Houzz Logo Print
sallyhart

Ideas for eco friendly, beautiful cottage for rural Sydney

I would love to build a gorgeous cottage by the billabong on my property. I would like it to be eco friendly, beautiful and designed to be manage the fairly extreme temperature range of up to 45deg in summer to -5 in winter. The site is quite level, faces North East and will be in a bush fire region, rated bal 29.
I love straw bale construction but am open to all styles of construction.

Comentarios (37)

  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    Strawbale would work really well for that temperature range! But my first thoughts were to something on stilts with pavilions... a bit like this
    http://ecoshelta.com
    Have you ever thought of using hempcrete? Its a lovely eco product, with great passive thermal properties and termite resistant, but it makes walls that are a lot thinner than strawbale.
  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    I think pavilions clustered around the billabong would work for strawbale... connected by a boardwalk along the water. You could tuck them in amongst the tea trees ( are they tea trees?) without having to clear as much. pavilion style for strawbale gives you the chance to hone your skills. Start with a shed or utility building and then move on to the house buildings. Although pavilions in such a cold climate may not be as as desirable!
    There are a few strawbales here.
    http://www.houzz.com.au/photos/strawbale-house-/p/24
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 9 años
    Hi Flanou, I have thought of this style, it doesn't look as good from a passive heating cooling point of view to me. I like being on the ground but am thinking that there might be benefits from building on stilts too.
    I don't know about hemp rest, will check it out, thanks!
  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    This ones lovely... some of them are enormous, but I like the scale of this.
    Home for My Family · Más información
  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    Última modificación: hace 9 años
    These guys are listed on houzz and have a lot of strawbale builds. They seem to be in your area.
    http://www.houzz.com.au/pro/setsquaresam/viva-living-homes
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 9 años
    I think given it will be small it will be one structure, rather than a series of structures, the cottage looks over the billabong, but is about 50 meters way from it
  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    I think with the trees around it could be an idea to feature grey weathered timbers... in my mind they would link the colours of the bush to the house. Maybe you could reclaim some timbers, and leave the decking to age...
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 9 años
    Fianou, I'm just at the concept stage now, not really concerned about colours, more building methods and eco concepts than finishing details, as said it isnt in the trees, that's the view of the billabong, not whereh the cottage will be.
  • fianou
    hace 9 años
    oh sorry... I misunderstood. :)
  • PRO
    Undercover Architect
    hace 9 años
    If you feel like making a trip to Byron in June, you could learn how to do it yourself with this workshop ... it looks amazing! It's happening at The Farm in Byron Bay, which is a gorgeous newish venue in Ewingsdale.

    http://www.milkwood.net/course/natural-building-workshop-150611/
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 9 años
    Hi undercover architect, yes, I'm familiar with the courses. I don't really intend doing the building myself as I really don't have time or the ability to build single handedly. I will happily pay someone to do it, just wanting to get ideas on options and compare things like container homes, straw bale, pole houses, prefab options etc
  • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
    hace 8 años
    You may be interested in the primarily earthen architecture of earthbag or superadobe. It's not everyone's taste. It's earth in bags tamped down till it rings hard. Plastered. I know of s couple of Australian builders who work in it. This is a backyard bedroom study still in progress. It's lovely. It's Eco creeds could be higher but when it's 45° outside its 26° inside. No air conditioning. Well heat it with a tiny stove. You could use as rocket stove
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    Interresting Susanne, thanks, I havn't seen this before. Do you then render the interior and exterior?
  • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
    hace 8 años
    More pics. I'll pass on builder contacts if you'd like them.
  • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
    hace 8 años
    Render and paint. We built domes but it can be rectilinear. I know of a couple in country Vic who built their own whole house with scoria filled bags in a butterfly-ish shape. With a roof with wide eaves. Natural paints and plasters unlike ours. It's in s eucalyptus grove and withstands snow. Divine.
  • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
    hace 8 años
    Photo one is superadobe in Nepal. An orphanage which is still standing! The second is a community project in response to the Haiti Earthquake. The third is a private home in California. The last is ours. If you Google earthbag housing or superadobe you'll find a great variety on most continents. Spain has some great examples. Some African builds are gorgeous. It's a flexible architecture open to vernacular interpretations and creative flair. Enjoy.
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    thanks Susanne, they're lovely!
  • Luke Buckle
    hace 8 años
    I too love straw bale designs. Have seen a few pared back designs on Houzz that could sway me if i ever get to build near the bush:
    Palo Alto Pool House · Más información
    Hacienda Ja Ja · Más información
    Smiths Lake House · Más información
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    I Like the look of the Smiths Lakes one Luke.
  • PRO
    Sowden Building Solutions
    hace 8 años
    Hempcrete would work a treat - I'm currently building/renovating a property in Sydney and it has been wonderful to work with.
    On top of thermal requirements we selected Hempcrete for its acoustic qualities. It is also non-combustible.
    With the right detailing and base you could build it on stilts and use a lightweight mix for your floors (as insulation not structure) and roof for a full thermal envelope
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    Hi Snowden, what are the benefits of hemp rate over straw?
  • PRO
    Sowden Building Solutions
    hace 8 años
    Hi Sally,

    Compared to Straw Bale Hempcrete has the following benefits:

    Thermal mass compared to just insulation
    Rodent proof due to lime.
    Thinner walls.
    More options on detailing.
    Still locks in carbon while setting over the years.
    Great as a rotational crop for farmers.

    Nick Sowden
  • fianou
    hace 8 años

    Nick Sowden, can you source local hemp, or do you import from europe?

  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años

    Thanks Nick, interesting, although I love the thick, rounded walls of straw, is that still possible?

  • User
    hace 8 años

    Excellent thread and comments.

    Clever Closet Company agradeció a User
  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años

    Nick, I'm interested in the product, wht's the best way to find out more about it? Are there any displays?

  • PRO
    Sowden Building Solutions
    hace 8 años
    Hi Sally,
    Give me a call on 0433323513.
  • jbantick
    hace 8 años

    Nick, I'm quite interested as well. It looks like a great product. Cheers

  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años

    JUst talked to NIck Chook chook, apparently not :)


  • User
    hace 8 años

    Just read back and deleted.

  • PRO
    Rammed Earth Enterprises
    hace 8 años

    Hi Sally, Rammed Earth walls would work
    perfectly in this environment, we currently only build walls throughout the
    state of Victoria, so we couldn’t help, however rammed earth has excellent
    thermal properties and is a sustainable building material. In Castlemaine
    (Central Victoria) it was 41 degrees yesterday and with no air-conditioning our
    home was a comfortable 26 degrees. In winter with no heating the lowest our
    house gets to is 13 degrees, and with a wood heater it is very comfortable
    (between 18 and 22 degrees). Excellent solar passive design is VITAL to create
    a sustainable home and achieve these benefits. If you want to read further we
    have a lot of information on our website about thermal mass (click here) and on
    the many other benefits of rammed earth walls (click here). In regard to what
    you said about the BAL rating, rammed earth is rated to BAL Flame Zone, which
    is the highest BAL rating there is. We’ve written a blog post on our website
    about building in a bushfire prone area – which you could read for some
    interesting facts and ideas that might also help you!

    I’ve attached a few photos of the vastly
    different styles that can be achieved with rammed earth, but if you have a look
    at our Houzz page we have more pictures up there. I’ve done a quick google
    search and there are rammed earth builders in Sydney who I’m sure can help you
    out.
    We hope this helps!

    External Rammed Earth Walls · Más información

    Internal Rammed Earth Walls · Más información

  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    Thanks rammed earth for so much great information.
    the homes look lovely.
    how do they go with cooling down after a prolonged hot period?
  • PRO
    Rammed Earth Enterprises
    hace 8 años

    Hey Sally,
    This is from the ‘Thermal Mass in Summer’ section from our website,

    "With correct eave overhang on the North of your building & thermal
    mass being shielded from direct solar gain we can control the increase in the
    ambient air temperature of the building.

    During the day heat gains from external temperature, the occupants of
    the building, and any electrical lighting and equipment, is absorbed by the
    exposed thermal mass of the building and releases stored cool within the
    thermal mass, thus limiting the temperature rise within the space to be within
    acceptable levels for human thermal comfort.

    By the end of the day the thermal mass of the building has in turn
    warmed up, and now as external temperatures reduce the heat can be released and
    the thermal mass cooled down ready for the start of the next day. However this
    "regeneration" process is only effective if the building is
    ventilated at night when the external air temperature has dropped below the
    internal temperature, to carry away the heat that has been absorbed during the
    day. This can be achieved through naturally ventilating buildings (opening
    windows etc.) or the use of automated ventilation systems.

    This reduces or totally eliminates the need for artificial cooling
    systems to be installed, thus reducing the overall energy consumption of the
    building to attain a comfortable living environment."

    When temperatures do not drop at night for 3-4 nights, our houses are still far more comfortable than outside, warmer than it would be if
    night ventilation could be achieved, but still a comfortable temperature. In
    our house we just use ceiling fans during those in-between days! We find that
    even when it is warmer in our houses in prolonged hot periods than it would be
    with air-conditioning, the quality of the air and feel of being inside the
    house is much nicer than what it would be with the everyday use of an air-conditioner – not to
    mention benefit that not using air-conditioning has on the environment.
    Hope this answers your question :)

  • PRO
    Clever Closet Company
    Autor original
    hace 8 años
    Thanks a lot rammed earth
  • PRO
    Envirotecture
    hace 8 años
    We've done a couple of Hempcrete projects. Agree with all of nicks comments especially regarding design flexibility.
    It goes without saying that you need to get the passive design right:

    Your home.gov.au

    Good luck
    Clever Closet Company agradeció a Envirotecture
  • PRO
    Zetta Kanta
    hace 7 años

    People in Russia and Mongolia where temperatures are extreme in winter would cover their walls (from inside) with wool felted rugs. It served as an insulator and was ascetically pleasing to the eye.

    Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · Más información

    Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · Más información

    Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · Más información

Patrocinado

Volver a cargar la página para no volver a ver este anuncio en concreto

España
Personalizar mi experiencia con el uso de cookies

Houzz utiliza cookies y tecnologías similares para personalizar mi experiencia, ofrecerme contenido relevante y mejorar los productos y servicios de Houzz. Al hacer clic en 'Aceptar' confirmo que estoy de acuerdo con lo antes expuesto, como se describe con más detalle en la Política de cookies de Houzz. Puedo rechazar las cookies no esenciales haciendo clic en 'Gestionar preferencias'.