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climate comfort
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Autumn
2011
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contacts and contents
contents
inside brief
6
climate comfort
8
from the national chair
Building Designers Australia has a new logo – yes,
the dinner plate, and accompanying knife and fork
have disappeared from our agenda of items to
national conference
17
walking the talk with chris reardon
18
for BDA.
the big picture with dick clarke
24
At last year’s management meeting in Melbourne,
out there with neville zark
27
up with a new logo. Being the year of South
spirit of place with trevor king
30
product feature
34
the new Logo.
product feature
36
The logo has been presented to the management
product feature
40
Australia and the graphic artists whom they
discuss. No more arguments about the best logo
South Australia was given the job of coming
Australia’s 50th anniversary and the state where
BDA started, it was appropriate that they provide
committee and we need to congratulate South
commissioned to design it. The logo is new and
refreshing after the years of the ‘dinner plate’
emblem.
Each state would have now received a CD
Building Designers Australia
package of all the combinations of file types and
T: 08 9228 0698
F: 08 9228 3236
see all building designers use the logo on their
E: [email protected]
W: www.bdaa.com.au
A: PO Box 2188 Dangar NSW 2309
National chairman
Monty East
T (03) 6223 6847
M: 0418 381 075
E: [email protected]
Membership Enquiries
T: (08) 9228 0698
E: [email protected]
a guide on the use of the logo. I would like to
stationary, drawings, in their documentation, and
on site boards. This logo will help to further our
recognition across Australia.
The new BDA is progressing following the
acceptance of the Articles of Association and
the election of new councillors from each state
chapter to form the new national council, and a
business manager to guide BDA through its rebirth
as the new body serving and representing building
designers throughout Australia.
Monty East
Front Cover:
climate comfort
$8.50
Autumn 2011
Autumn
2011
Designed by Chris Clout, this is
a great visual example of climate
comfort. Overlooking Peregian
Beach, Queensland, cool ocean
breezes pass over the pool through
louvres and into a bedroom with
a view anyone would love to wake
up to.
Chairman
Building Designers Australia
Building Designers Brief Australia is published by Pond Publications,
Suite 6, 199 Bulwer Street, Perth WA 6000, printed by Lamb Print,
19 Abrams Street, Balcatta WA 6021 and distributed by Quickmail,
1714 Albany Highway, Kenwick WA 6107.
building designers BRIEF australia
5
inside brief
a common thread
As I proofread this autumn issue of the BRIEF, it seems
the keyword throughout is change.
We start with the reformation of the national body
of building designers, and a name-change to Building
Designers Australia. Making this change, and ensuring the
needs of each state chapter have been met, has been
the result of a lot of hard work to establish a strong,
representative and relevant fellowship for these changing
times, which perhaps is best summed up by author
and seminar presenter Christina Baldwin: Change is the
constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix.
Climate change is the centrepiece of our table talk; it
has been for some time but continues to grow with
passionate debate between politically self-serving courses.
But at least it’s on the menu! However, in the main, it’s
fast food, drive-through thinking with a regular order
that’s resisting healthy life-saving options for our planet.
King Whitney Jr says: Change has a considerable
psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful,
it is threatening because it means that things may get
worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things
may get better. To the confident, it is inspiring because
the challenge exists to make things better.
Encouraging us to make things better, Building Design
in a Changing Climate is the core theme of the annual
national conference, to be held in the Barossa Valley
among the autumn vine leaves from April 7-9.
Meanwhile, overlooking the tranquillity of Sussex Inlet,
Doc Reardon takes us on the defining leg of his practical
journey to rein in the theory of sustainability with a
telling carbon audit of his ‘luurve’ shack project. Talk
about fodder for the future!
Dick Clarke analyses the impact of the recent Queensland
floods on the future of design in flood prone areas
and the need for extreme measures to batten down the
hatches against inevitable future weather events of similar
magnitude. Smithy chimes in with his cartoon take on a
new design for the iconic Queenslander.
Trevor King also asks us to rethink. He stresses the
importance of affectionate engagement with the natural
environment as a means of achieving required changes
to cultural attitudes in our approach to the built
environment, with regional priorities.
With the focus squarely on climate change and achieving
sustainable comfort in the wake of its impact on our
diverse habitats, we have assembled an inspirational
selection of designs that address climate comfort and
incorporate a combination of natural resources with
technological innovation in materials, products and
services.
Change is the process of becoming different to what we
know and, as Mahatma Gandhi said: Be the change you
want to see in the world.
Enjoy
Rochelle
Managing Director:
Rochelle James
0402 853 989
[email protected]
Association Management
Event Management
Publishing
Sponsorship
Product Promotions
Public Relations
www.themediapond.com.au
Advertising:
Aleshia Bowes
0407 993 795
[email protected]
Building Designers Brief Australia
is published quarterly by Pond Publications
Managing Editor
Rochelle James
PO Box 8439, Perth Business Centre
Western Australia 6849
Tel: (08) 9228 3235
Fax: (08) 9228 3236
Disclaimer, terms and conditions: Any advice printed in this publication is produced in good faith but strictly on the understanding
that neither the BDAA Ltd, nor Pond Publications or persons contributing to the publication incur any legal liability whatsoever for
the correctness or accuracy (including liability for negligence). Should the information be incorrect or otherwise defective, all liability is
disclaimed. All advertisements are accepted on the following terms and conditions: BDAA Ltd. and Pond Publications have the right to
refuse to publish any advertisement or material. No liability shall be incurred by the BDAA Ltd. or Pond Publications by reason of any
error, inaccuracy or amendment to, or the partial or total omission of any advertisement or by reason of any delay, or default or from
any other cause whatsoever. Neither BDAA Ltd nor Pond Publications can be held responsible for any errors in multiple insertion material
after the first issue of publication. The views expressed by guest columnists are entirely those of the author.
6
building designers BRIEF australia
Autumn 2011
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climate comfort
Scientific and technological advances have put building
designers on notice to come up with the goods
beneath the surface
F
words have long been synonymous with good
building design. For most of the past century, the
profession has been obsessed with the influence of
F words on the built environment.
Two F words in particular have remained the mantle on
which popular architecture has rested since the early
Roman architect Vitruvius wrote that a good building
should satisfy the three principles of firmitas, utilitas and
venustas – roughly translated as durability, utility and
beauty – which over time came to be rounded down to
form and function.
Form came to follow function as the notion that
structural and aesthetic considerations should be entirely
subject to functionality gained traction among progressive
20th century building designers. But as sure as form
followed function, another underlying prerequisite to
satisfy the contemporary ethos became embedded before
the millennium closed out – environmental sustainability.
And therein lay another F word – friendliness – to
acknowledge the positive impact of good design on
demands for non-sustainable power sources for heating,
cooling, lighting, water and waste management. So now,
form followed function, followed friendliness.
The dawn of the 21st century introduced building
designers to the realities of the effects of climate change
and ecological degradation on the value of their work,
which now has to pass more rigorous scrutiny than
ever before to ensure it is future-proof in a world of
diminishing energy resources. Scientific and technological
advances, especially in the thermal performance of
building materials, coupled with previously embraced
principles of natural environmental considerations, have
put building designers on notice to come up with the
goods that can survive a robust ratings regime. And with
8
building designers BRIEF australia
Above: At Pearl Beach, NSW, Jonathon Grose-Jong has
ensured striking deep eaves and lush vegetation provide
ample sun protection.
Top opposite: In response to the cool temperate climate
of south Hobart, Mike Cleaver has used tiled floors and
dramatic stone walls for thermal mass.
another F word in the equation, it can be said today that
forms follows function, follows friendliness, follows futurity.
So, while form and function is still very much an
overriding consideration, building designers now need to
ensure that beneath the roof of every design there are
materials that make their buildings climate comfortable,
sustainably responsible and energy wise.
FOOTNOTE: The last F word comes from Frank Lloyd
Wright, who developed organic architecture in which the
form was defined by its environment and purpose, with an
aim to promote harmony between human habitation and
the natural world. His philosophy lives on in many of the
climate-comfortable designs featured here.
Autumn 2011
Above: Stephen Kidd’s design of a dramatic renovation on
the sunshine coast incorporates cool timber floors and a
breezeway between rooms with louvres.
Above and below: In Lower Chittering in the hills of Perth,
Roger Joyner’s own home grabs northern light filtered
through the trees.
Below: In sub-tropical Noosa, Paul Clout has created
great window treatments with louvres, stacking doors and
performance glass.
A water tank is tucked under a wide steel-supported
balcony and part of the first level.
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
9
Top and above: Chris Vandyk provides ideal tropical
comfort in this Redlynch Valley home in Queensland.
Below: In the Yarramalong Valley region of NSW, Dick
Clarke uses well-considered orientation and amazing roof
angles to capture essential light.
10
building designers BRIEF australia
Above and below: Among many climatic considerations,
John Berryman has ensured that multi-planed eaves and
soaring skillion roofs at Dugong Beach Resort on Groote
Eylandt provide great shade and ventilation. The extensive
use of louvres throughout the resort offers opening walls
for breezeways and cyclone-rated window treatments.
Autumn 2011
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climate comfort
I was faced with how to design a swimming pool that could
be driven totally and economically from solar energy
taking the plunge
Building design is one notable achievement on a
diverse resume of life’s work that octogenarian Collyn
Rivers has not pursued as a career. But it is an
industry on which he has left an indelible mark.
Resident ESD commentator Dick Clarke last year
familiarised readers with Collyn’s iconic Wave House
project during a voyage to the north-west frontier
where the two passionate energy crusaders were
reunited on the southern outskirts of Broome.
Now relocated to the more temperate Pittwater
region of Sydney’s northern reaches, Collyn feels it
is only right to share a groundbreaking aspect of his
Broome building design experience with the broader
building design community. What client wouldn’t be
impressed with a saving of up to 90 per cent on
the conventional cost of installing a swimming pool
maintenance system with significant ongoing energy
wastage offsets?
For the record, Collyn Rivers, now 80, is a former
research engineer who changed careers completely
in 1970 to found the globally successful publication
Electronics Today International. From 1982, he was
the major technical contributor to The Bulletin.
He also wrote the Federal Government Guide to
Information Technology and, also in the 1980s,
founded the very successful journal, Australian
Telecommunications. He is also a well-known author
and global publisher of books in the solar energy
field, including Solar That Really Works (primarily for
cabins, motor homes, boats and similar environments)
and Solar Success (for home and property systems).
12
building designers BRIEF australia
W
hen designing my Kimberley property, described
so well by Dick Clarke in Building Designers Brief
Australia (Spring 2010), I was faced with how to
design a swimming pool that could be driven totally and
economically from solar energy. And further, to safeguard
the innumerable native birds that would inevitably drink
from it, by using zero – or minimal – chlorine or other
chemicals.
While I had already designed and installed the 3.5kW
(11kW surge) solar system used to power equipment
needed to build and then run the house and property
irrigation, I approached several companies to see what
methods they might suggest. Their quotes for the
proposed 31,000 litre above-ground concrete pool all
related to conventional solar technology – most including
totally unnecessary battery storage – to drive a 2kW
(input) 240-volt induction motor pump, plus the usual
high-level chlorine protection.
My suggestion that it could be done more simply, much
more cheaply and more ecologically soundly was rejected
out of hand, so I decided to design and construct that
part of the pool system myself.
My starting point was to realise that, as Kimberley days
have eight to 10 hours of sunlight almost year round,
and no imperative to circulate water at night, there was
no need for battery back-up. Then there was the growing
realisation that the average installed pool pump may
be as low as 10 per cent efficient. That being so, why
consider 240 volts at all? An hour or two’s research
resulted in my uncovering the German-made Lorenz range
of pumps, several of which ran from 48 volts DC (direct
current). This also enabled me to legally install all the
electrical bits.
The Lorenz pump motor is actually a DC brushless
Autumn 2011
day. When it does, water is pumped into the pool at the
top of the end opposite to where the pool-bottom outlet
pipe is fitted. The water level rises until it reaches and
exceeds the level of the horizontal section of pipe, and
then down and into the now gravity-pressurised part of
the irrigation system over a period of two hours or so.
unit that interfaces with the PV solar modules via a
specialised multiple power point tracker – a unit that in
effect ‘juggles volts and amps’ to optimise the energy
transfer, similar to the way a torque converter works on
a car with automatic transmission.
My sums indicated that a north-facing 480-watt* solar
array at the latitude angle of about 18 degrees should
be able to circulate about 4500 litres an hour for most
of a typical Kimberley day of between five and six-anda-half peak sun hours. In practice, the system exceeds
that most days by a few hundred litres. A very minor
downside is the change of pitch from the all-but-silent
motor when the rare cloud partially obscures solar input.
Water quality is maintained simply by diverting the bore
water – used in any case for irrigation – via the pool.
Some 5000-7500 litres/day are thus replaced.
Our initial trials with a Floatron pool system were not
successful. The device worked well for a few weeks, but
its transparent plastic lens became irreversibly opaque
under the ever-present sun within a few weeks. A single
chlorine tablet a week, however, proved adequate to keep
the water crystal clear year-round and appeared not to
affect native life.
The first less-than-well-observed trial resulted in an
almost totally drained pool, and my wife (between fits of
unseemly laughter) pointing out that the horizontal pipe
The method is primarily passive. An irrigation feed pipe
about 50mm from the bottom of the pool at one end
has a vertical riser that extends to about 20cm below
the normal water level. It then runs horizontally for about
25cm before dropping to ground level where it joins a
dedicated part of the sloping ground irrigation system
below the pool.
The 25cm horizontal section is adjustable to coincide
with the pool’s normal static level. The early-morning,
time-controlled irrigation system – a 750-watt pump and
500-litre pressure tank – runs for about 30 minutes each
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
13
climate comfort
My experience with that project did cause me to
wonder about conventional swimming pool technology
section needed a top air inlet to prevent syphoning. That
done, the pool worked faultlessly – excepting the need
for a $900 replacement pump motor – from mid-2003
until when we sold the property in late 2010.
Possibly in attempts to explain electrics simply, analogies
are often made between pumping and water flowing in
a pipe. While such analogies may help, they can also
be misleading – and that is particularly so with pumping
energy loss. When you double an electric cable’s crosssection, the loss through it resisting current flow is
halved. But double the cross-section of a water pipe
and the loss falls to one quarter – as does the energy
required for pumping. Do that with diameter and it
becomes about five times! Also often overlooked with
pumping systems are the huge losses with the typical
stop-start pressure regulated systems, where pumps may
start and stop many hundreds of times a day. An electric
pump motor draws many times its running current each
time it starts – plus hysteresis losses as long flexible
pipes expand and contract circumferentially as the pump
repeatedly starts and stops. This is readily fixed by
adding a seriously large pressure tank – mine were 500
litres – but it really needs a dedicated article to be
able to explain comprehensively (perhaps the editor will
humour me on that front). Curiously, this issue is often
overlooked by the building industry and home builders. In
solar-powered property systems the cost of that wasted
energy is out of all proportion to the cost of increasing
pipe sizes throughout, and not infrequently, many times
that even of pumping water vertically.
My experience with that project – as, indeed, with
some aspects of the whole house – did cause me to
wonder about conventional swimming pool technology.
My resultant system was simple to design and install, it
works superbly, and has proved ultra-reliable. The pump
starts up within 30 minutes of sunrise and pumps all
day until just before sunset. It continues to pump, at
reduced flow, even during those rare times when the sun
is substantially obscured. Yet it uses about a quarter of
the energy of conventional systems. Further, excluding
minor labour (all my own), its total cost was less than
$7500. That’s a helluva lot less than the $60,000-$75,000
quoted. It’s also simpler and more ecologically sound.
* It is still not widely realised that the worldwide industry
practice of rating solar module output – Standard Operating
Conditions, or SOC – is not replicable unless the modules
are momentarily exposed, at their optimum orientation, on
the top of a very high mountain close to the equator at
midday. A more typical output – but disclosed mostly only
in the fine print – is the NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell
Temperature) rating. This is typically 70-71 per cent of
the SOC rating. Despite this, the solar industry worldwide
advertises and markets grid connect and stand-alone systems
using the effectively non-achievable SOC rating. An installed
1.kW system is thus more typically a 1.2-1.3kW system and,
if pressed, installers will reluctantly agree. Sooner or later,
someone will challenge this in court … and win – because
the true typical input is revealed
in the obligatory paperwork on
completion.
Collyn Rivers
[email protected]
14
building designers BRIEF australia
Autumn 2011
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Come and join us
Conference Speakers
Program Overview
Elrond Burrell
Thursday 7th April
He has particular expertise in ecological design, timber
construction, and complex projects.
Registrations
Golf (9 holes)
Welcome Drinks
Tone Wheeler
Friday 8th April
Tone Wheeler is an architect, author, educator and
consultant with an abiding interest in environmentally
sustainable design
Keynote Speakers
Conference speakers
Corporate presentations
ABCB reviews
Food and friendship
Lynn Allen
Lynn Allen, Cadalyst columnist and Autodesk Technical
Evangelist, speaks to more than 30,000 users worldwide
each year.
Chris Reardon
Chris Reardon is a building designer of some twenty
years experience specialising in sustainable design and
construction.
The Panel
Question and answer session to wrap your head around.
The Guru’s of sustainability as your sounding board.
Conference day 1
50th Birthday celebrations
Saturday 9th April
Conference day 2
Keynote Speakers
Conference speakers
Corporate presentations
More food and more friendship
National Design Excellence
Awards presentation
At Maggie Beer’s “THE FARM”.
Book on-line www.bdasa.com.au
national conference
Nature will be at the forefront of a program featuring
some of Australia’s most prominent eco-design experts
gold class event
B
uilding designers from throughout Australia will toast
the golden anniversary of the industry’s ‘coming-ofage’ when they gather in the Barossa Valley next
month for the 2011 BDA National Conference and Awards.
The first industry association was formed in South
Australia in 1961 and the South Australian building design
fraternity is determined to make this year’s national
conference a memorable experience.
Time is running out, however, for designers wishing to
register to become part of the Barossa celebration.
The event starts with the obligatory pre-conference golf
challenge on Thursday, April 7 followed by welcome
drinks in the evening. Conference sessions will occupy
most of the day on Friday and Saturday, April 8-9,
culminating with the annual National Design Awards
presentation dinner on Saturday night.
The conference theme, Building With Nature, reinforces
the bonds of commitment to natural and cultural heritage
being embraced by building designers. Nature will be at
the forefront of a program featuring some of Australia’s
most prominent eco-design experts in an environment
custom-designed for experiential conferencing. Speakers
such as ESD leading lights Elron Burrell, Chris Reardon
and Tone Wheeler will headline a program which will also
feature ‘Cadalyst’ and ‘Autodesk technical evangelist’ Lynn
Allen.
Nature’s influence on the conference will not be lost
between business sessions and social events. The
iconic winegrowing region boasts a pristine and tranquil
landscape dotted with picturesque vineyards among
acres of natural bushland and a host of heritage-listed
buildings.
Delegates will have an ideal opportunity before, during
and after the conference to indulge in the fruits of the
region’s natural gifts by exploring its many environmental
and man-made attractions, including 150 wineries, 75
cellar-door tasting venues, more than 40 renowned
restaurants, 100 boutique accommodation options and
more than 750 grape-growing operations. The Barossa
Wine and Visitor Information Centre is there to help.
Generous accommodation packages have been negotiated
at the conference venue, the Novotel Barossa Valley
Resort, perched high in the heart of the Barossa,
overlooking the rolling hills of the valley.
The National Design Awards presentation dinner will be
hosted nearby at The Farm, home kitchen of international
celebrity chef Maggie Beer.
For more information and conference registration
details, visit www.bdasa.com.au or call 1800 423 272.
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
17
walking the talk with chris reardon
Carbon zero is arguably the most important
challenge we have ever faced
the carbon crunch
There was a time when the theory of carbon
neutrality could be fruitlessly foisted on an
unsuspecting building design community without
someone actually doing the hard yards. But times
have changed. A certain doctor of philosophy
in sustainable futures has seen to that with his
determination to provide building designers with a
practical demonstration of how to pursue and rein in
the lofty ideals of ultimate environmental sustainability
with the conception, design and construction of a
modest holiday retreat at Sussex Inlet on the NSW
south coast, affectionately referred to as the luurve
shack. While it remains a frustrating work in progress
for CHRIS REARDON, he is determined to see it
through … and to share the fruits of his labour of
luurve along the way with true believers.
U
nfortunately, progress on the luurve shack ground
to a halt in the second half of 2010 due to work
demands and incessant rain. The way I look at it,
the shack is a sustainable holiday home and the first
rule of sustainability applies: If it’s not fun – it’s not
sustainable. If only our demanding, whip-wielding editor
was capable of understanding this.
creatively and cost-effectively is what we do as building
designers. I suggest that carbon zero is no different,
except that it is arguably the most important challenge
we have ever faced. Even the last few climate change
skeptics agree that energy costs (carbon, actually) are
skyrocketing and clients are increasingly demanding low
and zero-energy homes.
Business as usual for most designers includes working to
a tight budget (although some WAussie designers appear
immune to this restriction). We are used to evaluating the
implications of every design decision in project budget
terms. Now we need to evaluate them in energy/carbon
budget terms as well (and this applies to those WAussies
with unlimited budgets, too). Same, same – but different.
You might recall the quick and dirty carbon audit in the
last article where I found myself ‘fessing up’ to having
‘spent’ a substantial portion of my embodied carbon
budget just getting my low-cost, carbon-zero shack out
One of the aims in this series of articles has been to
demonstrate a simple approach to making a project
carbon-zero – even one with a difficult site, an idiot for
a client, a tight budget and demanding neighbours.
Some designers I speak to comment that carbon zero is
“all too hard”. Well, over the years, we have managed
to accommodate new framing and thermal performance
codes, OH&S and access codes, and so on and so forth
… without compromising our design standards or going
broke. Meeting new challenges and solving problems
18
building designers BRIEF australia
Autumn 2011
of the ground. I justified this in terms of narrow-view
corridor and space-related site constraints (the usual
designer excuses) but the net result at the end of the
day is that this blowout will cost the client (me) more in
photovoltaic panels.
While the cost of on-site renewable energy generation
has dropped dramatically in recent years, reducing both
embodied and operational energy from concept design
stage onwards still remains the most important step in
creating a cost-effective carbon-zero house.
Below I outline a few of the strategies I have employed
to claw back some of my carbon overspend.
Most of the embodied energy in a home is usually found
in the heavier materials (for example, concrete, brick
and so on) and a few high embodied energy materials
(for example, PVC, aluminum, steel, copper and so on).
CSIRO research found that materials used in the average
Australian house contain the levels of embodied energy
in the table below from Your Home. It gives a good
indication of where to look for the greatest savings.
Cladding
Approximately 60 per cent of the external cladding was
proposed as Colorbond steel and 40 per cent Weathertex
panel. By cladding 90 per cent of the building with
carbon-neutral Weathertex and only 10 per cent with
Colorbond, I have saved around 5 tonnes of embodied
carbon. While Colorbond contains around 40 per cent
recycled steel, its embodied energy is still significantly
higher than Weathertex.
Insulation
While insulation accounts for only a small percentage
of total carbon embodied in the project, it is one area
where simple, cost-effective carbon savings can be made.
To get the job air tight/weather tight quickly, I had
intended fixing a reflective foil-lined polystyrene foam
insulation board to the frame externally. Unfortunately, my
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
19
walking the talk with chris reardon
To offset my embodied carbon overspend I will need to
achieve a net export of on-site renewable electricity
research indicated that commonly available products (read
‘cost-effective’) in this category are ‘blown’ with pentane
which has around seven times the global warming impact
of CO2. (Siddall 2007).
In his 2006 book, Harvey estimated a 25-year payback
period for 15mm of pentane blown foam in a mild
climate. This payback drops significantly in a more
extreme climate where the insulation saves more heating/
cooling energy – but your luurve shack has a mild
climate. With two aluminium reflective surfaces, this
blows out to around 40 years. While that still means
the material will become carbon positive over a 50year life-cycle, alternative insulation gives a much better
outcome. Recycled paper (cellulose) has a payback period
of around two years and 80 per cent recycled polyester
around six years (plus five to 10 when reflective foil is
included).
In the end, I opted for R1.5 polyester wall insulation
with 80 per cent recycled content and a low embodied
energy breathable wrap for the walls. While the tonnage
of embodied carbon saved will be quite small, it is
nonetheless a credit.
Paint
CSIRO estimates that two coats of typical household
paint have an embodied energy of 20.4mJ/sq m. That’s
around 600mJ or 2.28 tonnes for the shack. By using
low embodied energy Porters Limewash on 50 per cent
of the surface area, I can reduce this by 40 per cent, or
around 1 tonne.
Carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration yields some useful carbon credits.
Timber has a net positive effect when carbon stored
during the tree’s growth phase (around -8.3kg CO2/
kg) is included in the carbon budget. Growing forests
absorb carbon dioxide from the air and ‘sequester’ (store
or fix) it in woody tissue. Trees are the most powerful
concentrators of carbon on earth. With density ranging
from 650-900kg/cu m, hardwood contains 325-450kg of
carbon per cubic metre. At densities of 500 kg/cu m,
20
building designers BRIEF australia
softwood contains around 250kg of carbon/cu m (Moore
2000).
My 2.85cu m of kiln-dried softwood frame sequesters
about 7.1 tonnes of carbon, which has a net credit of
2.6 tonnes after 4.5 tonnes of embodied carbon from the
Process Energy Requirement (PER) of 3.4 MJ/kg for H2
and H3 LOSP treated pine is deducted.
A little over one tonne of sequestered carbon was lost
when the 0.25cu m of existing Cyprus floor and 1.2 cu
m of hardwood joists collapsed during construction. Its
replacement with particleboard and engineered HySpan
Joists added just on 1.5 tonnes. The net result was
a 2.6 tonne increase to the carbon bottom line. This
demonstrates the value of retaining existing structure
containing sequestered carbon – particularly when
replacement alternatives have high embodied energy.
Summary
CSIRO estimates that the average embodied energy in
a home is 5 gigajoules/sq m, or 1000 gigajoules for
an average 200sq m house, and that on average, 0.098
tonnes of CO2 are produced per gigajoule. That translates
to approximately 100 tonnes per home.
Autumn 2011
My current audit indicates that the embodied CO2 in the
luurve shack will be around 100 tonnes even though it is
smaller than an average home. I attribute this to the big
embodied energy centres audited in my last article ( PVC
formwork, concrete and reinforcing steel) and it reminds
me of what happens when I ignore my own golden rule
of “treading lightly on the earth” rather than digging into
it and retaining it. Never mind, the neighbours are happy,
I have earth-coupled thermal stability and comfort, and
with great views.
To offset my embodied carbon overspend during the
minimum expected 50-year lifespan of the shack, I will
need to achieve a net export of on-site renewable
electricity. Each 1kW (peak) saves around 475kg of C02
per annum, or around 24 tonnes over the 50-year life
of the building. In other words, I need to devote around
4Kw (peak) of PV to paying back my embodied carbon.
This could have been halved with a lightweight structure
and would have saved me $22,000 in PV – and about
the same in building cost. Now there’s a lesson learned
the hard way.
I will need another 2kW (peak) to offset my operating
energy needs. This is where the 75-tonne heating and
cooling carbon credit from my thermal mass investment
pays off (see last article). Finally, I estimate that I will
need a further 4kW (peak) to offset the carbon footprint
from my transport and food. Were I to sell the car and
walk, bike or bus, eat only fish from the inlet and grow
my own vegies, I could probably reduce this to 1kW
(peak) – but that’s unlikely with my addiction to affluent
western, developed world lifestyle. So, I need a total
system size of 10kW (peak). At current rates, that will set
me back around $40,000 to $45,000 (including RECS).
Autumn 2011
Assuming CoAG settles at an average 40c per kW
gross-feed-in tariff (this is currently the most popular
prediction), this system would pay for itself in around 10
years. Not a bad investment, methinks. I can’t see too
many banks not being willing to lend on those numbers
– especially when predicted electricity price rises will only
make it more attractive. At the end of the day, carbon
zero housing is very do-able.
References
Harvey L.D. 2006 A Handbook on Low-Energy Buildings and
District-Energy Systems
Fundamentals, Techniques and Examples. London: Earthscan.
Moore, P., 2000, “Green Spirit, Trees are the Answer”,
Greenspirit Enterprises Limited, Canada)
Siddall, M 2007; http://www.aecb.net/forum/index.php?PHPSE
SSID=dh2l840vjj5vf29pa7c6g0s237&topic=1001.0
Chris Reardon, Building Designer NSW
Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Futures
Chris welcomes your comments to the editor
building designers BRIEF australia
21
Entries close 31st May 2011.
the big picture with dick clarke
It is possible to design and build structures
that can withstand major flood events
weathering the storm
If every action is expected to create an equal and
opposite reaction, it should come as no surprise that
the recent devastating weather extremes have added
fuel to the fire in the belly of the building design
industry’s guardian of the elements, DICK CLARKE,
who argues that ‘extreme’ architectural measures
may have to form part of any response taken by
reconstruction authorities to future-proof buildings in
unstable climate zones. Otherwise, we’re in for more
of the same devastation, on an even grander scale,
as the weather patterns on which we have wreaked
our own havoc continue to dump on us.
E
verybody else is talking about it – why shouldn’t we?
The Queensland floods, Cyclone Yasi, the floods in
Victoria and the heatwave in NSW. And this is before
we even look over the seas and not so very far away at
floods and mudslides in Brazil, extreme weather events in
the USA and Europe. It seems the world has gone mad.
Increasing extremes of weather are included in every
climate model’s predictions for the short term future of
Earth’s climate. What they cannot yet predict is where
and when these events will occur, and so planners,
designers and building owners must deal with uncertainty
and risk management.
No doubt the Queensland Premier’s Commission of
Inquiry will address these questions, and I would no more
attempt to pre-empt that process than fly to the moon …
except for the following (well, come on, the editor would
sack me if I didn’t stick my neck out).
It is possible to design and build structures that can
withstand major flood events. Whether or not we should
do that is a bigger question. But rolling back the clock
of development in the Brisbane River Valley is not on
any realistic agenda; there is no cost-effective, practical,
equitable, or democratic way of doing it. The suburbs
and industrial estates are there – now we just have to
find ways of managing the risk. This applies pretty much
equally to any similar area in Australia – and there are
many.
Flood-proofing a structure is simple enough: identify the
probable maximum flood level (often labeled the PMF),
set the lowest habitable floor slightly above that level,
get an estimate of the water velocity, add a factor
of safety, and design for rigidity and adhesion to the
site, and voila, the basic structure of a potential flood
But this kind of philosophical approach has not satisfied
many whose lives have been shattered by events in
the here and now. For instance, sharp questions are
being asked in the Brisbane River Valley following the
devastating floods in January, such as why didn’t the
Wivanhoe Dam protect us? Why was urban development
allowed in so many flood-prone areas? And what can be
done to protect communities from such devastation in
future?
24
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Autumn 2011
survivor comes off the drawing board – assuming the
PMF behaves itself. But buildings need much more than
just their structures – they need services and equipment,
surface finishes, safe paths of egress, and of course,
power and water. All of these have to be integrated
harmoniously into functional spaces that delight and
inspire, and nurture. Easy. It’s called architecture. That’s
why everybody does it so well. (Oh dear, sarcasm after
only 400 words).
Many councils around the country have strict planning
controls which set parameters for any development on
flood-prone land – whether new builds, or alterations and
additions. For example, Warringah Council on Sydney’s
northern beaches, in controlling development in the Manly
Lagoon flood basin, set the minimum floor levels just
above the PMF, and demands that all subfloor space
is left ‘open to flood water, so as not to reduce the
available volume in the flood basin, the removal of which
would drive the flood level higher’. All well and good, but
how do you then get any thermal connection between
floor and ground, as a key plank of a passive design
strategy? Allowing free air movement under a suspended
slab, for instance, will add significant uncontrolled thermal
transfer (colder in winter, hotter in summer). In my practice, we have overcome this difficulty by
enclosing and insulating the perimeter of the subfloor in
such a way as to allow flood water ingress and egress
at the prescribed rate (in one case, a rise rate of
50mm/hour, but any rate can be accommodated), while
effectively excluding significant air exchange under normal
conditions. No moving parts, no tricks, just simple pipes
below the sealed skirt wall. We used high thermal mass
construction, in balance with the other six elements of
passive design, as a means of eliminating air conditioning.
Autumn 2011
The habitable floors were suspended concrete slabs,
protected by insulated skirt walls sealed to the ground
but with some very small air gaps at the top.
Hot or cold cross winds do not freely exchange with
subfloor air. At the lowest point of the site below the
walls, we placed 450 square sumps inside and outside
the skirt walls, connected by pipes of sufficient diameter
to allow the required volume of floodwater to pass into
the subfloor. We had to demonstrate this hitherto unique
solution to the council engineers, but with the right data
input, they were satisfied. In a high velocity situation,
the walls may need to have burst-open hinged panels to
allow sudden surges to pass through from end to end.
Otherwise, the principle can be used anywhere.
At the same time, we used a double axis Vierendeel
trussed floor structure to eliminate 20m deep piers on
the soft alluvial soils. This involved a second slab down
on ground level, which is dead flat underneath like an
elephant’s foot, connected by a series of reinforced
concrete block piers to the floor slab above. This
spread the building’s load uniformly across the building’s
footprint. The pressure is less than a foot exerts when
walking. In really high flood velocity situations, shallow
screw piers may be needed to hold the building in place.
All of this is well and good for sites where flooding
behaves as predicted. But nature is not very predictable
at the local scale, and things change in neighbourhoods
beyond councils’ knowledge or control – a bit of paving
here, another carport there, a clogged drain down the
road, and with an extreme (or will that become normal?)
rain event, suddenly the flood is a metre higher than the
PMF. What then?
building designers BRIEF australia
25
Then we can design and build so the building can
survive inundation and clean-up. This means all electrical
and plumbing services being made capable of either
submersion, or placed at a height above a predetermined
extra flood factor level – say 1.5m above floor. Wall
construction will have clean-out openings, and all
materials would be capable of submersion for up to
seven days. This is all achievable now with materials we
use every day.
Wastewater treatment systems present some problems.
Total inundation will ruin all mechanical aeration
equipment, and even the superior wet composting systems
will probably lose their worm populations.
This problem may have to stay on the ‘we’ll repair that
if it happens’ list, but someone clever may come up with
a solution. PV systems, on the other hand, can keep
working (after being turned off during the inundation
period), providing emergency power to the building until
mains is reconnected, including being isolated from the
incoming mains.
How these changes are implemented is a bitter pill for
communities and businesses to swallow. It means altered
buildings become split level, where the new part is
significantly higher than the existing: home owners don’t
like their houses being on two vastly different levels,
and so it tends to increase the number of knockdown/
rebuilds, and maybe in this context that is the right thing.
For commercial and public buildings there is a raft of
challenges affecting access and workability. The cost also
cannot be underestimated. Should government money be
allocated to assist – even fast-track – a change in the
building stock?
26
building designers BRIEF australia
If we all end up paying for the clean-up, through goodwill
and taxes, would such an investment in better buildings
provide the whole community with a return? This is a
conversation the nation needs to have. None of us is
immune from natural disasters, whether flood, fire, or
rising sea level.
One thing I am prepared to stick my neck out on is
this: the flood recovery levy will become a prototype for
a permanent Natural Disaster Adaptation Levy (or some
name to that effect), because the floods are not going
away, the cyclones will be bigger and more frequent, and
the fires will probably get fiercer … and the insurance
industry exists to make a profit, not to rebuild national
infrastructure from the goodness of its heart. We will
have to get used to it.
Dick Clarke
Building Designer NSW
Master of Sustainable Futures (ISF)
Dick welcomes your comments to the editor.
Autumn 2011
out there with neville zark
The Lord looked down and saw Nev sitting in
his empty yard crying like a baby
doomsday dilemma
On the subject of Noah, and Smithy’s cartoon
about the need to consider the way we rebuild
after the Queensland floods, we thought we’d run
a late-breaking report from an unknown source. We
suspect it has its roots in a building design practice
buckling out there somewhere under the weight of a
regulatory overload.
It may not be entirely politically correct – or even
mildly factually correct, for that matter – but we
do acknowledge the honourable intentions of those
politicians, bureaucrats and social justice activists who
have inadvertently contributed to our wag’s tongue-incheek take on their commitment to the creation of a
better world.
I
n the year 2010, the Lord appeared to Neville (a
descendant of Noah) and said: “Mate, sorry, job’s on
again. Things have been getting pretty crook on Earth
and we need to talk. Knock up another Ark and save two
of every living thing you can find, including a few blokes
and sheilas.”
He gave Nev the plans, saying: “You’ve got six months to
build the Ark before I start the unending rain for 40 days
and 40 nights.”
“Forgive me, Lord,” begged Nev sobbing into his tool belt,
“but things have changed.
“I needed a building permit.
“My neighbours claim that I’ve violated the neighbourhood
zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard, and
exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the
Planning Tribunal for a decision.
Six months later – just last week, in fact – the Lord
looked down and saw Nev sitting in his empty yard
crying like a baby.
“Then, the Department of Transport demanded a bond be
posted for the future costs of moving power lines and
other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the
Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be
coming to us, but they didn’t want to listen.
“Nev,” he roared, “I’m about to start the rain! Where’s the
Ark?”
“Getting the wood was another problem. There’s a ban
on cutting local trees in order to save the Polka-Dotted
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
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Galah. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I
needed the wood to save the flaming galahs – but no
go!
“Then the EPA ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until
they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your
proposed flood.
“When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA sued
me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals
against their will. They argued that accommodations were
too restrictive, and that it is cruel and inhumane to put
so many animals into a confined space.
“I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human
Rights Commission on how many minorities I’m supposed
to hire for my building crew….
“Immigration is checking the status of most of the people
who want to work. The trade unions say I can’t use my
sons. They insist I have to hire only union workers with
Ark-building experience.
“To make matters worse, the government seized all
my assets, because they reckon I’m trying to leave the
country illegally with endangered species.
“So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years
for me to finish this Ark.”
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and
a double rainbow stretched across the sky.
Nev looked up in wonder and asked: “You mean you’re
not going to destroy the world, after all?”
“No,” said the Lord, “the government beat me to it!”
28
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Autumn 2011
spirit of place with trevor king
Being Australian in the sense of belonging to the
land has always depended on an acquired skill
rethinking the relationship
Building designer and heritage consultant TREVOR
KING argues that environmental quality cannot
continue to be measured in economic and scientific
terms alone if we want to make the most of our
necessary adaptation to climate change. Increases
to visual richness and enhancements to our cultural
sensibility must be given greater priority in the
environmental design process. In this, the second
part of his thought-provoking series, he stresses
the importance of affectionate engagement with the
natural environment as a means to achieving required
changes to cultural attitudes toward the land and the
development of a sustainable culture.
Personally, I look to people like George Seddon because,
as a polymath who held chairs in four disciplines, and as
a teacher and writer on ‘place’ in the Australian context,
he is without peer. I look to the Canadian philosopher
of history, John Ralston Saul, to provide a detached
internationalist view of my own country; and I look to
Professor Jared Diamond to enhance my perspective from
the global standpoint of anthropology.
Elsewhere, Seddon pointed out that our deficient sense
of belonging is “indicative of the still hesitant relationship
we have with the land itself, having ‘alighted’ here rather
than fully engaging with those aspects of the Australian
experience that appear to deny our predominantly
T
owards the end of his wonderfully productive
life, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science
George Seddon wrote: “Postcolonial Australia,
today’s multicultural society, which includes the Aboriginal
communities, is rich in many ways. Its adaptation to
the physical realities of an old unyielding land is not
one of them. Being Australian in the sense of belonging
to the land has always depended on an acquired skill.
It is neither a right nor a given; it has always had to
be learned; once handed down by the tribal elders to
the young, and then learned by them. If there was no
‘Aboriginal nation’, in this at least the Aborigines were
true Australians. It has always been a title to be earned,
and so it remains.”1.
This statement stimulates simple but related questions.
Who are the contemporary elders who can guide us
towards a sense of belonging? Where is the source of
learning for non-indigenous Australians?
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Autumn 2011
spirit of place with trevor king
These elders have been stimulating us to rethink the way
we relate to the land, not just physically, but culturally
sense, however, mining is also key to Australia’s
environmental history and to its current predicament.”
Diamond says Australia has been and still is “mining” its
renewable resources as if they were mined minerals. That
is, they are being over-exploited at rates faster than their
renewal rates, with the result that they are declining.
European cultural heritage. The land has had little
influence on us, we do not know how to listen to it, our
culture has been unable to comprehend it.”
Such observations are quite damning, having implications
in the analysis of our ability to live here sustainably.
In 2005, Saul wrote that “Australia remains confused
by the tension between its European cultural origins, its
Aboriginal reality and its Asian geography”.2.
He described “a very difficult evolution for old colonial
societies that have tied so much of their new societies to
what they had theoretically brought with them. In different
ways you can find ...(an) almost animist identification
with place growing in Canada and Australia and other
countries where there is a living tension between
Aboriginal and immigrant societies.”3.
Jared Diamond demonstrated his perceptions about
Australia within its global context by stating that “mining
in the literal sense – the mining of coal, iron and so
on – is a key to Australia’s economy today, providing the
largest share of its export earnings. In a metaphorical
Autumn 2011
“Ecologically, the Australian environment is exceptionally
fragile, the most fragile of any First World country except
Iceland,” he writes. “Australia also displays the importance
of cultural values, including some imported ones that
could be viewed as inappropriate to the Australian
landscape, for understanding environmental impacts.
Perhaps more than other First World citizens known to
me, Australians are beginning to think radically about the
central question: which of our traditional core values can
we retain, and which ones instead no longer serve us
well in today’s world?”4.
This is at least encouraging. Together, these elders have
been stimulating us to rethink the way we relate to the
land, not just physically, but culturally. And they come
to a similar conclusion: that we can no longer afford
to look through the uninformed eyes of our forebears;
that we must become much more aware of the fragility
of this ancient continent; and that we must be prepared
to change our relationship by responding to the great
variety of places that exist throughout the continent
by adapting our local and regional cultures to suit our
unique circumstances.
While acknowledging that our contemporary sense of
identity can be simultaneously local, regional, national
and international, this capacity to adapt is perhaps the
key issue of our evolving cultural identity. It is the basis
of an inquiry that asks: how, then, do we engage with
the land of our living?
A truly satisfying contemporary engagement can occur
if we use the most culturally authentic open knowledge
systems that we have at our disposal, namely science
building designers BRIEF australia
31
spirit of place with trevor king
We must place emphasis on qualities that contain the
land’s most visually essential and describable qualities
and art. Neither Euro-centrism nor animism will really
assist us in making the necessary cultural change.
If we are to provide a sense of anchorage to this
exploration about engaging with the land we must place
emphasis on attributes that are not vulnerable to change
and opinion, on qualities that contain the land’s most
visually essential and describable qualities. For this we
need a new Science of Place.
The visual field is a finite space, with real attributes,
which are amenable to description and classification.
Most, if not all, of the visual field within the cities in
which the vast majority of our citizens live is occupied
by man-made objects, whether individual or at the level
of the streetscape. Beyond the edges of the city the
visual field is still man-made. There, within the cultural
landscape, culture and the hand of man are everywhere.
Yet, as Seddon points out: “The natural environment –
the bush – is still a powerful physical presence in all the
capital cities other than Melbourne. In most of Australia,
responding to the local context must therefore recognise
the force, the form and structure of this presence … (it
is) an argument for responding to the forms, colours and
textures of a highly distinctive local environment.”5.
Living relationships with places only occur through
intentional engagement, as environmental information
is learned, taken into the active imagination and
transformed. This results in an increased subjective
sense of ownership, as the relationship is expanded
and intensified. In effect, the observer takes imaginative
possession of the observed and in the process
deep bonds of affection are formed. The deeper the
relationship, the deeper the affection.
An interesting subjective phenomenon then occurs. By
taking the observed into the active imagination, absorbing
it and gaining a sense of ownership of it, the observer
becomes ‘negatively possessed’ by the observed. This
is what happens when people becomes engrossed in
something they feel passionately about. They become
completely absorbed in the subject. The observer has
effectively become identified with the observed; just as
traditional owners and generations of farming families feel
that they are owned by the land, or an artist or writer
describes how a work somehow created itself, with the
human agent merely playing the role of a conduit to the
mysterious end result.
Climate change will affect different places in differing
ways. Sustainable solutions will need to be found at the
local and regional levels. This will include those aesthetic
solutions that influence the perception of local and
regional identity, and ultimately therefore, social cohesion.
How well do we actually know the natural environments
in which our urban centres are located? Is it possible
to achieve a sense of belonging without a clear
understanding of our living context?
affection and indigeneity
Affection is important in learning how to belong to
places, to achieving the necessary sense of indigeneity.
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spirit of place with trevor king
A sense of belonging is engendered as a
new depth of relationship is formed
references
Seddon, The Old Country: Australian Landscapes, Plants
and People, p 240
1
Ralston Saul, The Collapse of Globalism and the
Reinvention of the World, p 32
2
3
ibid, p 212-213
Diamond, Collapse:
Survive, p 379
4
How Societies Choose to Fail or
Seddon, The Old Country: Australian Landscapes, Plants
and People, p 193-194
5
Herein lies the fundamental importance of affection – and
the link to indigeneity. The object of study, the place
and its associated patterns, becomes absorbed by the
embodied mind and in the act of absorption the person
comes to feel captivated by the place. A sense of
belonging, of indigeneity, is engendered as a new depth
of relationship is formed. Without affection, this profound
quality of relationship cannot possibly occur.
Affectionate engagement is essential if we are to achieve
a shift towards the cultural and aesthetic changes that
will complement our other adaptations to climate change.
There is no disputing the fact that we are still an
essentially second-hand culture, and the blind acceptance
that economic and expediency factors alone should
be used to measure environmental quality is deeply
detrimental, leading to a loss of visual richness and a
diminished cultural sensibility.
The study of place-based patterns becomes a deliberate
act of highlighting shared aspects of the environment,
revealing its hidden structure and artistically re-presenting
that structure within a new social context, that of
our common natural heritage and a growing sense of
indigeneity.
Autumn 2011
Trevor King
Building Designer NSW
Heritage Consultant
building designers BRIEF australia
33
product feature
The water was hitting the windows horizontally and
the louvres held up great. I am very impressed
put to the yasi test
The scale of the devastation and misery wreaked by
Cyclone Yasi on many North Queensland communities
cannot be understated.
The fierce weather event has prompted authorities to
ensure that the reconstruction effort leaves no stone
unturned in a bid to withstand the ravages of what
many believe will be inevitable similar events as the
effects of climate change continue to influence our
previously more predictable weather patterns.
Among the more positive stories to come out of
the region in the wake of Cyclone Yasi have been
numerous accounts of incredible survival against
the odds, especially where practical, yet aesthetic,
weather-proofing techniques had been incorporated in
the design and construction of many homes in the
disaster zone.
B
reezway has been approached by a number
of builders commending the company on the
performance of its louvres during Cyclone Yasi.
Above: Damien Ferguson... absolutely no leaks
Below: David Skinner... I am very impressed
Opposite: John Arrowsmith’s home... it was a good test
for the louvres.
In order to examine the performance of Altair louvres
during cyclone Yasi and to assist with future design and
development , Breezway’s regional representatives went
out on the road to see how their louvers performed.
Here is some of the feedback they received:
“Absolutely no leaks anywhere in the house where
Breezway Altair Louvre Windows have been installed.”
Damien Ferguson (architect, Townsville).
“The water was hitting the windows horizontally (like a
sheet of water up against the blades) and the louvres
held up great. I am very impressed.”
David Skinner (mechanic and owner-builder, Townsville).
34
building designers BRIEF australia
Autumn 2011
“I have lived in the house for two years. The home itself
took three years to build and although this cyclone has
destroyed some parts of the house, it was a good test
for the louvres. They should have leaked by rights but in
this case worked really well.”
John Arrowsmith (homeowner, Mission Beach).
Altair Louvre Windows are tested to meet the mandatory
minimum specifications under Australian Standard AS2047
(including AS1288). These tests include deflection,
operating force, air infiltration, water penetration
resistance and ultimate strength.
Altair Louvre Windows have an air infiltration rating that
is three times better than the standard required for
residential windows. The firm pressure between blades
and the patented design of the ‘living hinge’ ensure that
Altair Louvre Windows seal tightly when closed.
On rainy days and in more cyclonic conditions, water is
cleverly managed to the outside of the building through
the dual drainage channels concealed within the clips and
by the weatherstrip and drainage holes at the bottom
of the window. This tight sealing allows Altair louvres to
withstand positive and negative wind pressures and can
even play a role in sound insulation (resulting in an STC
rating of 24-27 depending on the blade type).
Breezway is providing support to anyone who has
had the windows in their home directly affected by
Cyclone Yasi. If you would like more information
regarding the help available, contact Breezway on
1800 777 758.
Autumn 2011
building designers BRIEF australia
35
product feature
The home provides budget-conscious consumers with
a lightweight construction solution
light and smart
In Australia, there seems to be a lack of awareness
of lightweight construction – and therefore a lack
of understanding of its benefits compared to other
building techniques and materials such as brick.
Rising to that challenge, both the builder and
designer of the Ausmar Smart Home acknowledge
that a change in mindset is necessary for such a
home to be fully embraced by the market.
The two-storey, 200sq m, three-bedroom, twobathroom home has been rated as an 8.5 star
energy-efficient building and consists of lightweight
construction throughout.
T
he aim of the Ausmar Smart Home was to design
and build a quality, affordable and contemporary
home appropriate for inclusion into any residential
estate – with a more specific focus on young families
and older couples wishing to downsize.
Conceived on the Sunshine Coast by Ausmar Homes
and designed by Golden Beach Design, the home
provides budget-conscious consumers with a lightweight
construction solution featuring James Hardie’s Scyon
range of products – filling the gap in cost-effective,
sustainable housing in the market place.
“This is the first time we have specifically aimed at a
more budget-conscious market,” Ausmar Homes director
Tony Bryan said. “With the Ausmar Smart Home, we are
trying to change the perception of new home buyers. We
want them to understand that they do not need to live
in a large home; a smaller one can have just as much
space – smart design is the key.”
36
building designers BRIEF australia
Golden Beach Design’s Tim Christopher noted: “This home
is full of dual-role tricks. The kitchen bench has a hidden
swivel-out dining table; there’s also a study nook fitted
in under the stairs; the laundry doubles as a powder
room through the selection of quality fittings; and there’s
hidden storage behind the feature wall.”
Tim said energy efficiency in a home could be achieved
through a variety of factors and was of huge importance.
“Good design plays a part, as well as smart site
orientation, window placement, good window coverings
and really good thermal insulation,” he said. “The Ausmar
Smart Home is raised on a timber floor, so there is floor
insulation as well as wall and ceiling insulation. Energy
efficiency is also more achievable in a smaller home, as
energy tends to be wasted in a larger home.”
Autumn 2011
The material selection also assisted the energy-efficiency
rating and Tim specified James Hardie’s Scyon products
throughout.
Scyon Secura exterior flooring has been used outside for
the entertaining deck and Scyon Secura interior flooring
is used throughout the house.
Externally, the home is clad in a variety of Scyon
products including Scyon Linea weatherboard, Stria
cladding and Axon cladding on the garage. Internally,
Scyon Matrix cladding has been used as a feature wall,
but there is also a smart storage solution that Tim
trialled.
“We were trying to limit the amount of plasterboard in
the home and therefore reduce the number of trades to
keep costs down,” he said. “The Scyon Matrix cladding
looks great, so I decided to experiment with a hidden
cupboard. People like their TV to be recessed so we’ve
opted for this option, and then around the TV, panels
are hinged to open and close. Unless you have been
told, you would never know the storage space is behind
that wall.”
That clever trick certainly adds wow factor to the Smart
Home, as does the modular indoor-outdoor room.
At the rear of the home is a six-panel stackable door
opening onto a large outdoor entertaining area. A
separate module room can be added at a later date. For
ease of installation, the plumbing and wiring is done at
the time when the home is built.
“This says to clients that while they might not be
able to have everything they want now, they can build
Autumn 2011
the house and add to it later down the track,” Tony
Bryan explained. “If they can’t afford a specific module
in the first phase of the project, they can purchase
transportable modules and add them to the house at a
later stage.”
He said the the budget for the home was also as flexible
as the home itself.
“The standard Ausmar Smart Home starts at $175,000
and clients can choose from up to 40 upgrades, such as
our outdoor room or energy-efficient light packages. All
upgrades are pre-priced and designed to fit the budget,”
Tony said.
“It was through the use of Scyon products and simplifying
the trades on site that we were able to offer such a
cost-effective home.”
Visit: www.scyon.com.au or www.jameshardie.com.au
building designers BRIEF australia
37
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provides comprehensive cover, with value added conditions at discounted rates. We have an
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Boral PlasterBoard
Build something great™
Partiwall
®
separating walls for attached dwellings
Boral Partiwall® offers a lightweight, cost-effective solution for fire and acoustic separation
of attached townhouses and villa units.
Excellent acoustic performance, ease of construction and design flexibility have made Partiwall®
the system of choice on many multi-residential projects around Australia.
Continuous innovation has kept Partiwall® in step with changing market needs and
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For the latest information on the system refer to the new Partiwall® brochure and website.
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product feature
We needed an all-compassing roofing solution
which was durable and environmentally sound
clever cover-up
With 180 degree ocean views and stunning sunsets,
a construction project at Perth’s Naked Fig Cafe
sounds like a breeze. The buzzing beachside cafe
at Swanbourne Beach prides itself not just on
its spectacular views, but also on implementing
environmentally-friendly and socially-aware practices.
F
aced with the challenge of needing a weatherresistant roofing and internal panelling solution which
was not only durable and cost-effective but also had
environmental benefits, building designer Darren Miller of
design practice d.m.b.d. Pty Ltd was engaged to design
the dazzling cafe, with construction carried out by Perkins
Builders.
Known for being Australia’s leading provider of thermal
building and architectural panels, Bondor’s MetecnoSpan
products proved to be the perfect solution.
“The cafe is less than 50 metres from breaking surf
so we needed an all-compassing roofing solution which
was durable and environmentally sound and would also
withstand the elements of the weather,” Darren said.
Bondor’s MetecnoSpan roofing offered a three-in-one
solution, with a strong Colorbond outer roof, an energyefficient core with added insulation benefits and an
attractive Colorbond ceiling surface.
Inside the cafe, MetecnoSpan products were used as
partitions and energy-efficient, durable panelling between
the kitchen and coolroom.
“The insulated and double-sided finish performs well,”
Darren said. “The other major drawcards were the easy
installation, lower construction timing and decreased
costs.
Bondor general manager Geoff Marsdon said: “The Naked
Fig Cafe is a unique building in a stunning location and
the use of our products is testament to the variety of
needs they can meet.” .
Fore more information visit www.bondor.com.au or
call 1300 300 099
40
building designers BRIEF australia
Autumn 2011
Bushfire resisting
XLM
®
PLANK
with extreme durability and scratch resistance
Structural and decorative engineered
timber products coated with a
genuine primer
TimberTech® XLM® decking provides
extreme slip and scratch resistance
• Bushfire resisting for BAL 29 applications
Design Pine is
• Warm and natural
• Sustainable plantation pine
• A carbon sink, 49% by weight
• Low embodied energy
• Made for Australian conditions
• Durable for harsh Australian conditions
• Scratch, mildew and stain resistant
• No visible screws when installed using
CONCEALoc hidden fasteners
• Easy to use
NEW
Design a dream.
Spantable software
Version 1.2
now available
online
• Exceptional slip resistance
NEW for 2011 • Will not split or warp when exposed to
NEW for 2011
direct sunlight
• Not affected by salt spray
or pool water
• Up to 40% lighter than wood
plastic composite decking
www.designpine.com
www.wpcdecking.com
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS FROM ITI (AUST)
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The hasty man built on sand.
The smart man built on rock.
The genius built on Termimesh.
For your next design, specify the original Termimesh system. It’s genius.
There is no more intelligent option to protect homes from termites than Termimesh.
An ultra marine grade stainless steel mesh creates an impenetrable physical barrier
with no need for chemicals. Good for your client, good for you, good for the planet.
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For more information visit www.termimesh.com
style
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EDGE
A new division that specialises in meeting future needs of modern architectural and design vision...
ultradesign composites provides a choice of composite products designed and engineered for
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100% RECYCLED - Australian Wood Plastic Composite
Very tough. Very very tough and will not rot. This wood/plastic composite
is truly a product for construction, building and heavy duty applications.
It is a totally recycled composite made only from 100% Australian waste
with UV inhibitors.
Ultraconstruct meets our requirements for sustainability and durability.
With 150 years experience in sourcing and importing building products we
have seen significant change in the life and choice of natural product.
We appreciate, we know the strengths and weakness of the natural product.
Future Edge - new thinking - traditional tools
A new future. World wide demand and new technologies have continued
to improve recycled products and ultraconstruct embodies that progress.
Reflect upon the features of this engineered composite extrusion and
what it means for design, lifecycle, client maintenance and the ability to
reuse it. It will not rot, termite resistant and can be immersed in water.
Outstanding holding power for all mechanical fixings - in any direction due
to the homogenous fine texture. Electrolysis is non-existant and mixed
metal fixings can now be used to greater design effect. Cutting and drilling
are done with standard carpentry tools and the smooth finish provides an
ease of handling few materials could match.
Profile Selection
A complete selection of profiles are available - and can be produced in
customised lengths for a vast range of projects.
Our attitude is driven by a passion to bring the very best. Yes - absolutely
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Ultraconstruct is the another outstanding recycled product in the growing
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a specialist division of
for further information call: P 08 8447 0400 [email protected] www.lemessurier.com.au