Client: Sustainable Homes Melbourne

Location: Wurundjeri country (Brunswick, VIC)

The client came to Sustainable Homes Melbourne in desperate need of restoring her 110 year old Edwardian house in Brunswick, with a view to creating an energy efficient and sustainable home with plenty of light and storage.

A beautiful double fronted home on a quiet street in Brunswick offering an escape from the busy suburb that is Brunswick. Nestle amongst trees with a beautiful rear garden, the property was already a sanctuary.

The home had seen some cosmetic improvements to dress it up and had been re-stumped not too many years prior. But, with the Brunswick area being notorious for highly reactive clay the foundations were in very bad shape.

Rather than cosmetic improvements that may only last 10 or so years due to ineffective foundations, to reduce the carbon footprint of our homes is imperative we build for centuries rather than decades. Therefore our first point of call was to sure up the footings by re-stumping and underpinning an existing brick wall that had been built in the 1990’s.

Once the foundations were in good order it was time to create a beautifully comfortable and energy efficient home.

Materials & ESD (Ecological Sustainable Development) Features

• Timber Windows - Elite Windows

• Removal and re-purpose of existing decking boards

• Repair of existing pine flooring to original part of house

• Recycled Messmate floorboards with Bona HD Matte applied throughout

• Reuse of existing Evaporative Cooling system

• Reuse of existing roller door to new carport

• Refurbishment of existing Edwardian sash windows

• Repair of existing roof sheets where rust had corroded

• Extensive underpinning of existing foundations rather than demolition.

• Silvertop Ash to new deck and planter areas

• R2.5 High Density Polyester insulation batts fitted to Internal & External walls

• R6.0 Earthwool insulation batts fitted to ceiling

• R2.5 Earthwool insulation batts fitted under sub-floor

Passive Design Features

• Small increase to existing footprint

• Replaced windows & doors with double glazed units

• West facing windows shaded from summer sun

• Sealing of existing chimney to prevent heat loss

• Added windows to allow for cross-ventilation cooling in summer months

Heating and Cooling

• Hydronic Heating with Bosch Combination boiler, also used for hot water

Windows & Glazing

• Double Glazed Timber Windows - FEFC certified KD Hardwood Frame

Renewable Energy

• Solar PV system 4.4kWh

Water Saving

• New Rain2Main pump connect to existing raintank and irrigation system

• Charged waterline to collect all stormwater with existing water tank system.

• Bosch Combination boiler for Hydronic heating & Hot water usage throughout the home

• WELS 4 star rated Tapware throughout