helped the house gain its 7.5-star energy rating.

Eco technology

One challenge of a fully sealed home is keeping the air inside clean and fresh.

To achieve this, the Day Bukh team installed a heat recovery ventilation system, the ERV-IC from Air Change. The energy-efficient system removes stale air from indoors and replaces it with pre-conditioned fresh air.

Solar energy was not an option at this house, simply because the property doesn’t get much sun. Neither was water recycling, because lots of the terraced houses in the row use the same system and Sydney Water quoted in the region of $18,000 to separate the water lines. “There is provision, in the rear garden, for water recycling to be introduced in future,” added Day.

Facts

Architect: Day Bukh Architects
Builder: Serenity Constructions
Location: John Street, Newtown, Sydney
Budget: $300,000
Materials:
• Timber frame
• Floor: concrete slab with 30ml rigid core insulation
• Walls: timber-framed with 30ml rigid core insulation
• Exterior: Scyon™ Matrix™ cladding

Healthy home: Designing for good quality air

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Ensuring your home is filled with clean, fresh, chemical-free air is important to you and your family’s health.

Central to this is good ventilation. But a lot of other factors – including some surprising ones – come into play.

Maintain appliances

Appliances, such as air conditioning systems and gas heaters, should be stringently looked after to help with indoor air quality.

Bacterial and fungal contamination of air filters in air conditioning units leads to poor indoor air quality, because the air indoors circulates through the system.

As winter is setting in, if you have a gas heater, make sure it is flued. Unflued gas heaters mean you’re breathing in the nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emitted from the combustion of gas.

Pick the kindest paint

Even the paint you choose impacts on the air quality inside your home.

Most paints, varnishes and sealants are made of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Alarmingly, according to the US Environment Protection Agency, the side effects of being exposed to some VOCs include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, plus damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system.

According to Peter Dingle, professor in environmental science and host of the TV show Is Your House Killing You?: “Volatile organic compounds are a class of chemical substances that are carbon-based and become airborne, or volatile, at room temperature.”

Dingle advises avoiding oil-based paints and solvent-based lacquers indoors. “All typical paints, if used indoors in a poorly-ventilated area, can cause serious health issues,” he said.

So, choose VOC-free paints for your home. Volvox’s Colours by Nature water-based range, for example, is made from naturally-derived raw materials including citrus peel extracts, essential oils, seed oils, tree resins, bee waxes and natural pigments.

Another choice is the Ecolour collection. Proudly VOC-free, these paints are water-based and made from recycled oil.

Plant some plants

Incorporating a few houseplants into your home can work wonders for the air quality.

Plants can remove up to 80% of VOCs from the air in your home – and you only need a few to achieve this.

For more on how plants help a home remain healthy, take a look at out our recent post on the important of plants to a healthy home.

Eradicate mould!

Mould is a massive contributing factor to poor indoor air quality in the home.

If you have areas of mould, eradicate them. Find out how in our recent post on the health risks of mould and how to combat it for good.

How do I… Stay warm (and green!) in bed this winter?

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Keeping it green, as we like to do at Light Home, we’ve investigated some of the options to help you keep warm in bed and happy in the knowledge you’re also doing something positive for the environment and creating an eco home.

Eco-friendly doonas, alpaca doonas – and even green electric blankets. Read on to find out more.

Eco doonas

Gosford-based Bambi, which started as a family business over 30 years ago, specialises in eco bedding and has a great range of eco doona options.

Eco-friendly fibres used in their products include cotton, wool, plantation-grown bamboo, Ingeo™, which comes from corn, and Tencel®, a 100% new age fibre, made of wood pulp cellulose that comes from sustainable forestry plantations.

Bambi’s Ecorenew range of doonas includes several designed for chilly nights, such as the Ecorenew Ingeo™ and the Ecorenew Tencel®.

Be as warm as an alpaca

Alpaca wool is also being used to fill some of the warmest doonas on the market. The wool is light but packed full of some high insulation properties, making it one of the warmest bedding products available.

The Benbellen Country Retreat, on the NSW mid-north coast, produces alpaca doonas, selecting, combing and washing the wool before using it to fill the doonas.

Tathara Alpacas, in Victoria, also makes alpaca doonas and their standard doona has a thermal rating equivalent to three and a half blankets. But they also produce a ‘His & Hers’ quilted alpaca doona – one side with a thermal rating of three and a half blankets and the other with a thermal rating of five blankets – perfect for couples who can’t agree on how thick their doona needs to be!

Should you switch on the electric blanket?

Electric blankets make things super-cosy. But for the eco-conscious, there’s the obvious concern that plugging your blanket in all night is a bad use of electricity.

There are eco electric blankets out there to ease your conscience.

The Econo-Heat E-care low voltage electric blanket uses minimal electricity to keep your bed warm and cosy all night. It also turns itself off automatically if it’s left running for more than 10 hours.

Keep up with the green news

Read more about how to ‘green up’ your life and turn your house into an eco home on the Light Home Green Undressed news page.

Eco living: Arty solutions

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

In this latest instalment in our Eco Living mini series, following on from posts on eco vintage and eco wallpaper, we’re taking a look at the options for including sustainable artwork in your home.

It’s not as difficult or expensive as you might think.

Recycled artwork

Studio Eco, based in South Australia, promotes sustainability by purchasing products that are environmentally and socially sustainable – such as reused products, recycled materials and ecologically sustainable resources.

Their Cardboard Safari range, made from recycled cardboard, is an unusual take on nature and art, with 3D rhino, moose and deer trophies available (from $25 each).

There is also some great wall art, such as these Chrysalis Butterflies ($45 each), each one made from a recycled saucer, so no two are the same.

Australian eco art

Better World Arts, based in Port Adelaide, produces environmentally responsible art using the traditional skills of indigenous artists and craftspeople.

Art, jewellery, rugs, bags, T-shirts and didgeridoos are available from Better World Arts. Shown is an example of the wall hangings on sale, from around $120 upwards.

Acrylic paintings, framed prints and graphic watercolours – all by local Australian artists – are available at Eco Chic.

There is artwork that captures the nature or cities of Australia, as well as more abstract and modern art. Prices range from $130 to just over $1,000. Original ideas include this silhouette of birds made from cutouts from old op shop books.

DIY eco painting

If you’re a budding artist yourself, there are arts and crafts products out there to help you create your own eco art.

Resource Rescue, in Melbourne, sells discounted eco-friendly craft supplies, collecting rejects, seconds and factory offcuts that would otherwise be thrown away, selling them to the community instead.

Whatever you’re after, chances are Resource Rescue will have it – plastics, wood, foam, fabrics, wool, paper and cardboard.

Cairns-based Enviromart Australia has a wide variety of eco-friendly art and craft products, made from non-toxic and recycled materials. They include clay, paper making kits, pencils, chalk and crayons.

A sloping challenge: Eco family home

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

“With more sloping blocks for sale these days and less flat land available, more and more people are looking at these styles of houses,” Leigh said.

Greenwith Mk3 is a true slope sensitive star. Built on a steeply sloping block in the Gold Coast’s Upper Coomera, it is the perfect large family home.

Big family home: ideal for granny too

At 384msq, Greenwith Mk3 is a big house. It has a dual frontage, so there are two separate entries. There is a self-contained bedroom, bathroom and walk-in wardrobe on the ground floor, while the main living area, with four bedrooms and an enormous veranda, is on the top level.

“The main challenge for this project was in creating the double street frontage,” said Leigh. “It’s quite an imposing looking home, but from both street frontages it’s a great looking home.”

The home is ideal for families looking for a home with a separate living area for an older relative, he adds.

“These houses lend themselves to dual living arrangements,” explained Leigh. “Downstairs is a guest room, or granny flat, which has its own ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. We have built quite a few homes like this for families who have granny living with them – it’s a popular design.”

Lightweight construction

The Greenwith Mk3 house was deliberately designed so that limited earthwork would be needed.

“We used a bearer and joist type construction on steel posts,” said Leigh. “We used less earthworks and less footings, to bring cost efficiency into it. As well as the savings you make from not using heavy steel and brickwork, the lightweight construction creates a bit of interest from the outside.

“Once upon a time it was all about brick veneer, but that doesn’t look as stylish as mixing it up with lightweight materials.”

Leigh used 16ml Scyon™ Linea™ weatherboard as external cladding, and Scyon™ Axon™ cladding on the ceiling lining of the deck.

Eco features

Greenwith Mk3 has a number of eco features to make it a sustainable home to live in.

These include low-energy LED lighting, heavily insulated walls, rainwater harvesting, natural gas for hot water and cooking, high efficiency inverter air conditioning units and great cross-flow ventilation.

Healthy home: How to prevent mould

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

If you have mould in your home, don’t ignore it. Consider it potentially harmful – and eradicate it.

Mould: the health risks

Moulds are living organisms that reproduce by releasing spores into the atmosphere. The spores from some types of mould can cause asthma, bronchitis and recurrent colds and flu.

Peter Dingle, environmental science professor and host of the TV show Is Your House Killing You?, said: “Symptoms of mould infestation can result in breathing problems, nasal and sinus congestion, eye irritation, sore throat and headaches.”

To grow, mould needs moisture, a food source (paper, paint, clothing, etc) and still air.

Most mould is due to condensation, but some stems from rising damp. Water collected at the base of walls will soak upwards.

Eradicating mould

For a healthy, mould-free home, the key is white vinegar. It sounds archaic, but good old white vinegar is the ideal solution to killing a mould infestation.

Once the mould has been cleaned away, sources of moisture (condensation, rising damp, leaks, poor ventilation) should be fixed.

Rising damp is the toughest form of mould to conquer. It might be necessary to contact an expert, as the best solutions are to replace or repair the damp-proof course, repair leaky plumbing and improve under-floor ventilation.

Building to prevent mould

Buildings designed for health are bad news for mould. Two options for building a healthy home are ‘breathable’ walls and walls that are impervious to water.

James Hardie manufactured products, for example, contain no VOCs. They have clever water-shedding capabilities, meaning they are water resistant and won’t soak up water and get damp.

Using breathable materials, on the other hand, has the same mould-resistant results. Using breathable materials – such as Heradesign linings – absorbs moisture in the air more quickly, eradicating surface condensation.

This article is part of a Light Home series on healthy homes. Read also:

Healthy home: How much technology is too much?

Healthy home: How plants can clean the air – and boost your mood

Green living: Choosing an efficient hot water system

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Picking a system that’s gentle on the environment is key, as there are huge differences in the impact of one system compared to another.

Electricity and gas are the most common fuels for heating water. The ultra-green option, however, is solar power.

Electricity is NOT the eco answer

There are obvious plusses to having an electric hot water system: electricity is available everywhere and it means you can heat water at any time of day or night.

But there are big negatives. Standard electric systems produce about four tonnes of greenhouse gases per year – that’s about three times as much as a gas or solar hot water system.

Because of these statistics, Australian government regulations have been implemented to limit electric water systems, which means they can no longer be installed in new or existing detached, terrace or town houses where there is access to natural gas.

Choose gas for efficiency

First of all, you need to find out if you have access to piped natural gas. If you do, you can choose any low emission water heater.

If you don’t have access to natural gas, bottled LPG is an option, but is likely to be two to three times more expensive to run.

A gas-boosted solar water heater is the most efficient choice. The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency’s website states: “A gas-boosted solar water heater emits the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions in most parts of Australia and is a good choice if you want to do your part in tackling climate change.”

Go green: Solar water heaters

For the ultimate in eco friendly living, and long-term economical benefits, you need a solar-powered water heater. But, if trees or other buildings shade your home, it’s unfortunately not a good option.

Positioned on a north-facing roof that gets lots of sun is the best location for solar panels, but they can also work well on east or west-facing roofs with a support frame to angle them to the north.

Storage or instantaneous water heaters?

Storage water heaters hold a readily available store of hot water. They work by releasing hot water from the top of the tank when you turn the tap on. That hot water is replaced by cold water entering the bottom of the tank.

For optimum efficiency, you should choose a tank that has a thermal resistance (R-Value) of R-12 to R-25.

As the name suggest, instantaneous water heaters heat the water on demand. When you turn on the tap, the system kick-starts and heats the water using a gas burner or electric element.

The right hot water system for your home

Choice has some good advice on which hot water system is right for your household.

Small household, 1-2 people: A gas-boosted solar hot water system might be the best option if solar access is good. But a gas storage or instantaneous system will probably be cheaper to install.
Medium household, 3-4 people: Gas systems, instantaneous or storage, are a good option. Heat pumps and solar power are also a good choice.
Large household, 5+ people: Bigger tanks are needed and, with the potential of making bigger savings, it’s worth seriously considering solar. Storage systems will probably be more economical than instantaneous systems.

DIY the green way

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Whether it’s an electrician you need to sort out the light fittings, a plumber to sort out your bathroom or even a cleaner to pop in once a week, if eco is on your mind you’ll want to do it the green way.

Here’s the good news: there are businesses out there that specialise in sustainability when it comes to fixing up your home, and there is a website out there dedicated to helping you find them.

New website Oneflare is a marketplace for home services – and it has a whole host of eco-friendly businesses on its books, from painters, removal services, plumbers and electricians to cleaners, renovation experts and builders.

We spoke to Tommy Lim, one of the three founders of Oneflare.

Finding eco service providers

Oneflare is connected to more than 90,000 businesses across the country. By submitting a request through Oneflare customers can expect five quotes back from local service providers.

And you can specifically request eco-friendly quotes.

Included in Oneflare’s bank of businesses are green cleaners who specialise in environmentally friendly products, eco electricians who specialise in energy-efficient lighting and energy-efficient appliances, and environmentally friendly plumbers who specialise in water saving devices like taps and shower heads.

Fast service & eco guarantee

Oneflare has taken over $2 million worth of service requests to date, and handled over 4,000 requests.

The company’s record is five quotes in 14 minutes, but the average customer gets at least three quotes by the end of the day.

Oneflare offers a service guarantee, too, explains director & co-founder Tommy Lim. “Our Home Care Guarantee is offered for some providers, with cover for up to $500, so Oneflare will send someone else to fix the job. Quotes are obligation-free.”

How to find an eco DIY expert

Once you’re on the Oneflare website, click on the large red button on the homepage that says ‘Request a Home Service’.

Then fill in the form, stating which service you need, when you want the job done, where the job is and what you need done. In this last section, state that you are seeking a green DIY expert.

Oneflare will then contact its service providers in your local area and invite them to quote for the work. By the end of the day, you should expect to have your quotes back.

You will get details of the businesses, their Oneflare rating and their quote. Then it’s up to you to contact and hire the business you like.

Townsville trio: Nine-star eco cottages

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The three new homes in Townsville have been awarded an impressive nine-star building energy rating, thanks to their eco design and sustainable features.

Their nine stars are not their only big achievement: they were built in just 14 weeks – during which time there was 500ml of rain in the area.

Architect Mark Hall designed the cottages – on the site of a former big old house – with both eco-friendly practises and appearance in mind.

Cottages in keeping

Ensuring the new homes fitted in with the established street scene was critical to getting approval from the council.

“It took about six months to get the plans approved by the council,” explained Hall. “The main issue was that the site is adjacent to heritage-listed houses on three sides – the street is even known locally as ‘Heritage Street’.”

It was important that the designs were in keeping with the area. So, for example, the roofs are common pitched to match the neighbourhood’s homes.

“The surrounding houses are of a Californian bungalow style, so I incorporated a gable of exposed timber,” added Hall. “Without outright copying the surrounding houses, I brought in elements of their design.”

Construction challenges

The 14-week timescale of the build spanned from January to May – which was a wet four months in north Queensland. But the project was able to go ahead through the rain.

“Because we used lightweight framing, we could still get access to the site and continue working through all the rain,” explained Hall.

“The builder was able to stand the frames when it was muddy because there wasn’t any heavy equipment on the site, which was a big bonus. It meant that the builder and carpenter could carry on with their work, as there was no necessity to bring in steel or welders to fabricate things.”

Achieving the nine stars

Factors including orientation, lightweight materials, the relatively small size of the three-bedroom cottages and their layout contributed to the nine star energy rating.

“Orientation is one of the biggest factors,” said Hall. “I wanted the main length of the homes to run east-west, with the shortest wall facing the street, so that the heat on the walls from the sun is vastly reduced.”

Lightweight materials were key to achieving the desired look within the required timeframe.

“The use of the Scyon™ Linea™ weatherboard was a big advantage because we could match it in with the weatherboard of the other houses in the street,” explained Hall.

The timber frames enabled heavy insulation to be included in each cottage, as well as a greater floor area. “Traditionally in north Queensland, 200ml concrete block is used,” Hall said. “By using the timber frame, we reduced that to 100ml on each wall, which amounts to a lot of space over the whole house.”

Taking on the project as their own, Hall and his wife Lisa are now in the process of leasing out the cottages to tenants.

Facts

Architect: Mark Hall Building Design
Builder: Glenn Sexton
Location: Hermit Park, Townsville, north Queensland
Materials:

Timber frame
Scyon™ Linea™ weatherboard
HardieTex™, which was rendered
Breezway louvres throughout each cottage

Eco living: Wallpaper with a green edge

Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Following last week’s post about eco vintage, eco wallpaper is the next stop in our whistle-stop tour of how to live in a sustainable home.

Wallpaper has a new reputation

In the past, wallpaper had a bit of a poor eco name. The adhesives used on pre-pasted wallpaper emit vapours, the chemicals in vinyl wallpaper can harbour mould, and mould growth behind wallpaper aggravates a plethora of health problems.

But wallpaper is making a comeback, with a new eco-friendly face.

Eco wallpaper: some options

Graham & Brown, in WA, has a range of sustainable wallpaper – but also prides itself on being eco-friendly as a company. Their wallpaper is all printed on paper from managed timber sources, so for every tree that is felled for paper, another three are planted.

Collingwood-based Funky Wombat Textiles has a range of eco-friendly non-woven wallpaper (non-woven means they are tear-resistant). Made of both natural and synthetic fibres, the wallpapers are washable and breathable, making them resistant to mould and mildew. We love this ‘Birds in the gumnuts’ design.

And Queensland-based Eco Chic stocks trendy wallpapers made from FSC-certified pulp and recycled paper, as well as being printed with solvent-free, environmentaly-friendly water-based inks.

Wallpaper paste: how to make your own

Wallpaper pastes are chock-full of toxic chemicals, which prevent mould growing and enable wallpaper to be removed relatively easily.

But they are nasty, too – some toxic pastes out there will emit harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that contribute to indoor air pollution.

An alternative option for your eco home is to make your own. Here’s a great recipe from Care2:

Ingredients (makes 1 cup of paste):

1 cup flour (wheat, corn or rice)
3 teaspoons alum
Water
10 drops of clove oil

Method:

Combine the flour and alum in a double boiler (if you don’t have a double boiler, put a small pan inside a bigger one that contains enough water that can be brought to the boil without overflowing).
Add enough water to make a consistency of heavy cream, stir until blended.
Heat and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened to a gravy texture.
Let it cool, then stir in the clove oil.
Pour it into a jar with a screw top. Store in the fridge, it will keep for two weeks.

Healthy home: How much technology is too much?

Mon, 28 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

We’re talking technology. In the 21st century, it really is inescapable. Whether it’s the TV, the computer, the microwave, your e-reader, a games console, the sat nav or your mobile phone, technology has infiltrated every sector of our lives.

But despite advances in technology helping us in a million and one ways we’re posing the question: How much technology is too much?

Technology at home: the facts

First up, here are a few facts to put you in the picture:

Televisions are now the fourth biggest electricity user in our homes.
Electronic waste is now growing three times faster than any other type of waste in Australia.
Home electronics and computer products account for about 15% of global household energy use.

Technological health risks

With all this technology comes the inevitable health scares – some unproven, but some proven.

Hours sitting in front of a computer or TV can be bad for your back, not to mention your eyes. Blasting out music into your headphones is obviously bad for your ears. Repeatedly texting on your mobile phone has resulted in cases of repetitive strain injury. And all this technology takes us away from the fundamentals of good health: exercise, healthy eating and (face-to-face) social interaction.

According to Australian Hearing, almost 70% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 72% of 25 to 34-year-olds suffer from ringing in their ears, known in the medical world as tinnitus. And the most common cause of this is music – either through headphones or live at concerts.

Hunching over a computer for hours on end is not only bad for your health it’s a possible life-limiter. Good posture at the desk and a comfortable and supportive chair are paramount.

“We evolved to be upright and mobile,” Dr Patrick Sim, spokesman for the Chiropractors Association of Australia, told Body+Soul. “The more hunched you are after the age of 60, the more your risk of death increases because the heart and lungs are compressed, reducing oxygen and blood flow.”

Turn off the TV

A recent Australian study proved a link between cardiovascular disease and spending hours in front of the TV. The short story is: watching TV means you’re sedentary, and sedentary is bad for your health.

Researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne monitored the TV viewing habits of 8,000 adults over six years. They found that someone who watches four hours of TV a day has an 80% higher risk of death from heart disease compared to someone who watches less than two hours.

Do mobile phones cause cancer?

There has been plenty of scaremongering about the potential health risks associated with mobile phones ever since they first emerged.

The Cancer Council’s website explains that chemicals, known as carcinogens, cause cancer, but mobile phones have an ‘unknown carcinogenic risk’ which remains to be established.

So, there is no definitive answer. Anyone who’s concerned should limit their exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic energy by using a hands-free kit.

Healthy technology tips

Turn down the volume coming through your headphones to a level where you can still hear someone at arm’s length, without them having to shout.
Excessive sitting in front of a TV or computer can cause dry eyes, as the tendency is to blink less. Use eye drops and take regular breaks.
Incorporate a walk and some fresh air into your day.
Limit the amount of time you and your family spend in front of the TV.

Healthy homes mini-series

This post forms part of Light Home’s mini-series on creating a healthy home.

Last week, we kicked off the series with a post about the importance of plants in the home. Keep checking in for the forthcoming instalments.

How do I… Cut my power bills?

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Heating your home is sure to put the biggest dent in your pocket. But there’s plenty you can do to save cash and energy – and make your home greener.

We’ve got lots of tips on how to save money on your power bills this winter too, it just takes a bit of thought and a bit of planning.

Power bills: the facts

When it comes down to the nitty gritty, the figures on power bills can be scary.

Did you know, for example, that it costs in the region of 3 cents an hour to have your TV on standby? Every gadget – if left on standby rather than switched off at the socket – is costing you.

To save energy and money, all gadgets and appliances (TVs, DVD players, computers, stereos) should be switched off at the wall and not left on standby or in ‘sleep’ mode.

Also, turn lights off in rooms you’re not using, and switch any old incandescent bulbs for low-wattage compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs.

Money-saving heating tips

Recently, we explored the options of home heating this winter. Now we have tips on how to save money on heating your home.

• Draught-proof the house: Fix draught stoppers on doors, draught-proof your windows with insulation strips, close off open fireplaces.
• Watch the windows: Cover windows with curtains or blinds at night. Don’t cover north-facing windows during the day – take advantage of the sun.
• Lower the heat: Don’t heat rooms to tropical temperatures – wear a jumper instead or use a hot water bottle.
• Close the doors: Close the doors between heated and unheated areas, and only heat the rooms you’re using.

Be water wise

Another way to lower your energy bills is to be economical with water – especially hot water. It can pay dividends when the bills land on the doormat.

Some tips on economical water usage:
• Shower, don’t bath: A seven-minute shower will use about 53 litres of water. Baths require about 80 litres.
• Use a full dishwasher: Only use the dishwasher when you have full loads. If the dishwasher is full, you’ll use up to 35% less water than washing by hand.
• Use a full washing machine: Wash full loads in the washing machine, at 30 degrees and on short wash cycles.
• Avoid the dryer: Don’t use the dryer if you can help it – hang clothes on a line instead. The dryer is one of the environment’s biggest enemies, sapping up to a whopping 5000 watts a time.

Home energy monitor

To find out exactly how much it is costing you to run appliances, leave things on standby and have that heater running 24/7, invest in a home energy monitor.

These devices tell you how much electricity you’re using at any one time – and which devices are sucking electricity and therefore costing you a small fortune.

There are lots on the market, but the Efergy e2 energy saving monitor is simple to use and includes software so you can track your energy usage on your computer.

The perfect small lot: A home of contrasts

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Flinders, in Queensland’s Brighton, was completed last year – to the brief of simple, no-fuss living, suitable for a couple to spend their retirement years.

As well as the challenges that come with a small lot and a limited budget, it would have been criminal if the house didn’t make the most of the bay views it has from the front.

Bucking the home design trends

Shawn Godwin, director of Base Architecture, said: “This house goes against a few traditions. Rather than putting the driveway in front of the house, we decided to send it along the side, leaving the whole façade of the house to enjoy the views of the bay.”

The clients had a lot of unique, older furniture pieces that they wanted to take into their new home.

“We had to make sure that these pieces of furniture had a home,” explained Godwin. “Then, once we knew where things were going, we made sure the windows worked around where the furniture would sit.

“It’s a very different style of furniture to what you would typically put in a contemporary home like this, but for us it was important to find a home for each piece. It’s very contrasting and makes the home really interesting.”

A simple home design

With the brief for a simple, low maintenance home – with a budget of $450,000 – Base Architecture designed a two-storey house that enables the occupants to live entirely downstairs.

“The house has an upper level, with two bedrooms and a bathroom, but this is really only to enable their children and grandchildren to stay,” explained Godwin.

Downstairs there is an outdoor room and a living room, dining room and kitchen just inside that. Behind that is the laundry room, master bedroom and ensuite.

With the house being the width of the living room all the way to the back, Godwin said they were able to maximise on cross ventilation and getting light into the house.

Keeping it light

The site is out on a bay so, from a maintenance perspective, the architects looked at using materials that would work in tandem with the conditions of the area, and would be low maintenance.

“We used lightweight materials and local timbers,” said Godwin. “We used off-the-shelf products that don’t have the appearance of being mass-produced – James Hardie PrimeLine® weatherboard, for example. ”

Base Architecture also took a different approach to the roof design.
Godwin said: “Because there is a lot of salt build-up in the area, as it’s close to the water, we took away the ridges of the roof and came up with a fairly simple, single pitched roof.”

These clever – but simple – design solutions were recognised earlier this month when Flinders won a regional commendation at the 2012 Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards in the Residential Architecture: Houses category.

Facts

Architect: Base Architecture

Project: Flinders

Location: Brighton, Queensland
Size: 220sqm

Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones

Eco living: Vintage is back in fashion

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Re-loving old favourites is a great way to add some style to your home, whilst being eco-friendly at the same time. After all, every item that’s saved from the rubbish dump is a big plus in sustainable living.

What’s more, you can pretty much guarantee nobody else will have the same as you – it will be unique as well as eco.

Vintage furniture and décor is, in fact, so trendy that some companies have dedicated themselves to restoring it and re-selling it, ready to be re-loved. We’ve researched some of the best.

Second hand chic

The 2ndhandShop, in Melbourne, buys ’50s to ’70s furniture, home décor and other items, then restores and reupholsters them before selling them on. Every item is unique – so if you miss it, it’s gone for good.

At any time, there are all kinds of random and unusual items for sale, from lamps and dinner sets to typewriters and retro radios - plus all sorts of chairs, tables and other furniture.

This art deco table top radio is a collector’s edition model that will take people back a few years.

Their Retro Egg Armchairs are great: psychedelic patterns and genuine vintage to add character to any lounge room.

Retro and rare home furnishings

Queensland’s addVintage specialises in selling retro, Danish and Eames-era furniture and collectibles.

The company has some great mid-century and retro vintage lounge chairs and suites, ready to take your lounge room back a few years.

They also have a big selection of vintage cabinets, mostly wooden and with that classic square and simple mid-century look.

Vintage chic

Sustainable furniture and home wares website Eco Chic offers a selection of vintage items, with plenty of choice to cater for every vintage era.

The company hunts out funky furniture cast offs, then reupholsters chairs, paints tables and cleans items up ready for resale. Items include chairs, suitcases, cabinets, sofas, lamps and tables – and each one is a one-off, guaranteeing that uniqueness.

This stack of vintage suitcases is enough to personalise any home, vintage-style.

And we love the restored Vintage Kantha Armchairs, each one covered by an original Indian ‘Gudri’ blanket.

Eco focus

We’re embarking on a mini-series with an eco focus over the coming weeks here at Light Home.

Look out for forthcoming blogs on more great ideas for eco-ing up you home simply and effectively.

Healthy homes: Plants are a lifeline

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The humble houseplant can work wonders for green living. Not only do they look good, plants can boost people’s moods and even clean the air.

Here at Light Home, we are embarking on a mini-series tackling the issue of how to make your home healthy. The first stop for this is plants.

Plants breed happiness

Indoor plant expert Anne Briggs, marketing & communications manager at Ambius Indoor Plants in Alstonville, NSW, explained: “People want to be surrounded by nature. They are much happier, less anxious and healthier if they have some form of nature close to them.

“So it’s really important to have plants in the home. Wherever there are people, you need plants.”

The concept is called ‘biophilia’. It is the need to connect with nature.

“Basically, it goes back to caveman times – you need to have some nature there,” added Briggs.

Modern life needs plants

With today’s trends of apartment-style living and air conditioning units in the home, the need for plants is even greater.

“Increasingly, people are living in enclosed spaces at home,” said Briggs. “These are the places where you need to consider having plants.”

But plants also serve an important role in cleaning the air. Plants can remove up to 80% of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the air in your home.

To achieve this, you don’t need to set up a forest in your home. “You don’t need loads of plants,” explained Briggs. “Some people like a jungle or big statement plants, but one plant on its own will have a positive impact on a room.”

Which plants?

What if you want to bring a little greenery into your home but don’t have the greenest thumb around?

A great place to start is with succulents. “Sansevieria, more commonly known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue, is a succulent and is a popular choice,” Briggs said. “They are very hard to kill – they are tough and they love neglect.

Other good options for plants that are easy to care for include bromeliads, peace lilies and the Chinese evergreen.

Briggs added: “I also love orchids. They will flower for up to two months and are works of art.”

Contact

Anne Briggs -

Jody Hammond - jody@writeaway.com.au

How to heat your home… without burning through cash

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

To help you get started, we’ve explored the options – and come up with some advice on how to heat your home, which heaters might suit you best and how much they cost.

Heating options: electricity, gas or solid fuel

Choosing how your heating is powered is the first choice.

Electricity is simple: it’s available pretty much everywhere, and electric heaters are energy-efficient and don’t produce pollutants. You just need to plug it in and you’re ready to go.

That said, portable electric heaters can be quite expensive to run and their heating capacity is limited to 2.4kW, which might not be enough to keep bigger areas warm.

Natural gas is cheap: it’s generally cheaper than using electric heaters, and the heating capacity isn’t as limited as with electricity. Gas heaters are rated with a star system – the more stars, the more energy efficient.

However, natural gas isn’t available everywhere and the heaters produce gases that need to be dispersed through a flue.

Solid fuel is available everywhere: you just need somewhere to store the firewood or coal. Using a log fire or log burner can be very cheap – even free, if you live in a rural area.

Of course, you will need a chimney and the environmental news isn’t as good: smoke from fires contributes to air pollution.

Electric heaters: oil-filled, convection, fan or radiant?

Electric heaters are the option open to everyone.

If electric heaters are your best choice, you’ve then got several options. They are all simple to use, have different heat settings and a safety cut-out.

But how does each work?

Oil-filled heaters use electricity to heat the oil inside.
Convection heaters have a heating element that draws in cold air, heats it and the hot air rises.
Fan heaters are great for small areas or for taking a chill off, but can be noisy.
Radiant heaters have a heating element that gets red hot, but they are relatively inefficient.

How much will a heater cost?

Fan heaters: upwards of about $25
Radiant heaters: upwards of about $30
Convection heaters: upwards of about $40
Oil heaters: upwards of about $50

Want a happy home? Invest in design

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Those are the insights of Alice Rawsthorn, design critic at the International Herald Tribune, who addressed home design devotees at the designEX conference in Sydney this week.

“Design is all about well-being,” Rawsthorn said. “It’s about empowering people and making them feel confident and able to negotiate life in the world around them. Design and happiness have always been interlinked – and bad design leads to unhappiness.”

Design and happiness: an historical disconnect

Historically, the emphasis with design has been on practicality. “Design has historically been a resourceful, intuitive response to a practical issue,” explained Rawsthorn.

She singled out early 20th century Danish designer Arne Jacobsen’s soup spoon. “Jacobsen was a rationalist,” said Rawsthorn. “He worked out the minimum amount of material needed. It’s exactly the right size and it’s a brilliant example of form follows function. But it’s not designed in joyful terms, it’s designed in terms of practicality.”

But, in today’s world, we seek more from design – we crave meaning and sensuality, as well as the practical function.

The non-negotiables of good design

According to Rawsthorn, there are three non-negotiable components of good design and, without them, a design project is not successful.

• Function. The bottom line of design is that unless it fulfils its function, it cannot be well designed.
• Conscience. If a design gives us cause for concern in any way, ethically or environmentally, it cannot be well designed and it cannot make us happy.
• Integrity. A good design project will be used in good conscience through every stage of its life. An example of where this went wrong is when UK supermarket Morrisons tried to score eco points by packaging bananas with biodegradable packaging – but what is the point of packaging a banana?

On top of this, Rawsthorn argued, an optional element of good design is beauty.

How design can lead to happiness

Rawsthorn discussed Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who deliberately uses unexpected mixtures of materials and techniques in her designs.

“Her projects are conceptually very powerful and there is also something very joyful about her work,” said Rawstorn.

Jongerius’ Polder Sofa, for example, is one of the best selling sofas in the design end of the market in recent years. “It’s an impeccably designed sofa, with mis-matched buttons and fabrics. Everything about it tells us it’s a lovely old sofa that we’ve used for years – and yet it’s not. Hella injects a human sense into her work, giving us a real sense of happiness, even though her pieces are mass-manufactured.”

American double amputee Aimee Mullins was also chosen by Rawsthorn as an example of how happiness is important to good design. Mullins worked with designers to create different prosthetics for different uses – sports, everyday, evenings, etc – and went on become not only the first American amputee to compete in collegiate sports but a career in acting and modelling.

“Aimee is a wonderful example of an individual whose life could have been very limited and unhappy if she hadn’t taken charge,” said Rawsthorn. “She has become what she calls ‘super-abled’ rather than disabled. That’s a great example of how good design can being happiness.”

Good design: practical and fun

Ultimately, Rawsthorn argued, great design occurs when products balance the serious with the playful.

“However playful, joyful and stylish projects are, unless they work and are efficient, organised and environmentally responsible, they can’t lead to happiness.”

Eco living on a grand scale

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Seventeen townhouses on the edge of Canberra – slap bang in the middle of an impressive $4 million landscaping project – to be precise.

Planinac is general manager of Pavilion Homes, the company behind the Springbank Waters project that will bring eco living on a big scale to the Casey suburb.

The new homes, due to be completed early next year, will be a shining example of eco living and Australian home design in the area – as the designs are 6-star energy rated.

Springbank Waters is part of Springbank Rise, a new estate in Casey. “It’s a premium estate,” said Planinac. “About $4 million has been spent on landscaping and creating the lake and community centre.”

A lightweight boutique development

The Pavilion Homes townhouses will form a small, architecturally designed boutique development of light homes.

The two-storey townhouses will be built in two blocks: one row of seven townhouses will look out across the lake and the park, and the other 10 houses will overlook parkland with impressive views to the rear across the city.

The upper levels of the homes will be of lightweight construction to minimise necessary steelwork and to enable the homes to take advantage of the sun. The lightweight construction also allows for a raked ceiling in 10 of the homes, with a north-facing window to capture the sun.

Living areas are upstairs in the townhouses, providing better views across the area and to make the most of the heat captured by the raked ceilings from the sun. The living areas also incorporate a decked area overlooking the park.

“It was important to us to make these lightweight and eco friendly homes,” said Planinac.

“The upper levels of the homes will be made from lightweight materials to allow us to create the raked ceilings easily and cost-effectively. Rather than being a typical development, we have designed, at extra expense, these ceilings to allow the sun into the rooms.

“On top of this, internal party walls are also lightweight and, externally, there will be weatherboard cladding to the top wall sections.”

Altogether, there are five different designs for the 17 new homes, each with either three or four bedrooms.

Sustainable homes

The Springbank Waters townhouse designs have a raft of features to make them sustainable, eco homes, on top of the raked roofs to capture the sun’s heat.

There will be a central storm water collection tank, so all rainwater will flow from the homes to a central tank to be recycled.

Some of the installations in the homes are also green, including the taps and toilets. All taps in the homes will be WELS rated, which means they meet water-saving standards set by the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme. And all toilets will be low flush.

Display home open now

Construction is about to begin on the project and will run until between December 2012 and April 2013, depending on the weather and the registration of the titles with the council.

There is currently a display home open across the road from Springbank Waters, which shows 99% of the inclusions that will be in the new homes.

Energy efficiency basics: building an eco home

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Light Home reader Serena Wilson contacted us with the question: “How much does it cost to build a fully energy efficient home? With all the fancy stuff?”

Putting a price on building an eco home is near impossible – how long is a piece of string? So, we’ve taken it back to basics to explore what an energy efficient home is, and to give an overview of the kinds of things you can do to get one.

What is an energy efficient home?

Put simply, an energy efficient home is one that’s designed to make the most of natural heating, cooling and lighting.

It will use efficient design principles and building materials to reduce the need for appliances such as lights, heaters, fans and air conditioning units.

The result should be lower energy bills, as well as a more eco-friendly home with less greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy efficient basics

The right design in the first place is the only way to get a truly energy efficient home.

The orientation, location, layout, insulation, glazing, ventilation, draught-proofing, shading and landscaping all come into play.

The ideal is for the living areas of the house to face north to make use of the sun.

Passive solar design

Over the past year at Light Home, we’ve talked to lots of experts – architects, design experts, builders and eco experts – and they all repeat the same phrase: ‘passive solar design’.

Passive solar design is the back-to-basics approach to building an eco home. It is about building a home that adapts to the seasons, taking advantage of natural heating and cooling like the sun, shade and breeze.

The secret is well-positioned windows that let in the sun during cooler months but are shaded by eaves from the high summer sun, and also allow ventilation when it’s warm.

Light Home has spoken to Professor Richard Hyde, author of Climate Responsive Design and Professor of Architectural Science at the University of Sydney. Find out what he had to say about passive solar design.

Terry Hodges, director of West Coast Designs, has also shared his tips on how to build an energy efficient home – without breaking the bank.

Energy efficiency: the fancy stuff

So, what about all the ‘fancy stuff’ that Serena asked about?

The options are many. But some of the fundamentals are:

Solar panels:

For a clean, cost-effective way to generate renewable electricity, solar panels are the way to go. Following the initial expense of buying and having the panels installed, you’ll be generating power for your home, for free.

The cost of solar panels depends on how big a system you want. The government’s Solar Credits rebate scheme enables you to claim back about half the cost of a 1.5kw solar system, so you’re looking at an overall expense in the region of $3,000.

For some tips on how to go about researching and installing solar panels, see our blog post How do I… Plan my solar system?

Grey water recycling:

Re-using water within the home is also a simple way to be eco-friendly – and save money on your bills.

A grey water recycling system takes water from our sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, showers and baths and reuses it within the home for things such as watering the garden, cleaning the car, running the washing machine and flushing the toilet.

Read our blog post, The lowdown on greywater systems, for more information.

Bio pools:

Have you got a swimming pool? It could be a lot more eco friendly – and energy efficient – if it were a bio pool.

Bio pools do away with chemicals and filtration systems, relying on ecological systems (plants) and bio-technology to do the hard work.

You can read about bio pools and how they work in our blog post on them.

A simple energy-saving move you can make now

Simply swapping old light bulbs for LED bulbs will make your home more energy efficient.

LED bulbs have a longer lifespan – up to 50,000 hours – and use less power by operating on a lower voltage than fluorescent, halogen and incandescent bulbs.

Light Home explores energy saving lighting in more detail in Green light: LED lighting more energy efficient and Green lighting: Why you need to make the switch.

Shipping goods? Beware condensation

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

But shipping containers run the almost-invisible risk of condensation.

Light Home reader Sally Ennor contacted us with a common problem of protecting your belongings while they’re packed up in a container.

Sally asked: “What’s the easy way to stop condensation on ceilings and walls of shipping containers?”

Condensation in containers

The contents of your container could become moisture-damaged due to condensation, which can form from any moisture in your belongings (such as inside a washing machine) or from prolonged periods of external humidity.

Condensation is most likely to form on the container ceiling, the coldest part of the container, leading to ‘container rain’.

While all shipping containers have vents to promote airflow and keep water out, it is almost impossible to account for any moisture within the contents.

Moisture and condensation can lead to fungi, mould and bacteria – so keeping your container condensation-free is important. Beginning with making sure everything you pack is dry.

Silica gel to prevent condensation

When it comes to preventing condensation, silica gel is the buzzword.

Silica gel packs, similar to the kind you find in new bags and shoeboxes, ‘drink’ up moisture in the surrounding air.

Experts recommend putting silica gel in the washing machine drum, if you’re shipping one, as it is almost impossible to drain all the water from the machine.

Silica Gel Australia, based in Burleigh in Queensland, sells silica gel sachets, beads and dehumidifiers.

Silica gel packets (from $8.50 for a pack of 50) work by sealing a product in a polythene bag or container together with the gel packet. The dehumidifier units, which start at $9.95, however, can go direct into a shipping container.

Desiccant packs to absorb moisture

There are some companies out there selling desiccant packs specifically designed for shipping containers.

Victorian-based JMP Holdings has come up with Wisecargo Gel Desiccant, which absorbs moisture to control humidity inside the container.

JMP Holdings’ website states: “Wisecargo’s sorbent is a unique formula, which can absorb up to 280% of its weight under the condition of 25 degrees and 90% humidity. With such a large absorption rate, the sorbent turns into a leak proof gel for added product protection.”

Similarly, Sud-Chemie, based in Penrith in NSW, manufactures absorbant and desiccant bags – the Desi Pak, Sorb-It, Tri-Sorb and Container Dri II, all of which absorb moisture vapour.

More shipping containers information

Check Port Container Services if you’re after more information on shipping your goods safely.

And if you’re after a little more inspiration when it comes to shipping containers, have a look at our article and podcast on a shipping container house.

Water recycling: How to recycle blackwater

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Following on from last week’s instalment about greywater recycling, this week we’re taking it one step further and investigating the possibilities for blackwater, AKA sewage.

It depends on where you live, and it can be tough to get clearance from your council to be allowed to install a blackwater recycling system at home. Tough, but not impossible.

We spoke to Peter Spinks, general manager of Garden Master in Rutherford, NSW, who has been in the water recycling business for 29 years.

Blackwater recycling: the basics

Whilst greywater covers most of the waste water from our homes (water from sinks, washing machines, showers, dishwashers and baths), blackwater is the nasty stuff – the toilet waste.

A blackwater recycling system will collect all the dirty water from your home, filter it, treat it, and re-use it in the garden for irrigation.

The water cleaning process

The Garden Master Elite is a home sewerage treatment tank that is installed underground in the garden.

“The system relies on anaerobic bacteria, which is produced by your solids,” explained Peter. When waste water enters the system it goes through five stages:

Septic tank: Anaerobic bacteria builds by the billions and the waste turns mud-like.
Secondary tank: The waste water is treated with air, via an air blower that sits on top of the tank and mulches the water like a spa bath.
Filter: The aerated water is filtered and clarified.
Sterilisation: Chlorine is added to the water to kill bacteria.
Irrigation chamber: The treated water is used to irrigate the garden.

The irrigation is then either above ground or underground, to a specific area in the garden dedicated to receiving the irrigated water. Shrubs and trees will extract the remaining nutrients from the water.

“There is no smell at all,” said Peter. “The only way it will smell is if the customer puts bacteria killers like Napisan, hospital cleaner or hair dye into it. As long as they don’t do this, the system will be crystal clear with no problems or smells.”

Restrictions of blackwater recycling

Unfortunately, it’s not simply a case of deciding you want to be super self-sufficient and start treating your sewage at home.

It all depends on where you live. Basically, metropolitan areas are out, rural areas are in.

“If you live in a metropolitan area, you have to hook up to the sewerage system – that’s a mandatory requirement,” explained Peter. “But in Australia there are so many areas that are rural and not connected to metropolitan sewage systems, you only have to get a few kilometres out of the cities – there are already 2-300,000 black water recycling systems out there.”

There are also requirements that need to be met – set by the local council – to ensure systems are safe.

“We visit the customer and look at the house plans or site plan, then draw everything up for the council, making sure all the health requirements and planning requirements are met,” added Peter.

The cost of blackwater recycling

A fully installed Garden Master Elite will costs in the region of $11,000.

Garden Master also supplies a greywater recycling system – the ultraGTS.

“The hardest thing with greywater recycling is getting rid of lint, but our system uses a membrane to filter it out,” said Peter.

The ultraGTS, which comes with water tanks, the filtration unit itself and pressure pumps, costs about $15,000.

Room to breathe

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

You have a block of land and want to build a beautiful house on it. But how much of that land should the house take up? Three-quarters? Half ? A quarter? Even less, if you’re Penni Sutton and Peter Jongen. They took a modest plot and built an even more modest house on just a fifth of their overall land. Why would they do that? Partly to show it can be done.

The couple, who live in Albany on the coast of Western Australia, owned a 1969 house on a traditional quarter-acre block. After subdividing, they ended up with a 450 square metre plot – and built upon it a two-storey home with a footprint of just 90 square metres. What was left was enough surrounding land to provide external living space and an edible garden where they now grow vegetables, fruit trees, perennial herbs and edible flowers.

Architect Jongen and interior designer Sutton designed and built the home themselves. Concerned by the challenges of climate change and potential energy and water shortages, their goal in small design was to explore concepts of how much is 'enough': How many rooms do we really need to be happy? How much should a home really cost? And how much should we push our natural resources?

“From the project’s inception, we’ve sought to use it as an example of just how productive we can be with land, without getting into a war of sustainability versus cost or – even worse – lifestyle sacrifice,” says Jongen. “This is a house and land package that uses the ideals of sustainability to enhance lifestyle without complicating it.”

The overall area of the home, across the two levels, is just over 170 square metres, but parts of it are multi-use to keep its footprint low. The upstairs hallway, for example, is also a library, while other areas are intentionally small, like the narrow bathroom, which is situated between two bedrooms with sliding doors on either side.

“The bathroom is a very successful space: small, efficient and highly usable for its purpose,” says Sutton. “We call it our ‘London Tube’ room because it’s long and narrow; the tiling is even inspired by the UK’s underground stations.”

Lightweight materials and clever design

Sutton describes the home, which took 12 months to build, as “a really great place to live – light, airy, comfortable, interesting and easy”. And thanks to clever design and lightweight materials, it achieves the two goals she and Jongen set out to accomplish: cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

“We could have built it using heavier methods, but the cost would have gone up and the sustainability of construction gone down, because of the increased amount of embodied energy,” Jongen explains.

“Also, using locally produced materials in a lightweight construction has reduced the house’s carbon footprint.”

The cost-effective and sustainable building practices incorporated into the home are numerous and include: cladding and fibre-cement batten trimming, reverse brick veneer, passive solar design and cross-ventilation.

Sustainable home that brings people together

Jongen and Sutton created their home with a two-adult, two-child family in mind – and they are delighted with the result.

“It’s not a large home and was never meant to be large,” says Sutton.

“However, it is a spacious, comfortable, communal home that encourages people to interact.

“The built environment should allow the opportunity to bring people together, not isolate them in the many individual rooms that so many project-home owners seem to think they must have. Seriously, who needs four separate living areas? It’s just not sustainable.”

Words Nigel Bartlett
Photography Penni Sutton

Albany, WA, project
Architect and builder: Peter Jongen, 22point4 Architecture (website under construction).
Interior designer: Penni Sutton, 22point4 Architecture.

This is an abbreviated version of an article that first appeared in Light Home magazine, Autumn 2012. Read the full article, Room to Breathe, including full specs, floor plans & costs, at www.lighthome.com.au/magazine

Hot trend: Bring the outside in!

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

We’ve always loved our backyards in Australia, but the garden is increasingly becoming an extension of the home, with clever design blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living.

From creating livable alfresco spaces that feel like real rooms to using exterior materials on the inside, this trend may have started as a quirky idea but it is rapidly gaining pace.

Award-winning outdoor rooms

Jason Saunders, director of building designers Arc-Seven.1, won the 2011 Building Designers Australia WA Alterations & Additions $200,000-plus category for an outdoor room he designed in Applecross, Perth.

As well as creating a connection with nature and making the most of the outdoor space, “the owners wanted to introduce some colour to the house, which was a bland eight-year-old double-brick and tile construction,” says Saunders.

“It was a restricted site, so we needed to find something that allowed us to create the form that we wanted, without the time frames and other issues associated with using brick.”

Best option cladding for outdoor space

The team opted for Matrix™ cladding, with its high quality panel finish that can be used both internally and externally.

“The whole design is based on squares, and Matrix [cladding] allowed that square form to be accentuated in an easy way. If we had had to use brick to do this, it would have been much more complicated.”

The horizontal linework also draws the eye out further and increases the scaling of the design, Saunders says, while adding to the casual ambience of the informal entertaining and living space.

“We wanted to design something that would create character without making it too difficult, and Matrix [cladding] was key to that.”

This article is part of a longer feature first published in Light Home magazine, Autumn 2012. To read the full story, and much more on lightweight construction and sustainable architecture and living, go to Light Home magazine Autumn 2012.

How do I… Start composting at home?

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Turning your rubbish into something useful is about as basic as sustainable living gets.

But how do you get to grips with composting? Why would you want a worm farm? And what on earth is Bokashi?

The basics of composting

Making your own garden compost is easy, it’s cheap, it’s good for the environment and it reaps free rewards.

Almost all organic household and garden waste can go on a compost heap. The resulting compost is jam-packed with nutrients for the garden soil.

Composting is made easier, faster and tidier with a compost bin, such as the Tumbleweed Compost Bin.

Clean Up Australia explains that composting needs four things to work well:

Nitrogen: green ingredients, such as kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, weeds
Carbon: brown ingredients, like autumn leaves, branches, hedge clippings
Oxygen: provided by regularly turning the compost
Water: the compost heap should be moist, but not sodden

The only things you shouldn’t compost are meat and dairy products, animal manure, bones, fat, diseased plants, metals, plastic and glass.

What is Bokashi?

Bokashi is a fermentation process that turns kitchen waste into soil fertiliser.

A Japanese term that means “fermented organic matter”, the Bokashi composting method uses fermented wheat bran to pickle food waste and help it compost quicker without foul odours.

Kitchen scraps of almost every kind can go into Bokashi buckets: fruit and vegetables, cooked or uncooked meat and fish, cheese, bread, tea bags, coffee grinds – even wilted flowers and tissues.

Bokashi Composting Australia sells the Bokashi One Bucket, into which you throw kitchen waste, layered with the Bokashi One Mix, a combination of wheat bran and rice husks infused with EM (Effective Micro-organisms).

Why a worm farm?

Setting up a worm farm is the next step in an eco-friendly garden, once you’ve got your composter up and running.

Living Greener explains that a worm farm is another way to turn organic waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser. The worms eat the waste and turn it into liquid fertiliser and worm castings, both of which are great for the garden and pot plants.

Note that worm liquid can replace fertiliser, but it must be diluted until it’s the colour of weak tea.

Starting a worm farm

You can’t, however, just dig up a few worms from your back yard and expect them to get to work producing “worm tea”. The recommended worm types for a farm are Red Wrigglers, Indian Blues and Tiger Worms. Commercial worm growers or a local nursery will sell worms, usually by the thousand – you need between 1,000 and 2,000 to start the farm.

The easiest way to start your farm is to buy a container for it, such as the Can-O-Worms.

Once the worm farm is set up, position it in a shady spot – direct sunlight is not recommended.

A lightweight success: eco economical home

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Bilinga House, in Tweed Heads, sits on a plot that faces east and is built around old frangipani trees that Mullins was in no way prepared to chop down.

Light Home design ambassador Shane Denman picked the impressive project as his latest choice to profile, thanks to the clever tricks Mullins used to build a practical, eco-friendly family home – on a budget.

Upstairs downstairs

Bilinga House is built back-to-front: the living areas are upstairs and the bedrooms are downstairs.

The upstairs open plan living room, dining room and kitchen, with a bridge linking across to a family room, are all orientated to the north-east. The entire house is built around those pretty frangipani trees.

“It is designed to pick up the view, the sun and the breeze beautifully,” said Denman. “It was not an ideal orientation, but Jim dealt with it beautifully.”

Watch our podcast with Shane Denman here:

Eco-friendly design

Many features are built into the house to make it green – and therefore cheap – to live in.

There is a two-storey void that faces north-east, allowing the sun to enter the house and heat up the concrete floor which, in turn, distributes that collected heat throughout the house.

Having the living areas upstairs makes the most of the rising heat during the cooler months, and the breezes when it’s hot.

“The orientation of the house makes the most of the passive breezes,” commented Denman.

Rainwater harvesting was installed, enabling the washing machine, toilets and garden irrigation and cleaning to all use collected rainwater.

Other eco features include solar panels on the roof, natural gas for water heating and cooking, and heavily insulated walls.

A lightweight home

The whole house is lightweight in its design, with the only exception being the ground floor concrete slab.

“It’s beautifully detailed,” said Denman. “The articulation of the external elevations, with the recessing panels and windows, for example, and the textures with the HardieFlex™ cover strips throw beautiful shadows. The house is one colour, but gives the feeling it’s painted with two or three colours.”

He explained that it was only through using lightweight materials that Mullins got the results he did.

“If you used heavyweight materials, you would have to put extra materials in to achieve the same result,” Denman said. “It would be a lot harder and a lot more expensive.”

Economical build

Bilinga House was built four years ago to a budget of $330,000.

Explaining how the costs were kept low, Denman said: “90% of the external house is HardieFlex cladding, detailed beautifully. The external timber adds a bit of cost. But the windows are standard size wherever possible.

“The site was flat, so easy to build on. As much as possible, it’s standard shelf materials. The finishes inside are modest, but beautifully detailed.”

Facts

Architect: Jim Mullins, interior architect and designer
Project: Bilinga House
Location: Tweed Heads, Queensland

External materials:
HardieFlex™ sheet with timber batten cover strips
Soffits HardieFlex™ sheet with timber cover strips

Internal materials:
Villaboard^® lining on all wet area walls
HardiePanel™ compressed flooring on all wet area floors

Water recycling: the lowdown on greywater systems

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

And with Australia facing water shortages and droughts during the drier months, we should all be doing our bit to be environmentally friendly and conserve water.

Emphasising the importance of water conservation, the Australian Water Association states on its website: “Australia, being the driest continent in the world, suffers from periodic drought conditions that make water availability a key national issue.”

What is greywater?

Greywater is the waste water from our sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, showers and baths. It doesn’t include, however, the waste water from toilets, which is classed as blackwater, or sewage.

Greywater is easier to treat and recycle than blackwater, due to its lower levels of contaminants.

It also has the potential to be recycled directly within the home and garden, so you can use greywater to water the garden, clean the car, run the washing machine and flush the toilet.

Greywater for the garden

Rainwater can – believe it or not – be used for any purpose, including drinking and cooking. But the simplest place to start is in the garden.

John Payne, founder of Canberra-based Enviro Friendly World, says: “The average home can reduce their water consumption by around 30% by re-using greywater on their garden.”

According to Sydney Water, about 61% of the 180,000 litres of water that leaves the average home as waste water is reusable grey water.

Greywater recycling: how to start

There are two types of greywater systems: diversion systems that push untreated greywater through a sub-surface outdoor irrigation system, and treatment systems that treat greywater so you can use it above surface for irrigation, toilets and washing machines.

The first thing to do, however, is to check with your council that your property is not registered in an area deemed environmentally sensitive.

The next step is to install a greywater recycling system. There are lots on the market, with prices upwards of about $400. Here are a couple of basic ones:

The Home Water Bowser greywater and rainwater wheelie bin collects both greywater and rainwater and features an external filter to capture lint and hair.
The eco-Care Greywater Recycling Diverter System is a good, basic system. Greywater is diverted into the system, which pumps the water to where you need it in the garden.

Tips on using greywater

Don’t use greywater near edible parts of fruit or vegetables
Greywater is alkaline, so don’t drown acid-loving plants in it
Choose less-aggressive detergents so you can use the water on more plants
Greywater is not permitted to run off your property
Ensure all pipes are marked to indicate greywater use

How do I… Keep chickens and keep my neighbours happy?

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Two or three chooks in a coop in your back yard can produce enough fresh eggs for your family, and a great eco project to boot.

But there are downsides. Chickens can potentially be noisy and messy, especially if they escape into your neighbour’s garden.

Guidelines for keeping chickens

Each council has its own guidelines for keeping chickens to look after the interests of neighbours. It’s important to check with your council before setting up a coop and moving its residents in.

NSW’s Sutherland Shire Council, for example, places no restriction on the number of chickens you can keep, but states chickens must not be a “nuisance to neighbours” through noise, hygiene or roaming.

The council states “roosters are likely to cause a noise problem” and will be directed to be removed if they do.

Finally, chicken coops are subject to development controls in each state and may, if they are big enough, require development approval.

Secure chicken coop

The Backyard Hen House website offers tips on how to make sure your chooks don’t get you on the wrong side of your neighbours, and the key is in the coop.

Do not, for example, build a huge coop that interrupts your neighbour’s view. And build the coop as far away from your neighbours on any side.

The coop should also be secure to prevent any real-life repeats of Chicken Run. Escaped chickens can wreak havoc with a neighbour’s neatly manicured lawn, damaging it and leaving mess everywhere.

Also, bear in mind that chickens can jump – they can scale a 120cm fence in one fell swoop.

Avoid keeping roosters

A rude awakening at dawn every day thanks you your backyard rooster is the last thing your neighbourhood will want.

So, the best advice is not to keep a rooster unless you really have to.

The Backyard Hen House says: “If you do decide to get a rooster, try and get by with just one as, often when there are two, they can encourage and feed off each other, as if they are trying to determine who is more macho.”

Share the egg wealth

You’re sure to get on the right side of your neighbours if you offer them some of the eggs.

Sydney accountant Howie Kingsly keeps chickens in his backyard and writes a blog, Keeping Chickens, about his experiences. According to Kingsly, there will be plenty of eggs to go around.

“Chickens are friendly animals and make great pets,” he says in his blog. “They’re fun to watch, enjoyable to raise and an excellent way to have your own fresh eggs almost every day. Hens can lay eggs for up to five years of their lives, sometimes as long as eight years, so just a few chickens will produce eggs for a long time.”

An Edwardian Makeover

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Renovating for more room

Shaun and Liz Prescott lived in their 1910 Edwardian weatherboard for seven years before the needs of a growing family made a renovation a matter of urgency. With only a 1990s part renovation at the rear and a traditional layout of enclosed rooms, the Glen Iris, Melbourne, home was becoming increasingly less practical for a family with young children. “We bought the house when we didn’t have any children and now we have four. Once our second son came along, we realised it was time to do something about it,” says Shaun Prescott.

Armed with a folder of inspiration – dream clippings of rooms, designs and finishes – Prescott and his wife, Liz, approached Sherbrooke Design and Construction and designer Scott Ellis of Ausdraft to extend their family home. The brief included open-space living areas with indoor/outdoor entertaining, an upstairs extension with space for the children and a downstairs study. It also included very clear instructions on preserving the integrity of the original home.

“We wanted to keep the front of the house in its original state,” Shaun Prescott explains. “The reason we bought the house in the first place was because we had both lived in the area and loved the older style of the homes.”

From the street, the house still looks like a single-storey Edwardian weatherboard, albeit with a fresh lick of paint and immaculate landscaping. From the back, any hints of tradition are gone. A modern, two-storey structure, built in lightweight materials with full-height glass and a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors brings the home startlingly into this century.

Inside, clean lines are visible throughout. The back of the existing building has been demolished to make way for an upper storey and a ground-floor extension, complete with new deck. The living, kitchen and dining areas (at rear) are spacious and flow seamlessly. In the living area, a bench seat running alongside the fireplace is duplicated on the decking, providing a natural flow-on effect.

The balance of old materials with new has been smartly managed with wood. Stained Tasmanian Oak floorboards run from the hallway right through to the back of the house. The seamless transition continues with the indoor space flowing onto the Spotted Gum decking through two full-height glass-panel sliding doors. And recycled Red Gum sleeper posts at the end of the decking have generous gaps between them, keeping the line of sight open to the property’s rear boundary.

Overcoming site challenges with innovation

For designer Scott Ellis, the Prescott home demonstrates the best of both worlds: tradition and modernity. “The clients had a good understanding of what they wanted, which made my job relatively easy in getting a handle on what they wanted. The design came together quite nicely,” Ellis says.

While working with knowledgeable clients made his job easier, Ellis had to tackle issues presented by the site’s steep orientation.

“The site was very steep, so heights were always going to be an issue – when it comes to planning requirements, boundary heights and wall heights are always an issue. On sloping sites, it can be a challenge to get these things to work with you rather than against you.”

Ellis bypassed this challenge with a box-like design for the upstairs extension, allowing him to lower sections of the ceiling and height of the house, and thereby remain within council restrictions. By placing the laundry and pantry behind the kitchen wall – thus hidden from view – Ellis could push the ground-floor extension to the south boundary and again keep the design within planning restrictions.

The best cladding solution

The Prescotts began their renovation process with the intention of using the aluminium composite cladding Alucabond® for the rear external facade. When initial quotes proved beyond their budget, online searching led them to ScyonTM MatrixTM cladding. A James Hardie® cement composite cladding panel, MatrixTM cladding reflects a similar aesthetic appearance to Alucabond®– but at a substantially lower cost.

Sherbrooke’s construction manager Steve Compton says MatrixTM cladding perfectly suited not only the aesthetic the Prescotts wanted to achieve, but also the box-like design of the extension. “MatrixTM cladding, with its modern finish, combined well with the Colorbond® panels to give the rear an absolute lift in overall appearance. A rendered finish or even weatherboard wouldn’t have looked as good,” Compton says.

“We could have used the MatrixTM [cladding] without the screws holding together the panels showing, but we wanted the screws, as it gives it more of an industrial look,” Prescott adds. “The finished look is exactly what we envisioned: a softer look than a shiny aluminium so that it fits better with the original part of the house.”

Great client builder relationship

All three parties credit a communicative working relationship for keeping hiccups to a minimum. The build was finished on time, within the eight-month schedule.

“The only issue we encountered was with a neighbour, who ironically was building as well. It caused a few dramas, but nothing that held us back,” says Ellis.

For Shaun Prescott, losing the project manager while the house was at the frame stage was a setback. “We had a few trades booked in at that stage of the process, and there was some upheaval in reorganising everything. It was also time- consuming to start again with a new project manager, but you can work though anything if you have a good working relationship,” he says.

Working with Sherbrooke was a highlight, he adds. “Steve [Compton] was fantastic – he’s an approachable guy, and if you had a problem, you could just talk through it with him. When you’re doing a project of this size, you have to be clear on what you want. And if you’re working through issues productively, as we did, they get solved.”

Words: Andrea Sophocleous

Glen Iris, Melbourne, project

Designer: Sherbrooke Design and Construction in conjunction with Ausdraft, www.sherbrookeconstructions.com & www.ausdraft.com.au
Builder: Sherbrooke Design and Construction.
External walls: Rear cladding in British Paints ’Fox Hunt’ colour, ScyonTM MatrixTM cladding. First floor rear window feature in Colorbond^® colour ’Shale Grey‘. Acrylic render finish to HardieTexTM system painted in British Paints ’Fox Hunt‘ colour. Stramit Series ‘A’ Roller Door in ’Woodland Grey‘ Colorbond® colour.

This is article first appeared in Light Home magazine. Read the full article, An Edwardian Makeover, including full specs, floor plans & costs, at www.lighthome.com.au/magazine

Green outdoors: Bio pools and how they work

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

But chlorine, water heating systems and litres of wastewater are not what you’d call sustainable.

Bio pools, or natural swimming pools, are the eco answer to back yard swimming pools. But they still remain a bit of a mystery.

How do they stay clean? Are they really safe and healthy?

How do bio pools work?

Bio pools are natural swimming pools. Rather than relying on chemicals to keep them clean, they use ecological systems (plants) and bio-technology.

The classic bio pool works by having two zones: a central swimming area, and a shallower surrounding area with plants specially chosen to purify the water.

But there are many variations on this. Some bio pools have separate swimming and purifying areas, while the latest concept makes it possible to have no plants but use natural bio filters installed inside or outside the pool.

100% natural filtration

BioNova Natural Pools, which set up in Australia nine years ago, specialises in bio pools, and bio pools only. Their pools are self-cleaning, self-sustainable fresh water eco-systems.

A biological filter keeps the pools clean. This is a water garden where micro-organisms, microbes and water plants continually clean the water. Plant roots absorb nutrients from the water that micro-organisms release during the decomposition of germs and other natural substances.

Pool conversions

German-founded GartenART has designed and built natural swimming pools in Europe since 1995. Founder Ralf Schmiel moved to Australia in 2009 and founded GartenART – Australia.

“Australia, with its unique climates and unique wildlife, needs uniquely designed natural pools,” he said.

GartenART’s latest developments are pool conversions, which can be achieved without plants. They use powerful natural micro-biology filters, which sit below a gravel surface and are powered by submerged, low voltage pumps.

Bio pool maintenance

Maintenance is simple too – and less effort than is required for a conventional pool.

Water plants will need cutting seasonally, the same as land plants. Filters need to be cleaned twice a year, and side walls, ledges and steps might need brushing a few times a year to remove bio film.

The Aquaviva website features a calculator that uses your pool’s size and depth to work out the basic essentials of a natural filtration system.

Health – and eco - benefits

Swimming in natural, chemical-free water is bound to have its benefits. Here are some of the plusses of bio pools:

No more dry skin and hair or stinging eyes
No pool water containing chemicals enters the sewage systems, soil, rivers and seas
Natural water doesn’t aggravate skin problems
For people with asthma or lung illness, natural water is good for swimming
Lower running costs and less water consumption

Green interiors: Green paint of all shades

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Why use green paint?

Be it acrylic paint, low VOC paint or eco paint, they are all better for the environment than solvent-based paints.

Daniel Wurm, president of GreenPainters, says on their website: “Conventional paints can make the air you breathe a chemical cocktail, even long after they have dried, as they continue to release petroleum-based solvents.”

Those solvents are called Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. Environmentally and human-friendly paints market themselves as “low VOC”, which is an indication that they are much better for the planet.

Acrylic paints, because they are water-based, are also better for the environment. When solvent-based paint dries, solvent evaporates into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution. Water-based paints, however, emit mainly harmless water vapour.

Natural paint

Eco home improvement company Livos Australia makes a range of paint that is free from harmful substances, doesn’t emit vapours or toxic gases and reduces dust levels thanks to its anti-static effect.

The paints are biodegradable and are harmless to humans, animals and plants. They use plant-derived solvents and binders, rather than synthetic ones, so have much lower VOC levels than conventional paints.

Livos’ paints cover all the bases: base coats, primers and colours for walls and ceilings, paints for doors and trims, primers and paints for metal, as well as sealers and rust-preventative primers.

And green paint company Ecolour, based in Byron Bay, leaves your options open – they can mix paint to 36,000 different colours and shades.

Dulux EnviroWash System

Paint giant Dulux, a member of the Green Building Council of Australia, has its own ranges of low VOC and acrylic paints.

But Dulux also promotes careful waste management through its EnviroWash System. This water-based treatment system turns paint washout into clean water and solid waste, making for easier and safer disposal.

The system provides an environmentally responsible way of washing brushes and rollers, separating paint solids from water in one hour.

Keep the clean-up green

GreenPainters, the eco side of the National Institute of Painting and Decorating, has some advice for keeping the post-painting clean-up sustainable too, as most paints contain chemicals that can be harmful if they get into the stormwater system.

Never clean brushes or rinse paint into a street gutter or drain.
Squeeze excess paint back into the paint tin.
Seal the lid securely and store the paint upside down, creating an air-tight seal around the lid.
Use one container to clean brushes and another to rinse them. Leave them overnight to allow paint solids to sink to the bottom. Pour the water onto grass or a garden area, wipe out the paint and dispose of it in the garbage.
Check with your local council for your nearest hazardous waste depot for recycling paint and paint tins.

How do I: Create a secret room?

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Words: Rachel Sullivan
Photography: Spiral Cellars

Secret passages, hidden rooms and priests’ holes have been used for centuries to hide valuables and smuggle goods. Once confined to ancient castles and stately manor houses, since Jodie Foster’s 2002 movie Panic Room there has been growing interest in building them into contemporary homes.

So how do you do it?

Hidden spaces can be anything from a niche concealing a safe to clever under-stair
storage areas, passages and whole rooms.

On the low end, converting a cupboard into a panic room with plywood reinforcement can cost in the low thousands or can even be done by a competent DIY-er. On the upper end, panic rooms, popular with the wealthy (and the paranoid), can cost anywhere between $50,000 and $500,000.

In Australia, builders, carpenters and manufacturers are all starting to muscle in on the act.

Underground wine cellar with a twist

Spiral Cellars, a UK company that recently added distribution to Australia, has created an inground cylinder with spiral staircase accessed by a trapdoor. Promoted as a wine cellar, it can also store treasured objects on shelves around the walls. Prices start from around $30,000 for installation into an already-dug hole.

Buyers tend to be those undertaking a new build or major renovation, says Neil Smallman, the Australian distributor of Spiral Cellars.

“They’re home builders or renovators looking for a stand-out feature in their house. They want something top of the range, the ultimate item in their home, and that’s what we do.”

Hidden doorways and moving bookcases

“If you really want to create a hidden room, there can’t be any trace from outside – no wires and no joins in the woodwork that might give it away,” says Peter Illings, a Brisbane-based cabinetmaker and owner of Illings Own Fine Furniture.

He says he is usually asked to make one hidden doorway a year, and that price depends on materials and how elaborate the doorway is. They start from $10,000, with a cedar bookcase doorway costing around $12,000 to $13,000.

Illings says that while people can build their own moving bookcase, safety needs to be considered, from devising an exit strategy to adequate ventilation.

Hiding the thing can also be a challenge. “DIY-ers can certainly make a revolving bookcase that hides a room, but whether it looks right is a different story,” he laughs.

The other challenge is keeping it a secret. Once you start showing it to all of your friends, it’s not really a secret anymore.

This is a condensed version of the feature article Secret Rooms, a story that first appeared in www.lighthome.com.au/magazine

A dream of going green

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Words: Rachel Smith

So much of renovating or building is about two lists: the wish list and the reality list. For vets Alison and Glenn, the goal was simply to renovate the 40-year-old Masterton home in which they had raised their two sons, Tom (15) and Mitch (11), for over six years.

But once architect Ian Esplin saw the Norah Head site on the NSW Central Coast, with its distant ocean views and beautiful Melaleuca grove, he knew a reality check was in order. Modifying the existing house simply was not the best option for this eco-friendly family.

“The building they wanted to renovate was too small, not in particularly good condition and wasn’t very well laid out. Plus, they’re a growing family, and the existing home didn’t take advantage of the site,” Esplin explains.

Instead Esplin – whose “face fell”, says Alison, when told of the initial $250,000 budget – convinced the couple they would be better off investing in a complete knock-down and rebuild.

“Sometimes a more efficient, smarter design may cost more in capital, but it translates to a lower ongoing cost,” Esplin explains. “It’s about building for the future.”

Building for the future with sustainability

Once Alison and Glenn had decided to rebuild, their brief was straightforward: not to enlarge the home’s existing footprint but to create a spacious, light-filled, low-maintenance home with a bath overlooking the ocean – and a loo with a view!

Sustainability measures, including solar hot water, rainwater tanks and energy efficiency, were also key.

The bath became a reality, as did most of the other eco-friendly features the couple wanted. “We spent a lot of time looking into greywater and recycling, but we decided we didn’t need it due to the tanks,” says Alison.

“We also had to can the solar panels – this was before the rebates came in and, for panels costing $50,000 for just a 20% reduction on our electricity, it would have stretched us to the limit financially.”

Green living starts in the garden

The treelopper who was hired to trim back the Melaleuca trees before the build – and install possum and rosella boxes for the family’s furry neighbours – was amazed when Alison gave him strict instructions on which branches to cut.

“I’m a bit of a greenie,” she admits, “and we wanted to make the most of the block, which has beautiful views and a gorgeous backyard with 17 huge Melaleuca trees – it’s like a cathedral. So I didn’t want to chop any trees down.

“He said, ‘Wow, it’s so nice to be caring for trees and not just hacking them down – I’ve never had to go up trees and hang possum boxes before.’ And you can tell they’re lived in, too – within a month you could see chew marks!”

More freedom with lightweight materials

The design and building of this home took two years, making use of as many lightweight materials as possible, including a timber-frame construction. In fact, it is a house Esplin could not have built with heavyweight materials.

“If you want to build a brick wall and sort of cantilever it on top of another structure, it becomes very complex and expensive, but with lightweight materials, you’ve got so much freedom with how you can use them,” he says.

“The openings, the spans – everything is much easier and more flexible with lightweight materials.”

A light, airy energy-efficient home

The clients love the light, airy elegance of their new home, the fact that it’s easy to clean and the ‘massive’ amounts of money it saves them in utilities.

Best of all, it has brought the outdoors in.

“Ian designed the house so that wherever you are in it you can look out and see nature,” says Alison. “That’s really us. If a white-breasted sea eagle goes by, I can run out on the verandah and see it flying overhead.”

Norah Head project

Architect: Ian Esplin www.esplin.com.au

Builder: Bryan Welsh, Traditional Touch Builders, 0408 494 339

Materials: Rendered brick on lower floor; upper floor is clad in Sycon™Linea™ weatherboard.

This is a condensed version of an article that first appeared in Light Home magazine. Read the full article, A Dream of Going Green, including specs, floor plans & costs, at www.lighthome.com.au/magazine

Green windows: What is WERS?

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

But with WERS, U-values and low-e coatings, picking the right windows can seem like a minefield.

We spoke to Gary Smith, marketing and communications manager at the Australian Window Association (AWA), to shed some light on the matter.

The AWA sets the standards for window energy ratings, through a scheme called WERS: the Windows Energy Rating Scheme.

Energy rated windows

WERS is a compulsory ratings system that gives all windows an energy rating and feeds into the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. Windows are rated with stars, enabling homeowners to compare different windows – and compare them fairly.

“It gives you two things: the technical performance of the window system, and consumer data for star ratings for heating and cooling and percentage improvement for heating and cooling,” explains Smith.

The whole product is energy-rated using a computer simulation that looks at the frame, the glass and the interaction between the two.

Energy efficient window materials

WERS calculates an insulation value, assessing what the difference in temperature indoors and outdoors will be.

For frames, the answer is simple. Aluminium, because it conducts heat and cold, is nowhere near as energy-efficient as wood and UPVC.

“Inside it might be 24 degrees and outside 10 degrees,” says Smith. “The glass temperature will be somewhere in between. What we’re looking at there is the transfer of that heat – the insulation value.”

In most climates, windows with at least four heating or four cooling stars will ensure that heat losses and heat gains are minimised. This means windows must have a low U-value.

What’s the U-value?

WERS also calculates a U-value for windows. The U-value measures how well the window prevents heat from escaping

The lower the U-value, the better the window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.

Different windows for different climates

If you live in the tropics, you want your windows to help you keep your cool. But, in cooler climates you want them to let the sun’s heat in.

“In a hot climate, the solar heat gain is the first thing you need to attend to,” says Smith. “What we are talking about is tinted products in your windows, or low-e coatings to stop solar heat gain.”

‘Low-e’ stands for low emissivity. A low-e coating is a metal coating that suppresses heat transfer. A low-e coating, therefore, can help lower a window’s U-value.

“In a colder climate, the insulation value is the higher priority, as well as a good performing frame, so, the lower the U-value the better,” adds Smith. “Also, windows with a higher solar heat gain that let through more solar energy can be a real bonus in the colder months, letting you generate a lot of heat for free.”

Experiment with your windows

“You have got to shop around,” says Smith. “The better performers can be quite expensive. But you don’t have to get the best-rated windows to make your house comfortable. You just need to look at where you are and try to balance it out.”

The Efficient Glazing website has a tool that lets you enter your home’s size and location, and then experiment with putting in different types of windows to see how much energy you could save, in dollars, and by how much you could cut your carbon footprint.

You can also find more information by visiting the WERS website.