|
The build would require the removal or demolition of a small one car wooden garage. This was also factored into the build costs.
Subdivision was not possible but the development levy cost is the same. Under variation 20, a balance is trying to be found between retaining the character in homes, and making best use of the land.
Rental Market
A tenant typically has little appreciation for value added energy efficiency attributes in a home such as design for the sun, solar hot water and other improvements that have a capital cost to the landlord but are unable to be regained through an increase in rent.
Jason noted that what appear to be important to tenants are garaging, fencing, heat pump and endless hot water. However, there is little testing of the market to see if tenants would be willing to pay more rent for a cheaper power bill.
Jason had to keep uppermost in his mind that any green design attributes incorporated into the build could not command a higher cost when putting this design together, and was an influencing factor in choosing a property investor contact with background in rental accommodation. However, Jason sometimes felt they weren’t speaking the same language on the original design and if he was to do it all again he would get a designer or architect who was sympathetic to green design.
Original Design
The challenge Jason had in having a meeting of minds with the architect was enhanced by the fact that Jason was attending the Green Home workshops at the same time and so was wanting to incorporate more eco design.
This also had some influence on the design going through eight revisions. The biggest cause for this coming up with the most energy efficient design for a small space. Of main constraint due to the size of this build were:
- bedroom size – how to get two double rooms in a 60m2 house.
- designing to lengths available in order to limit construction waste
Also on construction waste, Jason was also interested in having different bins on site for different types of waste, being conscious of what waste was being generated and what was going off the site.
Some smaller builds incorporate a smart design of a deck in a way that makes the house seem bigger and have more living area, in the outdoors. Along with a pergola, this was to have been a technique used to optimize the outdoor living space.
The cladding type and window position were modified before making a final decision. The final design was sent to Right House who gave it the thumbs up in terms of the Home Energy Rating Scheme (HERS).
Three ideas Jason learnt from the workshops which were incorporated into the final design were:
- Polished concrete floors for thermal pass and passive solar gain
- Slab edge protection
- Pergola to provide shaded outdoor living area
Additional sustainability features
- Window frames – vented, double glazed, aluminium
- Considering the benefits of one type of glazing over the other were challenging in the design stage.
- Cladding – cost effectiveness and sustainability was important consideration
- Summit board – Hardy’s product like a Linea but wider and cheaper
- Skillion roof – the design appealed as the higher ceiling gives the appearance of space in a smaller home but there were concerns regarding insulation
- Gas
- Utilizing the north facing aspect
- Insulation levels walls R2.6, ceilings R3.6 and 100mm polystyrene in the floor.
Project Stalled
Unfortunately the initial plan didn’t go ahead for two reasons
- Building costs came in high so funding couldn’t be secured
- Council’s consent process lasts six months which requires the payment of the development levy, with no extensions
Effectively in having this policy it ensures builds happen. However, the process of requiring action within six months led to the project having to be abandoned.
Given a little more time and flexibility, Jason might have gone ahead with a modification of the plan which would have come into the range of funding that could be secured. This would have included on reworking the design so that the garage was replaced with a carport. | 
