CREATING VALUE CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

Solace Creations Double Glazing has been educating and assisting builders and home owners to achieve high energy ratings since 2006. Our window and door ratings ensure that your home exceeds the new 7 star requirements.

We focus on custom designed uPVC frames that provide superior insulation with cutting edge technology. Our design consultants tailor everything from the operation and functionality, to the look for each room in your home.

Not only do you get higher energy efficiency with lower energy bills, you will also enjoy modern and stylish windows/doors that are quieter, more secure and keep your home comfortable all year round.

Canberra has a unique climate compared to other major Australian cities. Despite using our heaters for 8 months out of the year, windows and doors are still an afterthought when it comes to insulating our homes. With double glazed uPVC windows and doors, your home will be better sealed and also utilise solar heat gain during the winter months.

Contact us to discuss how we can bring more Solace into your home.

A Q & A WITH LIGHT HOUSE ARCHITECTURE & SCIENCE

Part of building a sustainable home involves considering how your home will perform over time. By making informed choices during the planning stage of building your dream home you can reduce the running costs of your home and the frequency that you need to replace materials.

We chatted with MBA Member, Jenny Edwards, Director of Light House Architecture & Science about building a sustainable home.

Q. WHAT MAKES A BUILD SUSTAINABLE AND WHAT MAKES A HOME ENERGY EFFICIENT?

JE. For us the term ‘sustainable build’ is one that has a reduced environmental footprint. This can be achieved via a range of means:

• Aiming for a smaller than average footprint, meaning less building materials are needed

• Creating a flexible design to allow the home to adapt to the changing needs of its occupants, thus limiting the need for future alterations

• Designing a climate-resilient home that is suited to its climate and requires minimal energy to run

• Designing a home that is all electric, making renewable energies like solar an option

• Including salvaged or recycled building materials and appliances, which reduces building material waste

• Choosing building materials that are low maintenance, durable and/or have low embodied energy

• Reducing water usage through water efficient fittings and appliances

An energy efficient home is one that can maintain comfortable internal temperatures all year round with little need for heating and cooling systems.

Energy efficient homes:

• Cost less to run

• Don’t have to cost more to build

• Provide a better indoor environment – they are healthier and more comfortable

• Have greater resale value and marketability

• Have a smaller environmental footprint.

Q. YOU SPECIALISE IN CREATING SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES; HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THIS IN A CLIMATE LIKE CANBERRA?

JE. House energy ratings are critically important for improving the quality and comfort of Australian homes. However, unfortunately, location or climate specificity of the NatHERS rating system is poorly understood by many in the housing industry. For example, an 8 star home in Canberra can achieve 10 stars in Brisbane, 9.3 stars in Perth, 9.9 stars in Sydney and 8.3 stars in Melbourne. We have some Journal posts on our website, to help people better understand star ratings.

The climate in Canberra is tricky and one of extremes, swinging from -8 in winter to 44 degrees in summer. This makes it one of the most difficult locations in the country to achieve a rating of 8 stars. This is why both good design and then science to optimise the design and used to test the home after construction are critical to what we do.

We have a Journal post on our website that goes into some great detail about the solar passive design principles we use to design each home and achieve the greatest energy efficiency possible.

‘THERE IS A GROWING NUMBER OF AUSTRALIANS THAT ARE KEEN TO LIVE IN QUALITY, WELL-BUILT, ENERGY AND SPACE EFFICIENT HOMES ON SMALLER FOOTPRINTS,’ Jenny Edwards from Light house Architecture & Science.

BUILDING A TINY HOUSE IN CANBERRA: THE STORY OF GINNINDERRY’S MINI-G

With innovation and sustainability at the forefront of residential construction, the concept of ‘tiny houses’ has become a popular phenomenon around the world.

Ginninderry has built the Mini-G Tiny House in their display village to showcase a different concept of housing that prioritises smart solutions to space.

BENEFITS OF A TINY HOUSE:

• Lower cost to build, lower energy costs to run

• Provides for a separate, selfcontained dwelling on your block for family or guests

• Tiny houses can be designed and manufactured so that they are portable and can be easily moved.

• Minimising environmental impacts by using less resources during the build process

FEATURES OF MINI-G

• Constructed from a 20ft-high cube, one-trip shipping container

• Insulated with spray foam (no offgassing) to all external faced surfaces

• Double glazed windows and doors (uPVC frames, argon filled)

• Openable skylight with blinds

• Recycled hardwood flooring and decking

• Balcony wicking beds

• Built-in seating storage

• Under bed storage

• Plywood lining to walls and ceilings with natural oil finish (Osmo)

Things To Consider Before Building A Tiny House In The Act

The ACT Government’s Territory Plan is the statutory document that guides planning and development in the ACT. While the following list highlights some of the planning controls within the Territory Plan, it is the responsibility of the purchaser to undertake their own due diligence, before considering a tiny house.

Territory Plan approval requirements:

• Where a tiny house is considered for an additional dwelling on a block, the tiny house is subject to the Territory Plan definition of a ‘secondary residence’.

• Approval for a secondary residence is subject to a Development Application.

• The minimum block size for a secondary residence is 500m2.

• A number of other rules and criteria including, but not limited to, plot ratio and car parking requirements also apply.

• Installation of a secondary residence on a block where the Crown lease stipulates use of the land for a single dwelling only would be contingent on an approval for a variation to the Crown lease to permit two dwellings.

• A lease variation proposal must be lodged and approved by the Planning Authority.

If you’d like to find out more about the Mini-G, contact Stack Space: Janet Thomson 0418 678 383 janet@stackspace.com.au

Retlaw Compton 0411 888 869 retlaw@stackspace.com.au

Out With The New And In With The Old

GIVING MATERIALS A SECOND-LIFE DURING THE BUILDING/RENOVATING PROCESS

As increases to materials costs and delays from product and trade shortages continue, it’s important to re-use and recycle materials where you can. To create a truly sustainable home, you should consider whether the materials you’re using now can be re-used if you ever decide to renovate. Choosing materials that can have continued life after their initial use isn’t just good for the environment, it’s great for your budget!

Reusing Materials From Your Existing Home

When you’re renovating your existing home, it’s important to consider whether any materials are worth keeping and reusing. While it may involve an investment of time, it can save you the cost of new materials.

The image above shows Status Living’s renovation to a Giralang home where the team saved, cleaned and reused all the full bricks from the existing home.

Purchasing Recycled Materials

If you’re building new or your home doesn’t have any elements worth saving, you can buy restored or recycled materials locally. High-quality and durable materials can add character to your build while being better for the environment.

Dan Fitzpatrick, Director of MegaFlora Group, believes that using recycled materials adds history to a new build. Fitzpatrick explained that the timber planks in the new Crace home pictured above were rescued from Goulburn’s old sheep saleyards, ‘They’ve got paint on them, they’ve got lot numbers, smooth edges where sheep have rubbed against them for 150 years. These materials are sustainable and beautiful; they tell a story. They are not hidden away; they show the language of how the building was built.’

Restoring Existing Features

If you cannot reuse existing materials and you do not want to remove those materials completely, you may find that restoring existing features helps you achieve your happy medium. This might involve uncovering old fireplaces or brick walls that are hidden behind drywall, or revealing the original flooring.

Taking time during the build or renovation to consider the materials you can reuse, recycle and update could save you a lot of money and give your home unique, character-rich features.