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World of Design: 9 Energy-Smart Australian Homes
With their innovative features and diverse surroundings, these 9 award-winning homes have struck gold on the Aussie design stage
Style and energy efficiency may well be universal priorities for eco-sensitive design the world over. But the diversity of the landscape in Australia requires its residential designers to come up with especially innovative climate-sensitive systems and architectural solutions.
1. Local materials for a country hill house, Victoria
Project: Sawmill House
Architect: Chris Gilbert of Archier, who built the house for and with his sculptor brother, Ben Gilbert
Location: Yackandandah, Victoria
Size: 968.8 square feet (90 square meters), 1,615 square feet (150 square meters) with deck; one bedroom, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 National Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 Victorian Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 Houses Awards, New House Under 200 Square Meters; winner, 2015 Houses Awards, Emerging Architecture Practice; commendation, 2015 Victorian Architecture Awards, Sustainability; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards, Sustainability
Top three green points:
Project: Sawmill House
Architect: Chris Gilbert of Archier, who built the house for and with his sculptor brother, Ben Gilbert
Location: Yackandandah, Victoria
Size: 968.8 square feet (90 square meters), 1,615 square feet (150 square meters) with deck; one bedroom, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 National Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 Victorian Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 Houses Awards, New House Under 200 Square Meters; winner, 2015 Houses Awards, Emerging Architecture Practice; commendation, 2015 Victorian Architecture Awards, Sustainability; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards, Sustainability
Top three green points:
- Waste-material utilization in the form of concrete blocks
- Layout design that encourages cross breezes and airflow
- Incorporation of native wood from local forests
This house perches on the edge of a hill on the site of a former gold mine and old sawmill in northern Victoria. It was designed with a simple idea in mind — waste not, want not. The home’s most striking feature is a recycler’s dream: The exterior walls are made from 270 massive concrete blocks. These were obtained locally and made from waste left over from the pouring of residential concrete slabs. The blocks, weighing more than a ton each, were trucked to the Yackandandah site and stacked to form a 29½ -by-32¾-foot structure. Although cemented together, the blocks were more or less left in their rough state.
“Our main point of sustainability was gained through an innovative and alternative approach, based on using existing concrete byproduct close to our site,” says architect Chris Gilbert. “Rather than rely on pre-existing ‘green products,’ we looked at the environment around us and what could be utilized.”
“Our main point of sustainability was gained through an innovative and alternative approach, based on using existing concrete byproduct close to our site,” says architect Chris Gilbert. “Rather than rely on pre-existing ‘green products,’ we looked at the environment around us and what could be utilized.”
The house’s size and setting allow it to take advantage of the breezes that travel up the valley. “This passively cools the home during the summer months with cross-flow ventilation,” Gilbert says, “and in the cooler months, the warmth of the sun is maximized by rolling back a [46-foot] section of openable roof over the deck, as well as adjusting the bi-folding screens that line it.” This allows the sun to passively heat the dwelling for most of the year.
Another local material used in the home was red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) for flooring and for lining the ceilings. This came from a forest that can be seen from the house.
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Another local material used in the home was red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) for flooring and for lining the ceilings. This came from a forest that can be seen from the house.
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2. Clever thermal regulation in a home cut into desert rock, Northern Territory
Project: Desert House
Architect: Dunn and Hillam Architects
Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Size: 3,767 square feet (350 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 NT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); shortlisted, 2014 BPN (Building Products News) Sustainability Awards; commendation, 2014 Houses Awards, New House Over 200 Square Meters; commendation, 2014 NT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2014 NT Architecture Awards, Sustainable Architecture
Top three green points:
Project: Desert House
Architect: Dunn and Hillam Architects
Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Size: 3,767 square feet (350 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 NT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); shortlisted, 2014 BPN (Building Products News) Sustainability Awards; commendation, 2014 Houses Awards, New House Over 200 Square Meters; commendation, 2014 NT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2014 NT Architecture Awards, Sustainable Architecture
Top three green points:
- Self-sufficiency in electricity
- Solar panels and solar water
- Heavily insulated surfaces, and shade creation via a fly-roof and design of volumes
The aptly named Desert House is in Alice Springs, a town in the center of one of the harshest and most demanding natural environments on Earth — the Australian desert. The ancient red-hued MacDonnell Ranges stretch out to the east and west of Alice Springs, and Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is southwest. Temperatures soar above 113 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and plummet to 21 degrees Fahrenheit in winter.
“Cut into the rock, the house hunkers down into the landscape, capturing the thermal mass of the earth and using it to regulate the internal temperature of the building,” Dunn says.
“Cut into the rock, the house hunkers down into the landscape, capturing the thermal mass of the earth and using it to regulate the internal temperature of the building,” Dunn says.
At the center of the home is an enclosed courtyard garden and pool. These make up a protected area where the residents can enjoy the desert climate. Although the pool is a luxury, it incorporates energy-efficient features. It requires no energy for maintenance and cleaning: The pumps are powered by photovoltaic solar panels on the roof; the pool enclosure delivers a cooling microclimate for the inhabitants; and, finally, it acts as a heat sink — any superfluous hot water, generated via the solar hot water tanks, is discharged into the pool to top up levels and cool overnight.
“To protect the home further from the extreme temperature fluctuations, a large angled fly-roof sits over the heavily insulated box-like forms of the house, shading it,” Dunn says. “Roof windows allow any hot air to be expelled at night.” Dunn says that after a year of occupation, records show the house is self-sufficient for electricity, taking net-zero electricity from the grid.
This was a boon to the homeowners, who, Dunn says, were surprised by how successfully the house could perform using primarily passive environmental strategies. “The building is able to achieve a [27-degree-Fahrenheit] temperature differential from outside to inside through the use of layering, good orientation, thermal mass and ventilation,” Dunn says.
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This was a boon to the homeowners, who, Dunn says, were surprised by how successfully the house could perform using primarily passive environmental strategies. “The building is able to achieve a [27-degree-Fahrenheit] temperature differential from outside to inside through the use of layering, good orientation, thermal mass and ventilation,” Dunn says.
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3. Creeping lightly in ancient tropical rainforest, Queensland
Project: Cape Tribulation House
Architect: Ben Vielle of m3architecture
Location: Cape Tribulation, Queensland
Size: 3,315 square feet (308 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — Sustainability
Top three green points:
Project: Cape Tribulation House
Architect: Ben Vielle of m3architecture
Location: Cape Tribulation, Queensland
Size: 3,315 square feet (308 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — Sustainability
Top three green points:
- Low impact on tropical rainforest
- Off-grid applications for power, water supply and waste treatment
- Natural ventilation
This off-the-grid home on almost 3 acres is close to the beach of Cape Tribulation in Far North Queensland. Since the house (and the small Cape Tribulation settlement it’s part of) is surrounded by one of Australia’s most sensitive and ancient ecosystems, the Daintree Rainforest, it required wide-ranging considerations and sustainable design choices during its planning.
A sustainability consultant was engaged throughout the design process to provide advice on material selections and infrastructure systems for off-grid applications, including power generation, water supply and water treatment. “A photovoltaic array and battery bank supply energy to the house,” says Ben Vielle, the architect leading the design team. “All appliances and fixtures have been selected to make efficient use of this energy. The house is also naturally ventilated, assisted by ceiling fans and large louvered windows, and all appliances and fixtures are energy-efficient.”
A sustainability consultant was engaged throughout the design process to provide advice on material selections and infrastructure systems for off-grid applications, including power generation, water supply and water treatment. “A photovoltaic array and battery bank supply energy to the house,” says Ben Vielle, the architect leading the design team. “All appliances and fixtures have been selected to make efficient use of this energy. The house is also naturally ventilated, assisted by ceiling fans and large louvered windows, and all appliances and fixtures are energy-efficient.”
Vielle’s eco design principles also inform the look of the home. The exterior is camouflaged with black plastic cladding and mirrored glass, allowing the structure to recede into the shadows of the rainforest canopy. Inside, the living areas are clad with light-colored plywood. The rooms open to the tropical surrounds, with views of the rainforest canopy through tall south-facing windows. “Relaxed pavilions accommodate multiple sleeping arrangements,” Vielle says, “with living spaces that serve as a makeshift campsite.” A couple of rooms also transform into bunk rooms.
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4. Recycled materials and water-saving tricks in inner-city Fremantle, Western Australia
Project: Fremantle House
Architects: Patrick Kosky in collaboration with Yun Nie Chong of Nie + Co
Location: Fremantle, Western Australia
Size: 2,260 square feet (210 square meters), including garage; two bedrooms, a guest room-study, two bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 WA Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New)
Top three green points:
Project: Fremantle House
Architects: Patrick Kosky in collaboration with Yun Nie Chong of Nie + Co
Location: Fremantle, Western Australia
Size: 2,260 square feet (210 square meters), including garage; two bedrooms, a guest room-study, two bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 WA Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New)
Top three green points:
- Passive solar design
- Natural cross ventilation and light
- Water-saving fixtures
In this newly built private residence erected on a tight, 2,691-square-foot inner-city infill site in Fremantle, a port city south of Perth, environmental considerations were fundamental to the design. Sustainability was addressed in two ways, says Patrick Kosky, half of the architectural couple who designed and now live in the house. “The first way was to minimize the material energy in the build,” writes Kosky about the project. “We did this by using a substantial amount of recycled material (bricks) and plantation-sourced timber (timber framing, plywood lining).”
Second, Kosky and his partner, Yun Nie Chong, sought to reduce energy and water use. “In this regard, the house adopts passive solar principles and maximizes natural cross ventilation and penetration of natural light,” Kosky says. “It also utilizes water-saving fixtures and incorporates [2,642 gallons] of underground rainwater storage, solar photovoltaic panels, solar hot water panels, as well as LED lighting throughout.”
Second, Kosky and his partner, Yun Nie Chong, sought to reduce energy and water use. “In this regard, the house adopts passive solar principles and maximizes natural cross ventilation and penetration of natural light,” Kosky says. “It also utilizes water-saving fixtures and incorporates [2,642 gallons] of underground rainwater storage, solar photovoltaic panels, solar hot water panels, as well as LED lighting throughout.”
After having lived in the house for more than a year, Chong says she has seen it successfully perform in different seasons, rarely requiring much in the way of appliances for heating or cooling. “A concrete floor slab holds warmth for cool evenings, harsh sunlight is screened with deep overhangs providing generous shade, and floor-to-ceiling glass allows the penetration of warm winter sun.”
By strategically locating courtyards, windows, double-height spaces and skylights, Kosky says the design sought to overcome the inherent problems of historical inner-city housing: deep plans, poor ventilation and lack of natural light to the middle of the house. “There are also a series of readily available technologies — photovoltaic panels, evacuated-tube solar hot water, underground water tanks and composting bins, which means that there are minimal inputs and outputs to and from the house,” he says.
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By strategically locating courtyards, windows, double-height spaces and skylights, Kosky says the design sought to overcome the inherent problems of historical inner-city housing: deep plans, poor ventilation and lack of natural light to the middle of the house. “There are also a series of readily available technologies — photovoltaic panels, evacuated-tube solar hot water, underground water tanks and composting bins, which means that there are minimal inputs and outputs to and from the house,” he says.
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5. Sculptured concrete shapes for harbor beach house, New South Wales
Project: Balmoral House
Architects: Clinton Murray and Polly Harbison
Location: Balmoral, New South Wales
Size: 4,844 square feet (450 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 National Architecture Awards — Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards — Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 Mosman Design Awards — Contribution to the Built Environment; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — New House Over 200 Square Meters; recipient, The Master Builders Association NSW — Excellence in Housing Award — Bellevarde Constructions; recipient, The Master Builders Association NSW — Best Use of Concrete Award — Bellevarde Constructions
Top three green points:
Project: Balmoral House
Architects: Clinton Murray and Polly Harbison
Location: Balmoral, New South Wales
Size: 4,844 square feet (450 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 National Architecture Awards — Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards — Residential Architecture — Houses (New); winner, 2015 Mosman Design Awards — Contribution to the Built Environment; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — New House Over 200 Square Meters; recipient, The Master Builders Association NSW — Excellence in Housing Award — Bellevarde Constructions; recipient, The Master Builders Association NSW — Best Use of Concrete Award — Bellevarde Constructions
Top three green points:
- Concrete mass offering temperature stabilization
- Solar gains for internal light
- Orientation providing optimum cross ventilation
Located directly opposite Balmoral Beach on Sydney Harbor, this impressive home investigates the interplay of “solid” and “void” shapes in residential architecture. The initial design by architects Clinton Murray and Polly Harbison was inspired by the work of Isamu Noguchi, whose work explores positive and negative mass. The home’s sculptural design ideally suited the homeowners, who have a passion for art (displayed throughout the home and garden).
“The house is a careful composition of solid and void, light and shade,” Murray says. “It’s been ‘sculptured’ to allow passers-by to view through the building to the lighthouse on the other side of Balmoral Bay — views are cropped, framed and even blocked to add to the tension.”
“The house is a careful composition of solid and void, light and shade,” Murray says. “It’s been ‘sculptured’ to allow passers-by to view through the building to the lighthouse on the other side of Balmoral Bay — views are cropped, framed and even blocked to add to the tension.”
Form, subdued color, texture and high-comfort values create a calm and relaxed home. The generous use of concrete not only produces a thermal mass that stores heat in winter, but it also forms a barrier against extremes in summer. Natural light floods the interiors through the voids that penetrate the distinctive concrete shapes. “We’ve allowed many opportunities for the interiors to be lit by natural light, but to still be sheltered from the elements,” writes Murray about the project. “Every window is screened externally. The ceiling height in the kitchen and placement of the windows [13.1 feet long] allows for the winter sun to flood into the room. Glare can be controlled by external blinds.”
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6. Smart heating and cooling in a sunny climate, Australian Capital Territory
Project: Wonga Street House
Architect: Andrew Verri of Light House (formerly known as Jigsaw Housing)
Location: O’Connor, Australian Capital Territory
Size: 1,938 square feet (180 square meters); three bedrooms, three living areas (one also a flexible guest bedroom), two bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 ACT Residential Architecture Award, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); shortlisted, 2015 ACT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Sustainability
Top three green points:
Project: Wonga Street House
Architect: Andrew Verri of Light House (formerly known as Jigsaw Housing)
Location: O’Connor, Australian Capital Territory
Size: 1,938 square feet (180 square meters); three bedrooms, three living areas (one also a flexible guest bedroom), two bathrooms
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 ACT Residential Architecture Award, Residential Architecture — Houses (New); shortlisted, 2015 ACT Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture — Sustainability
Top three green points:
- Solar passive design to reduce energy needs
- Solar energy to generate hot water and electricity
- Scientific testing (of air leakage and more)
The Canberra area is perfect for solar passive design. “It’s very sunny, with an average of 7.6 hours of sunshine per day,” says Jenny Edwards, a building scientist. “All it takes is some basic building science, good design and quality construction to make a house that requires very little, if any, daytime heating during Canberra’s cold winter, and only needs ceiling fans to keep at comfortable temperatures in summer.”
Orientation is also an important consideration. This simple family house in a suburb of the nation’s capital is planned around a large deciduous tree in the backyard, which allows plenty of winter sunshine and summer shade. “The north-facing dining area flows seamlessly to the rear via a generous deck,” says architect Andrew Verri. “Windows throughout the home are positioned to carefully frame views to the garden. The external-material palette is restrained but expressive: There are cedar-framed windows and doors, and a yellow-clad studio space offsets the predominantly gray brick and black shadow-clad facade.”
Orientation is also an important consideration. This simple family house in a suburb of the nation’s capital is planned around a large deciduous tree in the backyard, which allows plenty of winter sunshine and summer shade. “The north-facing dining area flows seamlessly to the rear via a generous deck,” says architect Andrew Verri. “Windows throughout the home are positioned to carefully frame views to the garden. The external-material palette is restrained but expressive: There are cedar-framed windows and doors, and a yellow-clad studio space offsets the predominantly gray brick and black shadow-clad facade.”
As temperatures here dip below freezing in winter and rise above 86 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, incorporating sustainable design credentials in a home such as this can be a challenge. Not so for Verri and Edwards, who helps the practice specialize in designing and modifying houses to suit the climate of the region. In fact, Edwards has been instrumental in the rigorous testing of the home’s energy efficiencies.
Soon after the homeowners moved in, Edwards measured for air leaks. Wonga House is designed to be as airtight as possible, to improve the control of the internal temperature in winter and summer. She measured eight air changes per hour at test pressures, which is within the ideal range of fewer than 10 changes per hour for new Canberra houses. The family also noted that when the house was closed up during the day in a heat wave, it was slow to heat up because it’s sealed and insulated so well. This kept the maximum temperature down and everyone cheerful.
Verri and Edwards also believe that there is a cost benefit in installing double-glazed windows in Canberra homes. When heat and cold can’t penetrate, cooling or heating systems aren’t necessary. “Using this approach, our houses regularly achieve Energy Efficiency Ratings (EER) of eight stars, which equates to predicted heating and cooling loads totaling half that of a six-star design of the same size (six stars EER is the minimum standard currently required in most states of Australia),” writes Edwards about the project.
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Soon after the homeowners moved in, Edwards measured for air leaks. Wonga House is designed to be as airtight as possible, to improve the control of the internal temperature in winter and summer. She measured eight air changes per hour at test pressures, which is within the ideal range of fewer than 10 changes per hour for new Canberra houses. The family also noted that when the house was closed up during the day in a heat wave, it was slow to heat up because it’s sealed and insulated so well. This kept the maximum temperature down and everyone cheerful.
Verri and Edwards also believe that there is a cost benefit in installing double-glazed windows in Canberra homes. When heat and cold can’t penetrate, cooling or heating systems aren’t necessary. “Using this approach, our houses regularly achieve Energy Efficiency Ratings (EER) of eight stars, which equates to predicted heating and cooling loads totaling half that of a six-star design of the same size (six stars EER is the minimum standard currently required in most states of Australia),” writes Edwards about the project.
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7. Collecting water runoff in the rolling hills, South Australia
Project: Robertson House
Architects: Max Pritchard and Andrew Gunner of Max Pritchard Gunner Architects
Location: Myponga Beach, South Australia
Size: 2,691 square feet (250 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 SA Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New)
Top three green points:
Project: Robertson House
Architects: Max Pritchard and Andrew Gunner of Max Pritchard Gunner Architects
Location: Myponga Beach, South Australia
Size: 2,691 square feet (250 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 SA Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New)
Top three green points:
- Roof design that channels water collection
- North-facing double-glazed windows to capture internal light
- On-site sourcing of materials
Environmental considerations were important in the design of this remote house on an exposed rolling hillside overlooking a secluded stretch of coastline on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. A dynamic tilted triangular roof pitches down to allow rainwater to collect at one point, where it flows into an underground tank. “This provides the house water supply,” says architect Max Pritchard. “The site is also relatively steeply sloped, so to achieve a north orientation [for maximum sunlight], one end of the pavilion was embedded into the hillside, and the other side projects out, capturing the spectacular view.”
Pritchard was impressed, and a little surprised, that the homeowners embraced the project’s adherence to ecologically sound construction from the get-go. “They collected all the stone that was used in the build from their property and worked on significant landscaping aspects. It’s really rewarding to see people so enthusiastically embrace a new house as part of a change in lifestyle,” he says.
The home was built on a well-insulated suspended concrete slab, which was critical in providing thermal mass for heating and cooling. To keep temperatures even and the living area well lit, large north-facing double-glazed windows were installed.
Andrew Gunner, a partner architect who also worked on the project’s design, says the attention he and Pritchard gave passive-design principles “meant that the homeowners rarely need to use the air-conditioning system during summer. In winter, additional heating is provided with an efficient fireplace, with timber sourced from the general area.
“For a project like this,” Gunner adds, “designing for the winter months is as important as designing for the summer — as a lot of Australia is well-known for its hot, arid climate. A project like this also reflects the balance between designing for our outdoor lifestyle as well as our indoor, especially once things get a bit wet and blowy!”
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Andrew Gunner, a partner architect who also worked on the project’s design, says the attention he and Pritchard gave passive-design principles “meant that the homeowners rarely need to use the air-conditioning system during summer. In winter, additional heating is provided with an efficient fireplace, with timber sourced from the general area.
“For a project like this,” Gunner adds, “designing for the winter months is as important as designing for the summer — as a lot of Australia is well-known for its hot, arid climate. A project like this also reflects the balance between designing for our outdoor lifestyle as well as our indoor, especially once things get a bit wet and blowy!”
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8. Nestling into the blue gums on the coast, Tasmania
Project: Lagoon House
Architects: Mat Hinds and Polly Taylor of Taylor and Hinds Architects
Location: Clifton Beach, Tasmania
Size: 3,154 square feet (293 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, Edmond Dorney Award for Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards — Residential Interior; commendation, 2015 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards —Residential Exterior; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — New House Over 200 Square Meters; finalist, 2015 Think Brick Awards — Kevin Borland Masonry Award
Top three green points:
Project: Lagoon House
Architects: Mat Hinds and Polly Taylor of Taylor and Hinds Architects
Location: Clifton Beach, Tasmania
Size: 3,154 square feet (293 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, Edmond Dorney Award for Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards — Residential Interior; commendation, 2015 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards —Residential Exterior; commendation, 2015 Houses Awards — New House Over 200 Square Meters; finalist, 2015 Think Brick Awards — Kevin Borland Masonry Award
Top three green points:
- Holistic approach to sustainability
- Roof shaped to maximize sunlight and ventilation
- Importance of natural habitat in orienting house
This single-story dwelling sits on the edge of Pipeclay Lagoon behind a stretch of coastline and close to many of the surf beaches south of Hobart. It was designed for an active young family. Apart from its close proximity to water (a lagoon and the sea), the house is sited in a clearing surrounded by large Tasmanian blue gums, which provide shade and ambience.
When designing the house, architects Poppy Taylor and Mat Hinds chose the best options available for the home’s heating and cooling systems. The home features solar-boosted hydronic floor heating, temperature regulation in the thermal mass of concrete floors and block walls, and a roofline that lifts to allow for a roof-mounted evacuated-tube system for ventilation. Where practical, locally sourced and sustainably produced materials also were specified.
When designing the house, architects Poppy Taylor and Mat Hinds chose the best options available for the home’s heating and cooling systems. The home features solar-boosted hydronic floor heating, temperature regulation in the thermal mass of concrete floors and block walls, and a roofline that lifts to allow for a roof-mounted evacuated-tube system for ventilation. Where practical, locally sourced and sustainably produced materials also were specified.
The position of the house capitalizes on natural light through solar orientation and provides additional natural ventilation. “Solid timber shutters are positioned to maximize the thoroughfare of a cross breeze, particularly afforded by southerly sea breezes during high summer,” Hinds says.
“We see architecture as a means of heightening an awareness of the momentary engagement between people, their togetherness and the places in which they live,” Hinds says. “We must understand these conditions first, and make architecture that resonates between us and the world in which we all live.”
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“We see architecture as a means of heightening an awareness of the momentary engagement between people, their togetherness and the places in which they live,” Hinds says. “We must understand these conditions first, and make architecture that resonates between us and the world in which we all live.”
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9. A recycled cottage on a triangular urban site, New South Wales
Project: Nikki Maloney House
Architect: Drew Heath of Drew Heath Architects
Location: Marrickville, New South Wales
Size: Under 2,153 square feet (200 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards —Sustainable Architecture
Top three green points:
Project: Nikki Maloney House
Architect: Drew Heath of Drew Heath Architects
Location: Marrickville, New South Wales
Size: Under 2,153 square feet (200 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Australian awards: Winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards, Residential Architecture —Houses (New); winner, 2015 NSW Architecture Awards —Sustainable Architecture
Top three green points:
- Recycled materials and reuse of cottage
- Creation of a cooling haven in a largely old and semiindustrial suburb
- Cross ventilation and solar panel usage
This small house in an old inner-Sydney suburb is a remaking of an existing cottage, which was dismantled and recycled back into the new building. In fact, 30 percent of the building matter is recycled. “For me, the design process was very
much about working with the materials and particularly the off-cuts we had — nothing was wasted,” says architect Drew Heath. And what wasn’t on-site to use, Heath nabbed from elsewhere. For example, some floors are made of recycled flooring from a nearby warehouse.
much about working with the materials and particularly the off-cuts we had — nothing was wasted,” says architect Drew Heath. And what wasn’t on-site to use, Heath nabbed from elsewhere. For example, some floors are made of recycled flooring from a nearby warehouse.
The obvious elements of sustainability are all there: small footprint, solar hot water, natural ventilation, low-VOC finishes, low-voltage appliances and recycled materials. “I have always seen this as a low-budget house. It is really basic materials, generally exposed and not overly finished. Any extra time or money has been invested in creating solid, handmade details, such as shelving and [counter] space in the kitchen,” Heath says.
Located on a triangular site, the house presents as a one-story building to the street and hides a large courtyard behind; this green space helps mitigate the temperature generated from heat-conducting hard surfaces in the surrounding inner-city area. “The principle was to build a private courtyard house that orientates itself to a garden,” Heath says. “What is a bonus is the haven this has become for native bird life.”
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Located on a triangular site, the house presents as a one-story building to the street and hides a large courtyard behind; this green space helps mitigate the temperature generated from heat-conducting hard surfaces in the surrounding inner-city area. “The principle was to build a private courtyard house that orientates itself to a garden,” Heath says. “What is a bonus is the haven this has become for native bird life.”
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Read more stories about energy-efficient and eco-friendly homes
Ashley Dunn, of the award-winning firm Dunn and Hillam Architects, says of this approach to architecture: “Australia is a continent which presents examples of diverse climatic conditions, from subtropical to arid to alpine. In this respect, there is no singular solution which can be universally applied here. Site specificity is key in Australia but should be at the forefront of design thinking all over the world.”
The award-winning Australian homes profiled here command vistas over bushland, provide comfort in the desert, hide in tropical rainforest and overlook beaches. All are designed to reduce reliance on mechanical systems — for heating, cooling, waste disposal and more — while complementing the landscape with their architectural beauty.