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The slope of the site is minimal such that it does not constrain the choice of location of the house on site. There is also little existing vegetation that influences the site's microclimate. Additional plants - dense Australian shrubs such as Callistemon, Correa, or Grevillea are planted along the west side as windbreak fillers to prevent direct harsh coastal wind. The vegetation still enables a reasonable and comfortable breeze that the client desires to pass-through.
Living CLIENT PROFILE Mr Ng (33 years old) I Mr Ng’s husband (36 years old) • Two dogs • Accommodate guests’ stay – spare bedrooms • Fancy dinner parties – large open living/dining for social interactions, functional kitchen, & good circulation between the kitchen, living, and dinning • Both work for a solar company – the couples may be off to work during the daytime (less use during daytime) & solar panels on the roof • Natural daylight – windows & skylights OR outdoor space with exposure to the sun • Sea breezes – openings on the west coast to allow wind to enter the house, operative windows, view of the sea, and good ventilation (cross ventilation) • Passive design – energy efficient • Outdoor living and garden – grow vegetables & BBQ
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ORIENTATION The house is orientated about 10o west of north to have the living facing directly to the north, maximising daylight (save energy on lighting) and solar gain (save energy on heating). Furthermore, the west of north position maximises solar gains in the late afternoon (for heating dominant houses), which is appropriate for the Ng Family, considering both are working in the daytime. Orientations of up to 20° west of north and 30° east of north are within the range of effective passive sun control. http://andrewmarsh.com/apps/staging/sunpath2d.html
LANDSCAPING
9am Wind 3am Wind
WIND ROSE
Data on wind direction is from the Bureau of Meteorology, collected at Melbourne Airport, at 113m above the sea level, hence the result may differ slightly from the coastal condition of the site. Wind typically come from the north and south. There is also the sea breeze from the south-west direction throughout the day. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/wind/selec tion_map.shtml
LAND USE A section of the land on the east side of the house is for gardening. A greywater system operates for recycled water to be used to sustain the garden. (See more on Page 6 - Water Recycling)
CLIMATE ZONE Each zone has different design and construction regulations established by the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Melbourne is categorised under Zone 6 in the Australian climate zones. • Four distinct seasons – summer & winter temperatures exceed human comfort range (require strategies for heating and cooling) • Hot/very hot summer, moderate humidity & mild/cool winter with low humidity
Winter Solstice 28.50o
Garden Summer Solstice 75.05o
IMPACT ON/FROM NEIGHBOURS AND ADJACENT PROPERTIES Ng’s single storey house is positioned to have a distance of more than 6m away from the neighbouring house’s north front. This prevents overshadowing the neighbour in winter. Winter Sun
Polycrystalline PV array on the roof: The choice between monocrystalline and polycrystalline largely depends on the manufacturer’s product quality. Since the Ngs are working for a solar company, they can assure the efficiency and quality of their companies’ polycrystalline panels. Polycrystalline is a popular option in residential use, and with improving technologies, its efficiency is almost comparable with the more costly option, monocrystalline. Also, polycrystalline tend to be more temperature resilient, meaning that the efficiency does not decrease significantly with a rise in temperature. The panels are installed facing north with a 50mm gap between the panela and the roof for ventilation. (Info on the PV roof area & battery refer to Page 4 Electrical)
SERVICE CONNECTION FROM THE STREET
9am Wind (Annual Average) 3am Wind (Annual Average)
at least 6m
Light roof colour reflects some of the radiant heat and absorbs less heat, preventing the roof from overheating in the summer. An overall cooler roof also helps the solar array to perform better.
ROOF EQUIPMENT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC
The house is located as close to the west street front as possible, without having a negative impact on the adjacent property (distance between the houses). Having the house closer to all the service lines allows easier access to the local grid and save on the cost of service connection.