Master Builders Victoria 2020 Green Living eBook

MASTER BUILDERS VICTORIA

2020 GREEN LIVING eBOOK 15th Anniversary of the Master Builders Green Living Conference - read more on Page 6

(03) 9411 4555 www.mbav.com.au

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Celebrating 15 years of Green Living 2020 marks the 15th year of the Master Builders Green Living Conference and our first year conducting the conference online.

One of the things that I’ve found most enjoyable over the years is catching up with attendees and seeing attendees enjoy catching up with each other; swapping ideas and stories. It’s something that I often get comments about from people who attend for the first time.

So while moving online is not quite the same, it has provided an opportunity for more to be involved from regional, interstate and even from international locations.

In this inaugural issue we share with you Master Builders’ work as part of the Building CRC 4.0, look back at our past sustainable house winners from the Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards and review our proposal to support energy efficiency upgrades in existing homes.

I’m extremely excited to continue to provide you with the most up to date information and most importantly, solutions.

Cheers, Phil Dr Phil Alviano Sustainable Building Advisor, Master Builders Victoria

Thank you to our 2020 Green Living Conference sponsors

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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CONTENTS

Editor’s Note

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2020 Green Living Conference

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News

Contact us at 332 Albert St East Melbourne VIC 3002

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Feature: Arden Homes

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Feature: Cale Peters Construction

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Training

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Feature: Croft Wootton Constructions

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Advocacy

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Feature: Granted Constructions

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(03) 9411 4555 www.mbav.com.au

Feature: VR Builders

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Follow us on social media

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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GREEN LIVING

2020 Master Builders Green Living Conference goes digital

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n Thursday, 22nd October 2020 Master Builders Victoria hosted the 15th annual Master Builders Green Living Conference – but not as we know it.

Unable to meet in person due to COVID-19 restrictions, sustainable building

enthusiasts from across Australia came together on Zoom for a digital conference: a shortened version of the yearly all-day event.

Dr Philip Alviano, Master Builders Victoria Sustainability Advisor said, “Shifting to a virtual format due to a global

pandemic only underscores the need to focus on the health of the planet, and everyone who lives on it, as we shape the built environment.

Air quality, temperature control and the safety of materials, play a big part in a client’s health and well-being.” (continues page 8)

Image: audience members at the 2020 Master Builders Green Living Awards

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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GREEN LIVING

Thank you to everyone who participated in the conference and came along to learn more about the latest sustainable building and energy efficiency initiatives.

Special thanks to the keynote speakers for donating their time and to our generous sponsors Australian Gas Networks, Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand,

Pro Clima, Rylock Windows & Doors, Stiebel Eltron, Vent Systems and Weathertex.

Speaker presentations can be accessed below.

Dr Trivess Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Dr Moore presented information from a recent investigation into the real-world performance of the Cape Paterson Ecovillage.

The benefits of high-performance housing were explored as well as the implications for current and future housing in Australia.

CLICK TO VIEW PRESENTATION

Alberto Garza Barragan and Rufaro Chakaingesu Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning During 2018 and 2019 the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) in partnership with the Victorian Building Authority completed a series of investigations into building site compliance where energy efficiency requirements prescribed in the building permit, the applicable National Construction Code (NCC) and relevant Australian Standards.

Alberto and Rufaro discussed the common issues identified and how these can impact on the building’s energy use.

CLICK TO VIEW PRESENTATION

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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GREEN LIVING

Daniel Pleiter, SECCCA Projects Coordinator South East Councils Climate Change Alliance Over three years, the NHEAS delivered dozens of free building plan consultations to home buyers at the planning stage of building a new house in the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire Council.

An insight into the energy performance of their new homes were developed from these 12 case studies.

Occupants reported how comfortable their homes were and the savings they were making from paying a small energy bill or not having to pay a power bill at all. From these results, SECCCA has developed a set of recommendations over and above the minimum requirements of the minimum NCC 6 Star NatHERS standard.

Daniel gave an overview of the recommendation and their impact on builders.

CLICK TO VIEW PRESENTATION

Dean Morrison, Director Arden Homes Arden Homes won the 2019 Master Builders Victoria Best Sustainable House under $650,000 award for their Aquarevo House.

Dean spoke about the winning project and how they achieved numerous sustainability, energy and water efficiency features in a quality and affordable package.

CLICK TO VIEW PRESENTATION

For more information about Green Living, the speakers or sponsors, please contact Dr Phil Alviano at palviano@mbav.com.au or on (03) 9411 4577.

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NEWS

Master Builders Victoria joins building Cooperative Research Centre

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s the preeminent construction industry voice Master Builders Victoria was recently asked to be a part of what was ultimately a successful bid to establish a co-operative research centre (CRC).

The CRC is made up of a number of project partners including Lendlease, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, BlueScope, CSR, Schiavello, the Master Builders Association of Victoria and others. The CRC 4.0 aims to help the construction sector become more efficient by taking advantage of new technologies.

and new technologies of the 4th industrial age, the Building 4.0 CRC aims to catapult the industry into an efficient, connected and customer-centric future.

The building industry is central to our economy, contributing 13% of GDP and employing over 1.4 million Australians.

Unlike other sectors such as manufacturing, it has failed to modernise and is plagued by rising costs and stagnating productivity.

Through deep collaboration

Their goals include undertaking research and delivering programs that will; • facilitate the construction of better buildings that have fewer defects and are energy efficient • improve the policy and regulatory frameworks

The CRC has won a $28 million grant from the Australian government to establish a new research centre for smart building solutions. It will focus on digitally-enabled solutions and new manufacturing products to develop a more tech-focused, collaborative industry that can deliver better buildings faster, cheaper and safer.

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

• improve safety and improve customer satisfaction.

They will also reduce project costs through digital technology and off site manufacturing by; • decreasing delays • reducing waste in materials and manpower • improving communication • using a better trained workforce skilled in new technologies and • creating an open, collaborative, innovative, inclusive & gender diverse industry We are currently looking for your thoughts on possible areas of improvement or research that the CRC may pursue to achieve the stated goals. If you would like to contribute please contact Philip Alviano via email at palviano@mbav.com.au or on (03) 9411 4577.

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What will be the future of gas in our homes and buildings look like?

There’s no denying, natural gas is an important part of our energy mix.6.5m Australian homes currently rely on natural gas for either cooking, hot water or heating.

Our need for energy is not going to slow down any time soon.

That’s why AGN is investing in renewable gas. Blending or even substituting natural gas with renewable gases such as hydrogen or biomethane can decarbonise the gas sector. At AGN we’ve already started. This year we’re blending up to 5% hydrogen with natural gas as part of a demonstration in Mitchell Park, South Australia.

This means we can continue to offer customers the choice of gas appliances in their home or business, knowing that there is a pathway to achieve 100% zero carbon.

To learn more about the renewable future of natural gas visit australiangasnetworks.com.au/renewablegas

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FEATURE

Affordable and sustainable luxury

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rden Homes describe themselves as providing luxurious, affordable homes that promise to be beautifully unique and their winning Lyndhurst project certainly fits this description. Arden have been able to deliver an 8 Star, zero carbon home that does not compromise on liveability or quality fittings for approximately $370,000. This all electric home includes a 5kW solar system and 7.5 kW battery, resulting in minimal energy bills. The attention to passive solar design, such as north facing double glazed windows and breezeways, provide a light filled home

that maintains comfortable temperatures and almost eliminates the need to use the high efficiency heating and cooling systems.

Not only are they providing a comfortable, healthy and energy efficient home, they are also meeting a number of other sustainable building goals. The PVC window frames which reduce heat and cold transmission through the frame feature the Vinyl Council’s Best Environmental Practice Certified PVC. The Gyprock superchek plasterboard used has 11% recycled content and the carpet is made from 100%

recycled PET. The insulation also has 80% recycled content.

Rainwater tanks and a water treatment system reduces drinking water use by 70%, reducing bills even further.

Arden Homes have been able to deliver an energy efficient and sustainable home without compromising quality, comfort or affordability. In fact, by putting the savings from energy and water use into their loan the owners can pay off the mortgage 12 years sooner.

Arden Homes - winner of Best Sustainable Home under $750,000 at the 2019 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

Image: Lyndhurst by Arden Homes. Photographer: Michael Downes, UA Creative

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FEATURE

Image: Lyndhurst by Arden Homes. Photographer: Michael Downes, UA Creative

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FEATURE

An energy efficient inner city sanctuary

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ale Peters Constructions Built on a very tight site in the inner-city suburb of Richmond, yet was still able to deliver a comfortable, energy efficient family home with numerous sustainability features.

This award winning, all electric home was designed to reduce energy in the first place and then provided for its use with a solar system coupled to battery back-up.

Careful passive solar design ensured that the house was warmed by the sun in winter, with the heat being stored in the thermal mass provided by insulated concrete polished floors and recycled brick walls.

Additional heating is provided with a hydronic heat pump system which operates in the daytime when the solar panels are producing electricity.

Water in the electric heat pump hot water system is also heated during the day.

In summer deciduous vines, sliding screens and shading keeps the sun out. At night windows are opened to cool the house using cross flow ventilation and ceiling fans to provide a breeze.

The bricks used in the structure were recycled red pressed bricks, the concrete included fly ash to reduce its embodied energy and all timber was FSC or PEFC certified. The chipboard flooring and pant used throughout was low VOC. The cork flooring was a sustainable product that does not require the tree to be cut down to harvest it, allowing the cork (bark) to regrow for further harvesting.

reuse prior to demolition. Steel was recycled and the timber was cut and stored to be used for firewood.

Exceptional attention to detail has delivered a healthy, liveable, energy efficient home in a very tight inner-city space.

Cale Peters Constructions winner of Best Sustainable Home over $750,000 at the 2019 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

Waste was also reduced onsite by separating excavated soil from rubble so it could be used for clean fill. Items from the existing house were also removed for recycling and

Other sustainability features include the use of recycled, formaldehyde free insulation and a 9000-litre underground rainwater tank that supplies the garden and toilets.

Image: Richmond by Cale Peters Constructions.

Photographer: Mein Photo

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Image: Richmond by Cale Peters Constructions. Photographer: Mein Photo

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TRAINING

Better outcomes and better profits

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ocketing energy costs and increasing demand for GreenStar buildings is continuing to drive the demand for energy efficient buildings and green building knowledge. Increasingly, sustainable buildings result in improved outcomes for the owners and occupiers in the form of increased liveability at a reduced cost.

Master Builders helps you to deliver quality outcomes for your business and your clients. Through our training courses, advisory services and our Green Living Conference, our sustainability team will help you to better address tender objectives and comply with onsite environmental requirements in the commercial market.

For those building for the domestic market we will help you to build affordable housing that is light filled and more comfortable to live in, resulting in reduced energy costs with minimal environmental impact. The Green Living website provides valuable information and support for both builders and clients. Potential clients can also search for an accredited Green Living Builder.

To find out more about the Master Builders Training Institute visit: www.mbavtraining.com.au

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

Specialist advice and support for members: • Training in sustainable construction for both domestic and commercial builders • Master Builders Green Card - basic environmental induction training for better site management • Tailored onsite training for inducting contractors and employees • Onsite inspections and advice on environmental management procedures, operations and compliance (first inspection free)

• Provision of environmental management plan templates, help with preparing environmental management plans and responding to tendering questions • Assistance with sourcing environmentally preferred materials and services • The provision of easyto-follow guides • Assistance with meeting legislative and client requirements

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TRAINING

Sustainable Construction - Commercial

ENQUIRE NOW

Who is this course designed for?

This course is suitable if you are a site supervisor, contractor, site worker or builder operating in the commercial construction sector.

Course Overview This course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to understand, build and comply with sustainability requirements in your projects. Topics covered include the GreenStar rating system, onsite waste management, framing and structures, material selection and water and energy conservation. You will also complete your own environmental policy and management plan. You will be able to: • Better comply with the demands of regulators and clients • Be more confident when offering sustainable solutions to clients and when responding to tenders that have sustainability requirements • Understand the building envelope – insulation, glazing, materials selection, embodied energy • Understand interior fit out – materials selection, embodied energy, indoor air quality • Understand the laws and regulations associated with sustainability requirements • Utilise erosion, sedimentation and dust control measures • Manage building and construction environmental management practices and processes CPCCBC5011A Manage environmental management practices and processes in building and construction.

On successful completion of all requirements of this course, including assessment and attendance, students will be issued with a Statement of Attainment by Master Builders Association of Victoria.

(RTO provider No. 3935).

Onsite Tailored Environmental Inductions

ENQUIRE NOW

Who is this course designed for?

This is suitable for you if you are a builder, site manager, foreperson or other employee.

Induction Overview This induction provides an introduction to legislative and council requirements and best environmental site management practices. It can also incorporate a site walk. You will learn to: • Apply your company environmental policy› • Identify environmental issues relating to site-specific construction processes and recognise basic environmental hazards and threats› • Manage environmental management practices and processes› • Improve environmental performance and environmental issues regarding water catchments, air, noise, ecosystems and more

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

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TRAINING

Master Builders Green Living - Domestic

ENQUIRE NOW

Who is this course designed for?

This course is suitable if you are a qualified tradesperson, builder, site manager or other building practitioner involved in overseeing or managing projects in the domestic or small-scale commercial sectors.

Course Overview This course provides you with the knowledge and tools to build sustainability options into your projects. As well as mandatory requirements outlined in the National Construction Codes or local government regulation, this course also covers practical topics such as site preparation, energy efficient building practices and fit-out. You will be able to: • • • •

Investigate potential asbestos areas likely to be disturbed prior to commencing onsite› Offer a range of sustainable solutions to your clients› Adopt simple solutions to build 6 Star and beyond› Evaluate how design, orientation and structural insulation can impact the thermal performance of a building

Green Living Accreditation Registered Builders who are Master Builders Victoria members may apply for Green Living Accreditation upon being deemed competent for this unit.

CPCCBC4020A Build thermally efficient and sustainable structures On successful completion of all requirements of this course, including assessment and attendance, students will be issued with a Statement of Attainment by Master Builders Association of Victoria.

(RTO provider No. 3935).

Master Builders Green Card - Spill Kit

ENQUIRE NOW

Who is this course designed for?

All on site personnel.

Induction Overview Environmental training should achieve the same level of compliance as site safety training and the Green Card offers basic awareness in a similar way to the White Card. This course will give you the basic knowledge and skills to obey environmental procedures and competently operate environmental equipment. You will: • • • •

Understand the legal and policy obligations to respond to an environmental spill› Enhance your Environmental Awareness› Appropriately apply Spill Kits and absorbent products› Utilise erosion, sedimentation and dust control measures

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FEATURE

Exceptional attention detail from Green Living innovator

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his Somers property was chosen as the best sustainable house at the 2017 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

Croft Wootton Constructions, one of the first Green Living Accredited builders, showed exceptional attention to detail during the construction process.

This house was built using many of the techniques from passive house constructions.

This enabled the home to achieve a 9.1 Star rating and a post construction blower door test measured the air infiltration rate at 1.6 air

changes per hour when the industry average is 15.

ventilation to cool the house quickly.

Extra layers of insulation carefully installed, an internal impermeable wall membrane and external premium moisture barrier contributed to the air tightness.

This fully electric house uses a highly efficient Sanden heat pump system for hot water, while the photovoltaic system on the roof will produce more energy than it uses, making it truly zero carbon.

The air tightness, coupled with ducted extractor fans and no ceiling passive solar design the house will require almost no heating and cooling. This is also aided by quality double glazed argon gas filled uPVC windows. The wide opening windows also provided the ability to use cross flow

Croft Wootton Constructionswinner of Best Sustainable Home at the 2017 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

Image: Somers by Croft Wootton Constructions. Photographer: Alison Hoelzer, Alison Hoelzer Photography

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FEATURE

Upgrading the energy efficiency of existing housing Background The National Energy Productivity Plan (COAG 2015), agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council (COAG Energy Council) in December 2015, aims to improve Australia’s energy productivity by 40 per cent between 2015 and 2030.

The Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings (2018) was produced as a result of this. It considers opportunities for new homes and for improving existing residential buildings.

Efforts until now have focused mostly on the energy efficiency of new houses. With less than 2% of building stock replaced each year, there is also a need to address housing built before any substantial energy efficiency measures were required (Whitehouse et al 2018). 46% of the stock built before 2015 is expected to still be in use in 2050, highlighting the importance of retrofit (ClimateWorks 2020).

A report produced by Sustainability Victoria (2016) found that the average energy rating of pre-1990 houses was 1.57 Stars and post1990 houses was 3.14 Stars.

In 2005, housing minimum efficiency regulations required new houses to be designed to achieve a minimum of 5 Stars and this was increased

to a minimum of 6 Stars in 2011. There is clearly huge potential to increase the energy efficiency and thermalcomfort levels of the existing housing stock.

While the star rating is about the energy use required to heat and cool the house to keep internal parameters within set temperatures, it is also an indication of temperature fluctuations within those houses. It is generally accepted that cold temperatures and houses have detrimental impacts on human health. It is also now recognized that heat spells also affect human health and consequently increases the stress on, and cost of, public health systems (Sustainability Victoria 2020). A carefully structured and delivered program would provide a number of benefits to public health and the environment.

Energy efficiency upgrades

range from simple actions, such as lighting upgrades, door seals and window coverings, to more involved measures, such as insulation upgrades, solar panel installation and window replacement. The result is reduced peak loads during extreme temperatures and improved demand management. This will, in turn, reduce costs across the broader energy network.

How would it work?

Rather than relying on a complicated system of rebates that are poorly understood, this scheme would be open to owner-occupiers, landlords and tenants. This proposal is for dollar-for-dollar grants or tax rebates for approved energy efficiency upgrades up to $20K for existing housing.

An instant tax write-off scheme for landlords in

Image: The Cheese by Positive Footprints. Photographer: Simon Black

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ARTICLE

addition to rebates/matching would be attractive, and require a simple tenant signature of consent for works to proceed.

While, previous programs have been problematic and open to rorting, steps taken since then in similar programs and the use of approved installers and licensed trades would limit these concerns. A research program evaluating different elements of the package and how it is undertaken would help to provide feedback for the program and evaluate outcomes.

Any program will also need to consider the impact

that improved insulation levels and air tightness may have on increased levels of condensation and the resultant requirement for moisture management on previous construction systems.

The Victorian Government has produced a Residential Efficiency Scorecard, and independent accredited assessors could be used to identify approved works.

The cost of the scorecard assessment could be claimed back as part of the grant if works go ahead. Works could include insulation upgrades, double glazing, exhaust fan dampers/upgrades, draft sealing work, old appliance

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

replacement, PV, solar hot water and heat pumps as prioritised by the Residential Efficiency Scorecard assessment.

Each Residential Efficiency Scorecard assessment will also include a risk assessment to ensure risks are flagged and managed prior to work being carried out. For example, an electrician would need to have carried out an inspection to verify the roof is safe and, at the same time provide covers to light fixtures and fans.

Likewise, a plumber may need to confirm any services that have gas as a fuel source are in a suitable condition that will not create a risk.

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FEATURE

Approved insulation installers would need to have completed the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand’s (ICANZ) training program. A set percentage of work would undergo independent checks to ensure work has been undertaken to required levels.

Each upgrade would be entered into a database. This would lead to an improvement in the housing stock overall and to Australian housing data systems over time.

An evaluation would run

alongside the package to provide real-time feedback into the program and allow for fine-tuning to optimize performance. This would link in with the research which shows that restarting the economy through a sustainability focus will deliver more jobs now and into the future. Any program should leverage research opportunities to build an evidence base to strengthen retrofit experience, process and industry in Australia.

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

A recent study by RMIT (Willand et al 2020) shows that low-income households and renters have not taken up the benefits of programs such as these in the past. The program will also need to target these areas. This will reduce energy stress and inequality, have positive health outcomes and in turn reduce public health costs.

Benefits This program would likely be sufficient to lift the average

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FEATURE

performance of existing housing built prior to the introduction of the 5 and 6-Star requirements from around 1.5 Stars to between 5-6 Stars and to lift housing built since the mid 2000s to over 7 Stars. This would lower living costs and improve thermal comfort, health and wellbeing for occupants, particularly those in vulnerable households.

Evaluation will show how this investment provides local jobs for Australian workers,

while benefiting Australian households both immediately and into the future. It will also calculate energy and carbon savings from the scheme, contributing to Australia’s emissions targets and productivity.

These sorts of work offer opportunities to a number of different trades and also to manufacturing, retail and transport. It would also offer an opportunity for the retrofit industry to move from a more siloed approach

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

of delivering one or two retrofits to delivering a more comprehensive list of retrofits.

A gold-standard package with guaranteed quality and benefits linked to greenhouse gas reduction from existing housing that follows the current National Energy Productivity Plan (NEPP) project and Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.

Image page 22-23: The Cheese by Positive Footprints. Photographer: Simon Black

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FEATURE

An Australian passive housing first

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his winning home reflected the increasing trend for passive houses in Australia and was the first to be a certified Passive House with a wood burning fireplace.

Passive house is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building. It results in ultra-low energy structures that require little energy for space heating or cooling.

This outstanding example was presented as a typical family home in a traditional style. The 180m2 single story house is built on a brick footing with timber subfloor. The house uses a timber frame and trusses, Colorbond roof and cement sheet weatherboard cladding. Careful attention to detail was required during the construction of these elements to achieve a Passive House

standard.

The frames were 140mm wide, to allow for the extra insulation needed, and covered in a moisture barrier externally and airtight wrap internally. The timber battons acted as service cavities and attachments points for the plaster internally and weatherboards externally so as to not to puncture the airtight wraps.

The house was able to achieve an airtightness measure of 0.38 Air Changes per Hour at 50 Pascals (ach@50Pa), which compares to the average Australian level of 15; the passive house requires a rating of less than 0.6 ACH@50Pa. Fresh air is provided via a Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation System (MHRV).

This all electric house makes use of an induction cooktop and one small reverse cycle air conditioner for any additional heating and cooling. The MHRV system ensures that air is circulated around the house keeping temperatures even in all rooms. A 5 kW photovoltaic system on the roof easily provides more power than the house uses, resulting in a zero carbon house.

Other sustainability features include triple glazed windows, to ensure that the house met the passive house standard.

Granted Constructions winner of Best Sustainable Home at the 2018 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

Image: Emerald by Granted Constructions. Photographer: Nick Billings, zeroG Marketing & Communications

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FEATURE

Image: Gisborne by VR Builders. Photographer: Shayne Hill, Xtreme Visuals

Sustainably ageing in place

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e are increasingly seeing homes being built for clients suitable for them to “Age in Place.� This worthy finalist was designed specifically to the clients current and future needs.

The home can adapt to changes in circumstances as the clients age. These needs mean the house is designed to be accessible, safe, easy to maintain and energy efficient.

This results in health and comfort benefits and reduced future energy costs.

The home takes advantage of passive solar design by being orientated north with extensive Miglas windows and doors (double glazed thermally broken Low E glazing). This

allows sun to warm the house in winter and lots of natural light. Northern and Western windows feature custom aluminium fixed louvre shades overhead which ensure solar penetration into the home is maximised in the winter months and shaded in the summer months. Eastern glazing is minimised and designed purely to ensure excellent day lighting without using extensive glazing.

External and Internal walls are very well insulated using thermal and acoustic insulation beyond minimum standards. Hebel Powerfloor panels and additional underfloor insulation provide for a very stable core flooring

Master Builders Green Living eBook - 2020

and thermal mass to moderate internal temperatures, despite it being a suspended home on a sloping site.

The homes energy is off set with a large 7.9 kW solar PV system which should have a big impact on the energy bills, while solar hot water reduces the need for external energy sources.

All stormwater is connected to an underground tank to keep the garden watered and in good condition.

VR Builders- finalist for Best Sustainable Home at the 2018 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.

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