Architecture & design: The new home of Stu Selby, Erika Whittome and their baby daughter Rosanna is a great example. It was completed in February on a tight, 350-square-meter section in Orakei, Auckland, after a six-month build. Its compact three-bedroom, two-story layout was designed by architect Frans Kamermans and constructed by Harris Built Ltd, and is packed with a combination of clever design thinking and cutting edge technology.
First and foremost, the home applies 'passive solar' design to make the most of available sunlight for free heat and light. It has large windows orientated north, with eaves that allow in winter sunlight but restrict the summer sun to avoid overheating. There is a tiled concrete floor on the ground floor and an insulated block wall, both of which absorb heat during the day to radiate that warmth back through the extremely well-insulated interior of the home as outside temperatures fall. This is augmented with underfloor heating, running from a high-efficiency heat pump, and low energy LED lighting.
The mains electricity supply is supplemented with $14,000 worth of electricity-producing photovoltaic solar panels on the roof. A smart meter even allows the family to sell additional power back to the grid when the panels are producing more than they need, contributing to a projected pay-back time on the system of just seven years.
Hot water is provided by another heat pump, and rainwater is collected from the roof and stored in a tank under the deck, to be used in the toilets, garden, and washing machine.
Around the rest of the home every other detail of sustainable living has been considered. The carpets are pure wool, the wood used is all sourced from certified sustainable sources, the taps are all low flow to reduce water use and the washing line is outside under cover, to reduce damp in the home and let the sunshine do the work of a drier. A worm farm was even been installed in the garden.
