Join Woden SEE Change in this tour through this "knock down rebuild" in progress in O'Connor.

Builder: Craft Building

Designer: ENVdesign

The project started with a very cold monocrete house which had an EER of zero. As much as possible was dismantled and salvaged:

Timber from below (joists and bearers) and above (trusses and rafters)
Canberra red bricks
Polyester Batts to be used in internal walls
The enormously heavy cast-iron bathtub (which the builders Kieran and Sherri had to move by hand)
wood oven
interior doors

The new house will be a certified Passivhaus, meaning it should be able to run on 10% of the heating and cooling demand of a normal house, hold a stable temperature throughout, have fresh, filtered air and no condensation or mould issues.

Kevin Swain did the energy efficiency modelling (PHPP) and provided heaps of useful advice.

Features of house include:

Slab has foam insulation around and under it.
Termimesh non-chemical termite protection.
Ground floor has straw bale walls - made in "SITUP" panels from Huff'n'Puff of Ganmain (Provide around R6 insulation value).
Upper walls are 140mm stud walls with R4 high density batts.
Roof will have blow in insulation (R7).
All walls and ceiling wrapped with breathable membrane and carefully taped to ensure air-tightness.
The exception to this will be some straw bale walls which will have breathable natural lime render.
Gaps in construction (e.g. between window frames and wall framing) are being carefully filled with insulation, including with a natural timber felt-like product. These gaps are often left as is in normal construction.
Triple glazed windows with air-tight seals from Logikhaus.
Large windows to the north for winter solar gain.
Exterior blinds from Logikhaus to reduce summer solar gain.
Heat recovery ventilation system from Logikhaus.
11 kW solar system.
Double storey to allow more access to northern sun and to reduce footprint on block (leaving space for chook yard and veggie garden)

The final EER is estimated at 9.2 stars.

Contact the host of "Over the Back Fence" Sustainable House Tour - O'Connor