When designing a family home, sustainbility is a factor worth considering. And there are plenty of lessons on sustainable design to be learnt from Melbourne-based architect Sarah Rickard.
“Early Australian architectural design was all about passive heating and cooling, which is why heritage properties remain popular today,” says Sarah.
“The fantastic thing is that those ‘old-school’ design features can be applied to any building style, from traditional homestead to modern minimalist.”
If you’re planning an energy-efficient home, pairing some of these design features with an efficient photovoltaic (PV) solar system can be a great way to help increase your energy star rating.
Here are Sarah’s four tips to help passively heat and cool your home, keeping it as sustainable as possible while perfectly complementing a solar system.
Spend time on your block to see where prevailing winds, light and shadows come from. You’ll passively warm those high-use areas by facing your living areas north.
Allow adequate roof space in your house to install solar panels. Sarah's family mounted theirs on the garage roof, ensuring it was clear of large trees to capture maximum sunlight throughout the day.
Winter heat loss occurs through windows, so size and placement are important. Double-glazing can also be beneficial and is becoming more popular.
Sarah's home is traditionally styled, with a wrap-around verandah to shade rooms from the harsh summer heat. It's a good idea to place eaves or a verandah over north-facing windows, so they’re shaded during summer.
"We’ve also planted deciduous grapevines against the pergola at the back of the house to provide additional shade."
Work out which direction summer breezes come from, then place doors and windows to capture and direct them through the house. Great ventilation can reduce the need for air-conditioning, which may help reduce your electricity costs.
Sarah's block is very flat with prevailing winds from the northwest, so it’s relatively easy for her to cool the house by opening two or three windows at opposite ends. Ceiling fans also help circulate the air.
Exterior wall and ceiling insulation are nothing new, but you can also consider insulating between the zones of your home. The bedrooms are at one end of Sarah's house and living areas at the other, so by insulating the bedroom zone, they can help keep them at a comfortable temperature. "Even though we might have doors open elsewhere. Good insulation can add a couple of stars to your energy rating!"
There’s a wealth of information online to assist you with your new home plans and showrooms, expos, and home shows you can visit to get professional help. Check out Green Homes Australia and Sustainability Victoria for information to get started.
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