Building design
The building envelope is an important factor in making homes more energy efficient. Good building design considers orientation, insulation and building materials. Even in an existing house small changes achieved through retrofits can result in significant improvements in energy efficiency.
- Good building design will enable you to avoid energy usage wherever possible, e.g. by using natural ventilation instead of airconditioning.
- Insulation keeps your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This means lower energy bills and less greenhouse gas pollution from heating and cooling your home.
- Insulation works by slowing down the transfer of heat from inside your house to outside, and vice-versa. This means in summer you can keep cool air inside longer and in winter it is easier to keep the heat in.
- Draught proofing your home can reduce 'leaks' and greatly reduce your heating bills.
- Smart landscaping ideas are essential. Use trees and shrubs to buffer against hot northerly winds, and leave the southern side of your garden open to cool breezes. Keep vegetation trimmed on the northern side, this will allow low-angled winter sun to enter through your windows and warm your home.
- Correct building orientation will allow winter sun to warm buildings, limit unwanted summer sun, and allow for thermal mass within interiors to store warmth in winter and cool in summer.
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Govind explains the key elements of double glazing and some important things to keep in mind when considering a renovation or extension.
More information from Your Home Techical Manual.
STEPS is an interactive, user-friendly, web-based residential building sustainability rating tool. STEPS can be used when still in the planning stages of a new home, to assess the sustainability features of the dwelling's design.
This online tool provides a comprehensive assessment of the environmental performance of a given planning application. STEPS then generates a report, which offers relevant information for increasing the sustainability performance of the proposed building. The tool has a vital role to play in simplifying the approval authority process and streamlining planning applications.
STEPS awards scores for the five most critical elements in constructing environmentally sustainable dwellings. These include greenhouse emissions from operating energy, peak energy use, mains (drinking) water use, stormwater quality impacts, and building materials impacts. The program also calculates the number of bicycle places required and the area needed for waste recycling services.
Please visit the STEPS website for more information or to conduct your own STEPS assessment.What it is and why it matters in building design
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MEFL's Technical Advice Specialist Matthew Sullivan explains what thermal mass is and what you need to consider in order to use it effectively in your home.
Sustainability Advice is a service of the Moreland Solar City project, part of the Australian Government's Solar Cities initiative, led by the Moreland Energy Foundation, in partnership with Moreland City Council, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Sustainability Victoria.
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