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Building

Sustainability in our homes and buildings relates not only to the appliances and fittings we use during construction and renovation, but the ways we choose to heat, insulate, light, and clean our spaces. 

It's a dream for many of us to build our own home or renovate our existing abode. With the rising costs of energy and desire to minimise our environmental impact many people are looking for ways to build and renovate better. Clever design, passive solar orientation and smart use of materials can ensure a healthy and affordable home.

Top 5 things to consider for all new homes or renovations

1. Orientation – This can be a major factor in the amount of heating you will need to use as well as overall comfort levels. Ensure that the main living area of the home faces north to take full advantage of the winter sun.

2. Insulation – Having a thoroughly insulated house is crucial in Tasmania. The majority of heat is lost  through ceilings, but having good wall and floor insulation is also important. Ceiling insulation should be R 3.5–4, while wall and underfloor insulation should be R 2–2.5.

3. Windows – All windows on new buildings are now required to be double-glazed or equivalent. Windows should also be covered by thermally efficient blinds or curtains. Curtains should be floor length, made of thick material and have a pelmet or other fixture at the top to stop air circulation which will bring cold air into your home.

4. Star-rated appliances – Large energy guzzling appliances like heaters, washing machines and fridges should have 4 stars or more. The trick is that you need to compare not just the stars but the actual kilowatt hours given for energy use on the appliance. The star ratings compare similar models to one another, so the star rating given to a top-loading washing machine is in relation to other top-loading machines of similar size. Because front-loading washing machines are universally more energy and water efficient than their top-loading equivalents, looking only at the star ratings will not give you the full picture. For more information see  http://www.energyrating.gov.au/tips.html.

5. Thermal mass – Strategic use of heavyweight construction materials with high thermal mass (concrete slab on ground and insulated brick cavity walls) can reduce total heating and cooling energy requirements by up to 25% compared to a home built of lightweight construction materials with a low thermal mass (brick veneer with timber floor).

Did you know?

  • The floor area of freestanding houses is at a record high, just above 245 square metres (ABS). It means that our homes are about a third bigger than what they were 20 years ago and in fact 10 per cent bigger than a decade ago. They are now far bigger than homes in other parts of the world; triple the size of those in the UK, double the size of those in Europe, and even bigger than homes in the US by 7 percent.
  • Embodied energy can be the equivalent of as much as 20 years of operational energy over a house's hundred-year lifespan. The single most important factor in reducing the impact of embodied energy is to design long-life, durable and adaptable buildings. 
  • Keeping curtains of sunny north-facing windows open during the day can let in up to 3 kilowatt hours of energy a day per square metre of window – equal to a single bar radiator running for 3 hours. And it's free! Avoid having large windows on the southern side of your home.



Here are some of our most popular Sustainable Living Guides about building: