OMNIA HOUSE

Winner: National True Zero Carbon House of the Year and VIC State Award winner

Designer: Elizabeth Wheeler, Future Focused Buildings

Assessor: Tamar Boyd, Blue Lotus Energy Rating

Project cost estimate: $707,617

House size: 165 sqm

Energy rating: 8.3 stars

Omnia House is a three bedroom plus study/4th bedroom residence that can be built by “any builder, anywhere and now” by using materials that are widely known and easy to work with, ensuring a cost-effective approach.

Influenced by Pattern Language and permaculture, Omnia House is a smallfootprint family home that is comfortable, highly functional and a joy to live in. It is adaptable in its design, specifically to work as a multi-generational home or as two apartments and also complies with Australian Livable Housing Guidelines.

Materials have been selected for their relatively lower impact environmentally, and the house has been designed to maximise thermal comfort and minimise use of energy generated off-site. It’s comfortable all year round and flooded with natural light.

In most summers, there’s no need for cooling and in winter the home remains naturally warm. Cool air at ground level is drawn through the south windows by the hot air exiting the clerestory windows. When the smoke of bushfires inevitably reaches Melbourne each year, the house is so well sealed that it’s hardly noticeable; at those times, the energy efficient air conditioners get more of a workout than usual.

Omnia House can accommodate extended family dinners, parties and gaggles of teenagers without feeling barn-like for a family of four. There are places to be alone and to be together, for people of all ages and abilities. Internal wall insulation and carefully placed doors mean that sound doesn’t travel – this makes it perfect for working from home, and for multi-generational living.

The home is accessible by wheelchair and is also very practical with plenty of indoor and outdoor storage. The kitchen is well thought out and apart from a lick of paint every 7-10 years, there’s little in the way of maintenance. An electric car can charge in the carport and a bike with a trailer can be ridden in one gate of the bike port and out the other side. In winter, laundry dries undercover on a high line in the bike port, and tools are also secure there.

Omnia House stands proud in its community and sits in a cooling oasis of green. The front garden is a haven for birds and there’s a seat under the beautiful white cedar for people to stop for respite from the harsh summer sun or to enjoy the sunsets. The side and back gardens offer space for fruit trees and vegetables and while the kids are little, a trampoline.

Omnia House is very versatile and could have many different looks. From an all-white palette with slatted screens for an airy, mid-century feel or with a change of paint colour, screening materials and posts, it could easily be chunky, dark, moody, colourful, rustic or natural.

Nestled discreetly on its block, Omnia House offers both a semi-enclosed carport and secure bike port. The step-free entry opens into a welcoming foyer with ample storage, and laundry/mudroom hidden tidily off to the side.

A stylish polished concrete floor leads past a separate study and large sunlit media room, into a bright, spacious and fully equipped kitchen/dining/family with garden views. With a recycled glass-topped island bench, induction cooktop, electric oven, dishwasher and great storage, cooking is a dream.

The main bedroom with BIRs hosts an ensuite with a generous shower and wide vanity. A luxe bathroom and two further double bedrooms – both with BIRs – are set apart from the main living area, making this an ideal home for family living.

Boasting an 8.4 star energy rating and 13.7kW solar system, careful design means that the house will stay comfortable without heating or cooling for much of the year. Other energy saving features include an electric heat pump hot water service and external and internal blinds.

Outside, the garden offers a blend of practicality and beauty, with a dedicated services area and rainwater tank, vegetable garden and mini orchard. Low-maintenance finishes mean the residents have more time to enjoy the generous outdoor living area accessed via sliding doors from the main living area. Covered by a pergola that’s cloaked in green in summer, this paved area has a servery from the adjacent kitchen, and ample room for entertaining.

Omnia House has been intentionally designed for accessibility and meets Gold and Platinum level Livable Housing criteria, making it suitable for anyone, regardless of age or ability.

On the consumer demand side, two key drivers are ever-increasing: energy prices and interest rate hikes. The knock-on effects of the pandemic will also endure for years, with zoned indoor spaces, room to work from home and gardens all highly valued. Omnia House has been designed with all of these drivers in mind.

On the supply side, drivers for a home like this include the very simple construction typology and therefore the ease and speed of construction; the relatively low construction cost and the fact that the home has a high NatHERS rating in any orientation. This is a design that will suit many blocks and one that can be fitted out at many different price points.

Omnia House can accommodate extended family dinners, parties and gaggles of teenagers without feeling barn-like for a family of four.