8.2 Rockhampton, Queensland

Waste flyash is used in the innovative wall construction of this passive solar house. Designed to show community and industry that sustainable development and commercial marketability can be successfully combined, this house presents an attractive and familiar appearance whilst reducing embodied and operational energy use. Indoor thermal comfort is achieved without supplementary heating or cooling.

DESCRIPTION

Brief

Triple bottom line requirements of social, economic and environmental sustainability were set by the client (QLD Department of Housing) and the house had to be fully accessible for the widest possible range of users with varying abilities whilst providing a safe, secure and cost-efficient environment. Within the habitable area of 180m2 one of the four bedrooms had to be usable as a home office. 8.2 Rockhampton QLD

Site

The site is on the corner of a main road, Campbell Street, running northwest-southeast and a minor street (see plan). Access was allowed only from the minor street and this determined the position of the garage. The corner of the house presents the glazed doors of the dining room and projecting patio roof towards the road junction. The inherent difficulties of the site were accepted as part of the strategy of demonstrating the flexibility of a sustainable design approach. [See: 2.2 Choosing a Site; 4.3 Orientation]

During the hottest months the prevailing wind is easterly and in January there are north-easterly winds for about 30 per cent of the time. This suggested an ‘L’-shaped plan to funnel the breezes through the house for natural crossventilation, primarily through the verandah, family room, dining room and patio but also through all other rooms.

Climatic design strategy

The mean temperature of the coldest month of July is 16°C and almost every day the daytime temperature reaches 22°C so winter comfort conditions are relatively easy to achieve. Summer overheating is controlled by reducing solar gain, maximising natural ventilation and using thermal mass to even out temperature extremes. Because the daily range of temperatures is quite high (mean maximum to mean minimum is around 10-14°C) thermal mass is beneficial. The concrete slab-onground floor serves this purpose assisted by the medium-mass masonry walls. [See: 4.2 Design for Climate]

At Rockhampton’s latitude of 23.5° the roof is the element most exposed to solar radiation. An off-white ‘Colorbond’ surface has been chosen to minimise solar heat input. This lightweight roof is heavily insulated with a layer of foilfaced glass fibre batts under the roof skin (face downwards) giving R1.5 and another layer of R2.5 on top of the plasterboard ceiling giving an overall resistance over R4.5.

Ceiling fans are installed in all rooms as well as over the verandah. Safety is assisted by having 2.7m room heights that also assist cross-ventilation.

The attic space is ventilated through the two gambrel ends at the front patio and slotted sheeting to the eaves soffit.

A joint initiative of the Australian Government and the design and construction industries.

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