Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 42Feb 12, 2010 4:43 pm I'm still wondering about the dimensions of your block? The size of some newer blocks force people to go two-storey. And further they don't allow for any angling of the house to orient it better or to plant much in the way of gardens to create a better micro-climate around the house. And while not all blocks will have perfect orientation I don't understand why more can't have it when fairly flat land is being developed. (Steep land I imagine has overriding issues when designing the roads which then affects how the the blocks are laid out.) Orientation is something that most homebuyers should be able to benefit from at no extra cost. Instead the display villages seem to educate people to think orientation is of little relevance and there are mysterious features and upgrades that the builder can offer to make a house more sustainable. Somewoman and Onc Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 43Feb 12, 2010 4:45 pm Well I don't know that anyone would be interested in my energy efficient build....I am building a seven square home for myself.....retirement is looming!! It will have double glazing, ceiling fans (reverse), windows inline with others on opposite side for airflow, north facing (15 degrees off), large windows on north side, small on south, living rooms on north side, bedrooms south side, energy efficient appliances, concrete floor (thermal mass), decidious trees on north, west sides, evergreen on south; water tank, grey water. Solar panels also. I don't mind the extra costs as long as I am contributing to the survival of this planet. Hopefully I will achieve a seven star and if I don't I will do as much as I can to achieve this. Carolyn Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 44Feb 12, 2010 4:51 pm Caromac - your house sounds great! Do you have a thread or a blog? Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 45Feb 12, 2010 4:53 pm ^^^ Great to hear Caromac and yes totally correct Macy. Though it is possible to get light in to the middle of the home via roof lights with summer shade. Not skylights. Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 46Feb 12, 2010 4:53 pm aim1900 Bam So have you looked in to any research on different ways to be energy efficient and what is cost effective? Or are you relying on peoples subjective experiences? If you want numbers, than perhaps you should do some research outside of H1 too? And I think there are a few threads from the past which talk about energy efficiency which may be of some use to you - just do a search of the forum Bam, yes, I am looking for peoples subjective experience. Experience is part of my research. I've also done some search in the forum, but 90% of threads are talking about 5-star energy. Are you having a new house in Mernda? Did you choose a 6-star house? If yes, please answer my questions above other than giving me the environmental lesson. I have no problems on my attitude. I have as much environmental knowledge as you have, if not more than. Im trying to help you, not give you an environmental lesson. And Ive already told you what we're doing - check your post which says "Thanks lady" We cant tell you how to increase your house to 6 star - an Energy rater will tell you that, using software such as FirstRate Report. We cant even really give you suggestions on how you could improve your energy rating specifically for your house if we dont know what your plan looks like, or what you are doing as part of your 5 star energy rating. So why not work with us a little and offer us some information? Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 47Feb 12, 2010 4:59 pm somewoman Caromac - your house sounds great! Do you have a thread or a blog? Hi somewoman, I am in the design stage at the moment and looking for a north facing block or one big enough to rotate the house. I am quite excited as my first build was based on the same but I couldn't afford the extras. With the kids having flown the coop I am nearly ready to go!! Will definitely have a blog and once I buy the land I will put up the details. Cheers, Carolyn Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 48Feb 12, 2010 5:37 pm Caromac - when you get to that time and the concrete is going down ask the granos to burnishs the concrete This will give you a smooooth finish, the smoother the better IMO and then will just need a buff with some wax Special wax though not the synthetic type... Bad joke ahead warning Caromac - yay know what you mean... empty nesters unite Mother bird asks baby bird can you fly yet...? ... baby birds says oh Mum of course I can, everyone knows that Mother bird puts on her socks and size 9's and gently as poss' gives baby bird a boot in the bum... So then show me baby bird Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 49Feb 12, 2010 6:52 pm Are you for real, of course building a 6 star home is worth it. Of course there are far better ways to build an energy efficient home but at least the star ratings are an acknowledgement by authorities of the desperate need for an entirely new way of building mass produced homes in new urban environments. It is frustrating when the urban population thinks in terms of the effects of things in their backyard when the realities are that every little thing we do adds up to be something much greater. I say build it. Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 50Feb 12, 2010 7:25 pm onc_artisan Caromac - when you get to that time and the concrete is going down ask the granos to burnishs the concrete This will give you a smooooth finish, the smoother the better IMO and then will just need a buff with some wax Special wax though not the synthetic type... Bad joke ahead warning Caromac - yay know what you mean... empty nesters unite Mother bird asks baby bird can you fly yet...? ... baby birds says oh Mum of course I can, everyone knows that Mother bird puts on her socks and size 9's and gently as poss' gives baby bird a boot in the bum... So then show me baby bird Thanks Onk..Artisan, It was a bit like that....one wanted to go but the other one kept coming back, three months turned into four years and with a grandchild as well. In the end I kept downsizing so it was basically a boot, but a size 7 (not 9). Oh bliss I must say it wasn't until the kids finally moved that I started to think about eco friendly and looking after the planet....a long time to learn but I'm getting there! Carolyn Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 51Feb 12, 2010 8:05 pm A bit OT but what the heck.. hehehehe Hmmm... We/I got threaten, threaten, threaten and then I said see ya... Oh BTW the door is always open if you need some advice Those few words were enough to tort with I am never coming back AHHHHHHHHH! Ok well suit yourself then... would you like some help to move your stuff No I can do it a good then I can do my stuff then Funny enough DD2 has been lumbered with her Now that is interesting because DD2 is one heck of a mumma and takes no backward step Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 52Feb 13, 2010 3:14 pm Macy And while not all blocks will have perfect orientation I don't understand why more can't have it when fairly flat land is being developed. Because developers try to maximise the number of blocks and profit rather than maximising the solar orientation of as many blocks as possible. Also need more regulation about preserving solar access of neighbours for those on small blocks. Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 53Feb 13, 2010 3:31 pm Pipe <!-- snip -->. Also need more regulation about preserving solar access of neighbours for those on small blocks. Agreed. Even with our block of 866m2 we have had to do some really careful planning to ensure that we have plenty of north-facing roof and glazing that will remain unimpeded by new double-storey dwellings that may arise in the future. Pipe and I spent years working and reworking plans to get to what we finally wanted and knew would work well for us given our land and solar orientation (only to find we couldn't afford it, then had to rework someone else's plans to incorporate most of our "greening"). The sizes of blocks these days is atrocious. Unless you buy something that is part of a row of townhouses, you have no guarantees about the place next to you shading you out. Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 54Feb 13, 2010 3:58 pm The sad and deceitful thing about this is that developers say "it is so we can have 'affordable' housing" What a load of rot The cost of loading sooo many people into a smaller area as possible is the level of services required to 'service' the population, also the cost of maintenance of such infrastructure to ferry via road networks said people. ... and the cost becomes the 'peoples' and the developers walk away with a fist full of dollars I say decentralise to open up areas around the country so that we don't need to be soo cramped. The road network around small blocks is so dense that it could easily be despersed to form better wider and more open planning than we are looking at and seeing become reality. I understand that people need to work and that people need to be near to work... But seriously an hour of travel to work is a lot of time out of a life just going to work to pay the mortgage to live 'close' to work Catch 22 nup, sold out yes! Sorry another rant so close to the 'other' one is sad... I have too much time Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: Is it worth to build a 6-start energy homes? 55Feb 13, 2010 11:44 pm Macy Okay, my subjective experience. I've lived in a number of west facing houses and two north facing houses and orientation makes a difference. A quarter of a century after I first visited a solar passive display home I am astounded that this aspect of home building is still so overlooked. The land being released, at least in our area, is so rarely suitable. Amen we achieved 6.3 stars with little more than installing the most energy efficient central heater we could and the correct orientation for our block, total cost to us was $780 and that was the price of going from a 3 star heater to a 5 star heater. 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