Browse Forums Eco Living Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 3Apr 13, 2010 9:51 pm House - Lockup completed 23rd December 2011 - Painters are in!!! https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37261&start=0&hilit=Blaxland Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 4Apr 13, 2010 10:16 pm Budde Design 3D Architecural Visualizations, Architectural Rendering, Artist Impressions, 2D & 3D floor plans http://www.buddedesign.com nathan@buddedesign.com Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 6Apr 17, 2010 5:23 pm House - Lockup completed 23rd December 2011 - Painters are in!!! https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37261&start=0&hilit=Blaxland Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 7Apr 24, 2010 9:24 pm Building on an acre in Macedon ......one day. Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 8Apr 24, 2010 9:59 pm House - Lockup completed 23rd December 2011 - Painters are in!!! https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37261&start=0&hilit=Blaxland Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 10Jun 12, 2010 12:21 am Cheapest and best solutions: - sarking (check under roof - should be there for metal roof) - draught sealing - doors, windows, exhaust fans - good blinds (not holland, roller) - roman or backed drapes with pelmet - flexible shading on windows ie awnings cheap and can let in winter sun or block summer sun Do all of this well, with good orientation and your house will perform really well. I would also spend they extra on double glazing - expensive but for a new build relatively not that much more. Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 11Jun 12, 2010 5:01 pm how flexible are you on design changes? You really don't have much north facing windows in there... Solar orientation is probably one of the most important things you can do to get greenifying your house right. What you have there has awesome potential if you're able to do it. Personally, if bed4 is planned for use as your study I'd move the study to where the dining is, then have lounge and dining going that length of room from the kitchen through to end of house (where bed 4 is). Move the porch from that north wall over to the west wall so that you completely open up the northern aspect for lots of sun, but still have alfresco access to the main living areas. You could easily hang some drop down blinds to the end of the alfresco to block low western sun and not have to worry about moving the windows. I'll throw together a plan a little later to see what you think. It means your office is a little smaller (and more open), but your living and dining is a little bigger. It's not changing the size of any spaces, so it probably wouldn't change the cost much at all. You could use your 5-8k on new furniture or something nice Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 12Jun 12, 2010 6:00 pm here's what I'm thinking of... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ western windows are either removed completely or able to be covered by a cheap drop down shade ($300 ea from bunnings?), gorgeous alfresco area, you can put in some deciduous fruit trees on the north side of your living area or some other type of removable shade to offer shade in summer and sun in winter without spending a fortune on larger eaves. There is no change to the room sizes or the dimensions of the house, there is only change to the location of the patio - and possibly a little bit to the size of the patio, although I would hope that they wouldn't charge you a fortune for that. Changes like this would help a lot more than pretty much any other "green option" you could come up with. You've already added a LOT to your house, so it is quite obvious that you care. Adding more northern sunlight would add a lot more =) You get your solar orientation right and you probably won't even need that 5-star heating you've added oh - and check what sarking you get. That will make a massive difference to your heat intake in summer. I hope that this is of some use to you. Take it or leave it as you see fit. And good luck with your build - it's always nice to see people wanting to do a little better by our environment =) Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 14Jun 13, 2010 5:16 pm somewoman, nice job. Although bed 4 has dissappeared... ? Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 15Jun 13, 2010 6:01 pm kiwi somewoman, nice job. Although bed 4 has dissappeared... ? Cheers. The OP mentioned that bed4 was to be used as a study, so my proposal was that the meals area be used as a study instead. So these changes would mean that the study is more open to the rest of the house - if that is something that the OP can live with then this is an option that would allow them to have SO MUCH more sun into their living area. My suggestions may not work for them, and that's fine. If it does, then that's fine also =) Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 16Jun 14, 2010 7:01 am true...she did indeed. so basically get as many north facing windows as you can..in all the rooms...that is the best way to get winter heat in? (and not have big eaves/ verandahs blocking those winter windows?) Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 17Jun 14, 2010 9:49 am Almost true. Too much glazing even in winter will cause overheating. Too little mass and you can't absorb the excess heat gain. At night, the redundant glazing just becomes a heat sink. You need the right combination of glazing, shading and mass to provide year round comfort. The proportions depend on climate, insolation and existing levels of insulation. Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 18Jun 14, 2010 9:56 am With Sw's version, the kitchen could be moved back in line with the laundry, allowing the meals/study area to be closed off if requiredand taking space from the front living and adding to the family room. Entrance to the laundry could be either through the kitchen (which I personally hate..) or by creating an alcove entry to both the study & laundry....SW, do you get what I mean? Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 19Jun 22, 2010 11:21 pm Hi Everyone, Thanks for all your replies. Somewoman, I do like your proposed changes but my only concern is how open the study is. I do work from home once a week, and I believe requirements are normally that the study is to be a separate room separate from other areas. Deemaree I cannot shift the kitchen back as I have already modified the plans to pinch 1.5 metres of the living/dining area to create a large wip off kitchen and a wil closet off the laundry. I am not too far down the track so I can still make changes, so will take into account any suggestions. At the moment I have only paid the $1000 holding fee so there is no reason why I cannot make changes, or even back out of the build. I will at least get my soil reports! I did look at other builders plans but most of the homes were too large (ie do not need a rumpus room, retreat areas etc). If anyone happens to know of a plan that will suit the block and will also incorporate passive cooling etc I am willing to consider it. I am building in Kyneton, so not all companies will build there. DF, Big M, GJ, JGK, Rivergum and NB all do. I know that Hnly and PD do not extend that far. House - Lockup completed 23rd December 2011 - Painters are in!!! https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37261&start=0&hilit=Blaxland Re: New Build - Energy efficiency upgrade on limited budget 20Jun 22, 2010 11:49 pm buildingwest somewoman, I do like your proposed changes but my only concern is how open the study is. I do work from home once a week, and I believe requirements are normally that the study is to be a separate room separate from other areas. Are you REALLY keen on an island bench in your kitchen? You could quite easily close off the study if you were willing to change your kitchen around a little. Move the location of the fridge and pantry, then you could even extend the pantry along the study wall to meet up with what is currently the island bench - more kitchen storage space, less open. Personally, I love an island bench. So will completely understand if you don't like this option. It would also mean laundry access is via the study, and that would probably suck. Unless you add in a little passage way from your kitchen to the laundry, but then you lose some space from the study in doing so. go upvc window frames ensure insulation under colorbond. not just sarking, lighter color roof also not sure if you have seen this viewtopic.php?t=5823 last couple of pages… 4 111002 Coming back to your old stomping grounds, huh? Renovations on a budget can be quite the journey. It's like giving your house a new lease on life. The twist of not knowing… 1 3537 10 years ago was a different software than we use now. it has had a lot of changes over the past years. Improvments to the software and changes to how Nathers models need… 8 1574 |