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Design Dilemma
sallyhart

Ideas for eco friendly, beautiful cottage for rural Sydney

Clever Closet Company
9 years ago
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.
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Sowden Building Solutions
    8 years ago

    Hemp and binder is from Australia - not imported. As the product is being cast you can make any shape you want.

    Comments (37)

    • fianou
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      This ones lovely... some of them are enormous, but I like the scale of this.
      Home for My Family · More Info
    • fianou
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      oh sorry... I misunderstood. :)
    • PRO
      Undercover Architect
      9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Interresting Susanne, thanks, I havn't seen this before. Do you then render the interior and exterior?
    • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
      9 years ago
      More pics. I'll pass on builder contacts if you'd like them.
    • Susanne Oliver-Dearman
      9 years ago
      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
      9 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      thanks Susanne, they're lovely!
    • Luke Buckle
      8 years ago
      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 · More Info
      Hacienda Ja Ja · More Info
      Smiths Lake House · More Info
    • PRO
      Clever Closet Company
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      I Like the look of the Smiths Lakes one Luke.
    • PRO
      Sowden Building Solutions
      8 years ago
      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
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Hi Snowden, what are the benefits of hemp rate over straw?
    • PRO
      Sowden Building Solutions
      8 years ago
      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
      8 years ago

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

    • PRO
      Clever Closet Company
      Original Author
      8 years ago

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

    • User
      8 years ago

      Excellent thread and comments.

      Clever Closet Company thanked User
    • PRO
      Clever Closet Company
      Original Author
      8 years ago

      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
      8 years ago
      Hi Sally,
      Give me a call on 0433323513.
    • jbantick
      8 years ago

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

    • PRO
      Clever Closet Company
      Original Author
      8 years ago

      JUst talked to NIck Chook chook, apparently not :)


    • User
      8 years ago

      Just read back and deleted.

    • PRO
      Rammed Earth Enterprises
      8 years ago

      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 · More Info

      Internal Rammed Earth Walls · More Info

    • PRO
      Clever Closet Company
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      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
      8 years ago

      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
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Thanks a lot rammed earth
    • PRO
      Envirotecture
      8 years ago
      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 thanked Envirotecture
    • PRO
      Zetta Kanta
      7 years ago

      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 · More Info

      Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · More Info

      Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · More Info

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