Energy Efficiency Building

Energy efficiency is becoming an important part of building a new home, renovations and extensions. At Twomey Building, a Greensmart Builder in Ballarat, we understand the climate requirements and have the knowledge to achieve an energy efficient home.

Energy efficiency starts at planning stage. All housing can and should perform energy efficiently. There are several basic considerations to assist energy efficiency:-

Solar passive design.
Building orientation.
Good performing insulation.
Correctly installed insulation.
Good reflective foil installed.
Double glazed windows with high performance glass.
Eaves shading northern windows.
Cross ventilation.
Lighting and appliance selection.

The combination of the above will achieve a good performing home and lower your energy usage.

June 22, 2010
Consider Building Green

What is building Green, with Ballarat Builders, Twomey Building

It's about how we build, not what we build. There are several important considerations involved in building "green" or building smarter.

Design
Sustainability
Glazing
Energy efficiency
Water efficiency and collection

This Blog covers Design and Sustainability.

The following information is encouraged when building with Ballarat Builders, Twomey Building.

Design

Design is the most important ingredient in green homes. All home design, ranging from 10 squares to 40 squares can incorporate green or smarter design. This includes building orientation, solar passive, thermal mass and cross ventilation. All these factors assist with energy efficiency, utilising the natural elements.

Position living areas and windows to take advantage of the winter sun, when it shines in the windows it warms the room and a concrete slab. Incorparate eaves or shade structures to shade north, east and west windows for summer to minimise solar radiation entering through windows. Position rooms and windows to capture and create air flow to assist cooling. All these factors can be incorporated in basic home design.

Resist temptations to build larger than needed homes. Larger homes cost more to run ie: heating, cooling, cleaning and maintaining. Why build massive homes spend more money on rooms that you don't use or need?

Sustainability

Sustainability covers many factors in building. Material selection is one of the most important factors. Examples are the use of plantation grown timbers for framing such as Radiata Pine (Commonly used). LVL's which are plantation sourced and can be used for lintels, bearers and floor joists. LVL's replace F17 Hardwood timbers which are logged from old growth native forests throughout Victoria and Tasmania.

Ecoblend cement for concrete. A renewable material which reuses fly ash or slag a byproduct from steel manufacturing.

Alternative, decking board materials such as Modwood (made from recycled cardboard and milk cartons) or a local plantation grown hardwood timber such as Sugargum. These materials minimse the use of Merbou which is an imported timber logged from Indonesian Rain forests.

Plasterboard waste can be recycled back into plasterboard or broken down back to Gypsum and used in gardens or farming.

Use local material suppliers and local contractors, to keep jobs in Ballarat and the local building industry sustainable.

These above factors should always be considered when building a new home. Please do not hesitate to contact us at Twomey Building, your green builders Ballarat.

May 28, 2010
Ballarat Green Builders

Green Builders Ballarat

With more and more consideration towards environmentally friendly building, not many building designers, draftsmen or Ballarat builders have enough knowledge or are aware of the requirements and technologies needed to fulfil environmentally friendly or Green building. One of the most important considerations for any home design is energy use and water consumption. The cost of energy is rising, services such as electricity, gas and water are all forecast to rise and keep rising into the future. There are several principals in design and building practises that should be considered and followed to achieve high energy ratings (star ratings) and therefore greater energy efficiency for your home.

Some draftsmen, building designers and even architects still struggle to design a home to 5 stars which is a minimum building regulation of which is soon to be lifted to 6 stars in Victoria. This demonstrates that these home designs are poor and there has been no consideration towards energy efficiency and water consumption. If their designs had more emphasis toward energy efficiency, the energy ratings would easily achieve 7 to 8 stars.

The general misconception is that green building costs are far more expensive than conventional building and has to have an "eco" look. Green building can have any look and can be achieved with conventional construction and built anywhere. It all depends on good design, orientation of the home on the block and positioning of living rooms, locations of quality windows, glazing and good insulation. Any designer, architect or builder should have good knowledge of these principals.

For more information on green homes and green building Ballarat, contact your Ballarat builders at Twomey Building.

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