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8 May 2017
Beyond House by Ben Callery Architects stretches typical terrace boundaries, making a sustainable house despite its heritage constraints.
The existing house was south-facing, dark, cold, narrow and overshadowed by neighbouring walls on both side boundaries.
The clients wanted to live more sustainably in a naturally comfortable and healthy house. Their primary brief was to get more light, sun, warmth and air into the house. They wanted to supplement passive heating, cooling and daylighting with energy-efficient active heating, cooling and on-site energy production.
Through the insertion of central void, adjacent to a multi-purpose studio space and opening onto a roof deck, Ben Callery Architects connected the occupants with the world beyond – sun, breezes, sky and trees. Carefully placed openable internal & external windows share light, sun and breezes between rooms and facilitate passive heating and cooling while being hidden from the heritage streetscape.
The project makes use of a 3.5kW grid interactive solar power system, rain water harvesting, energy-efficient lights and appliances, water-efficient plumbing fittings and fixtures, and re-milled timber flooring.
KEY INITIATIVES
Renewable Energy
– 3.5kw grid-connected solar power system
Water Saving
– 2 x 3,500L corrugated metal water tanks used for laundry, toilet flushing and garden
– Water from laundry available for use in garden with a simple valve
Passive Design / Heating and Cooling
– Passive heating
Active Heating and Cooling
– Energy-efficient Sanden heat pump for hydronic heating in ground-floor slab
– Big Ass Haiku ceiling fans for low-energy natural cooling
– 2 x energy-efficient Daikin reverse-cycle air conditioners for first-floor rooms only
– Remote controlled operable external blinds for external shading
Building Materials
– Re-milled (recycled) messmate floorboards
– External timber cladding – locally-sourced, radially-sawn (very low wastage and efficient material use) Silvertop Ash shiplap cladding from Radial Timber Sales
– High thermal insulation
– Colorbond external walls for low maintenance
– Natural fibre carpet in bedrooms
Windows and Glazing
– Timber-framed (using local Victorian hardwood) double-glazed, low-e coated windows (except louvres which are not double glazed but are low-e coated)
– Centor retractable flyscreens to bi-fold doors to encourage natural ventilation and passive cooling
– Sunway Cellular thermal internal blinds (with a double layer of fabric and air space) to external window
Lighting
– Pendants with compact fluorescents used in upper ceiling to avoid penetrating insulation
– LED downlights used on ground floor
Other ESD Features
– 8-year-old kitchen recycled from the old house
– Internal clothes drying rack
Low VOC Finishes
– Bona traffic to timber floor
– Water-based finish to concrete floor
– Low VOC paints
PRODUCTS
SOLAR
ENVIROSHOP, 3.5KW GRID-CONNECTED SOLAR POWER SYSTEM
WATER TANKS
TANKMASTA CORRUGATED METAL, 2 X 3,500L
FANS
BIG ASS FANS, HAIKU CEILING FANS
HVAC
DAIKIN 2 X REVERSE CYCLE AIR CONDITIONERS
FLOORBOARDS
RE-MILLED MESSMATE
EXTERNAL TIMBER CLADDING
RADIAL TIMBER SALES
INSULATION
(WALLS) KNAUF INSULATION EARTHWOOL R2.5 + FOILBOARD ULTRA 20, 20MM OVER BATTENS
(ROOF), R5.0 CSR BRADFORD GOLD HIGH-PERFORMANCE GLASSWOOL BULK INSULATION + AIR-CELL RETROSHIELD REFLECTIVE INSULATION UNDER ROOFING BATTENS
(FLOOR), 25MM R1.0 FOAMULAR EXTRUDED HIGH-DENSITY POLYSTYRENE INSULATION UNDER ENTIRE FLOOR SLAB AND AT SLAB EDGES
EXTERIOR WALLS
BLUESCOPE LYSAGHT
FLYSCREENS TO BI-FOLD DOORS
CENTOR RETRACTABLE
THERMAL INTERNAL BLINDS
SUNWAY CELLULAR
Jury Citation
“This is a highly impressive project. It demonstrates that the heritage constraints of the building need not limit sustainability outcomes. The architect has delivered an impressive residential project with the guidance of an ambitious brief from the owners.
“Attention has been paid to renewable energy water-saving passive design material selection windows and glazing lighting and low the VOC finishes. This project is an excellent entry in the category and for the awards program in general.”
