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Jacksons Hill Sunbury

CLIENTS
JAN AND CATH BRANDJES

BRIEF
To suit the climatic conditions of a windy exposed site, a house designed for minimal energy consumption with good indoor air quality.

HOUSE DESCRIPTION
Orientation, summer shading, cross ventilation, zoning and allowing for natural daylighting are all important elements of a climatically designed home. This house was designed with the living spaces, including the solar court and garden court, on the warm north side of the house. Bedrooms and utility rooms are located on the cooler south side. A solar pergola in front of the solar court provides a covered outdoor area on the warm north side of the house, shading the solar court in summer. Large openable windows on the north side of the solar court and smaller openable windows on the south side facilitate cross-ventilation with cooler south westerly winds.

Areas within the home can be closed off or opened as required so that the warm north side of the home can be zoned from the cooler south side by closing doors. Designed to be naturally day lit, during a full moon there is enough moonlight entering the house to enable one to read. Gas and electricity consumption bills for this house were $400 per year for a family of 5, with one third of the amount of water consumed compared to the average Melbourne family.