the team at all seasons building and construction we are dedicate to providing an energy efficient and and easy to maintain living space to whole family can utilise
the way we can achieve this is trough careful selection of materials used on the project and the ways they can be installed to maximise their efficacy
the following are ways to maximise the efficiency of the building process
Pa
ssive solar heating
passive solar heating is about taking advantage of natural heat source to heat the home this can be achieved by
orientation of living areas and glazing to the north
locating thermal mass walls where it is exposed to direct sun light
insulation of floors, walls, celling
self closing celling fans
sealing of external wall frames to flooring
draught sealing all doors and windows
creating a floor plan with the living areas facing the north
bedrooms to the east or south
where additional heating is required we will suggest
geothermal or slab heating , solar vented or heat recovery ventilation systems
energy efficient heating systems placed next to heigh thermal mass walls and away from windows and passage ways
and that all window covering have a pelmet or blind recessed in to the celling to prevent heat loss through the glass
Passive cooling
passive cooling maximises the efficiency of the building envelope by minimising heat gain from the external environment and facilitating heat loss
this can be achieved by orientation of windows and correct size to maximise cool breeze ventilation
reduce internal barriers to increase air flow through out the home
celling fans to assist in circulation
floor plan zoning
avoid extensive glazing on east and west sides
adequate insulation
use of light coloured roofs to reflect solar radiation
high star rated energy efficient air conditioners
insulation
we will install insulation to all areas of construction
starting with
under floor insulation
on projects where pier and bearer construction method is used we will install
rigid polystyrene foil faced boards or concertina foil between the joists
this will be installed prior to the flooring being laid all plumbing penetrations will be taped and sealed using reflective tapes
wall insulation
on brick veneer projects we will install sisalation directly to studs with the correct fasteners overlapping the paper top over the bottom tapping all joints with reflective tape to maximise its performance
we will then install uv plastic flashing around all windows and doors to minimise the heat or cooling loss around these areas
insulation batts will be installed to the opposite side of these
wall insulation will be a minimum of R 2.8 witch will be achieved by using a combination of both sisalation and bats installed with no gaps or voids
leaving the correct margin around power points and light switches
insulation of insulation to weather board projects will be much the same
how ever perforated sisalation will be used as well as a thermal break in areas of hight direct sunlight to minimise the heat transfer
celling and roof insulation
when colourbond roofing system is to be used we will install i reflective blanket directly under the roofing sheets installed in such manner as to any condensation will flow to the gutter over lap and and joining method will be as per manufacturers recommendation for the product used
in addition the to blanket high R rated bulk bats will be installed in the celling cavity to give a maxim possible insulation value
all down light and roof fitting will have the gaps left to prevent fire hazard
on tiled or slate roofs sisalation will be installed under the barrens again layer in such manner as to and condensation will run in to gutter
air leakage
we will ensure that the effort put in the heating and cooling the project stay there we will achieve this by installing draught protection to windows and doors ensuring all windows and door seal correctly and that all windows and door frames a sealed to the frame at time of install and achs are close fitting and sealed to the window frame and wall lining
the sealing of wall bottom plates and skirting is another step we will put in place to help eliminate air leakage
plus self closing celling fans
waste water reuse
there are many advantages to reusing waste water
reduce water bills making a lower cost to run the project
less pressure on water resources
ability to water your garden during water restrictions or drought times
cut down pollution in waterways
save money on infrastructure for water supplies and waste treatment
we feel if an efficient waste water system is installed at the time of build the extra cost in installing such a system will belong forgotten after the cost saving on yearly water bills and services
treated grey water can be reused for toilet flushing and closet washing two of a household biggest users of water
hot water systems
we will ensure the hot water solution chosen for the project is the right one
there are many choices
solar , gas instant , gas storage , heat pump and electric storage
things to consider are
household size not just are the time of the build but future requirements
cost not only the price of the system and instillation but the operating cost over the life of the system
available energy source
local climate
location of wet areas to the unit and distance the hot water will need to travel to maintain its temperature
town planing or building controls that limit solar panels being placed on north facing roofs
solar hot water is by far the most fuel efficient and cheapest to run
this will be our preferred system
lighting
lighting in homes consumes 8-15% of the average household electricity budget light ing design and user behaviour can make a significant difference
efficient and well designed lighting can yield yearly house hold energy savings
on all projects where natural light is not available only LED and CFL lighting systems will be used
there are three main factors to consider when selecting lighting for a project
the power of the light - the cost of running the light is directly related to the wattage cfl and led lights are low wattage this results in much lower running costs
how long do you use the lights for keep running costs down by only using light when necessary are fitting a timer or sensor
light fittings - using down lights rather than pendant or florescent fittings will mean you will have to install more lights, so your overall running costs will be higher
task or accent lighting -used to light a specific task such as reading , sewing , cooking , home work or hobbies
Another thing to keep in mind is the switching process
does the light need to be on for extended periods or would fitting a sensor cut down the time the light would be required
is the light on in a part of the house that is not easily seen and a switch with illuminated on position this would alert the home own owner when its been left on
Its another good point to remember that all down light and light fitting holes to the celling space create a hole to in the insulation barrier
the high operating temperatures of many lamps and down lights demand a fire safety requirement for additional space each light fitting and the edge of the insulation to prevent risk of fire under Australian standard 3700-2007
There are ten easy steps to designing lighting plan in a project with a sustainable out come in mind . design a house that does not need artificial lighting during daylight hours
2. consider a rooms orientation and layout to best use available light
3. use surface reflectance of light coloured surfaces and well positioned
pendant and wall lights , for good light distribution in a room
4. decide the type or types or ambience you with to create in each room during night-time use
5. for more than one type of ambience , adjust light levels (dim lights ) or turn different lights on or off through different lighting circuits
6. Create task or accent lighting with directional lighting
7. use warm coloured lamps for the home , except possibility for the bathroom and laundries where the cooler coloured lamps provide and appearance of a sterile environment
8. before selecting a lamp for a room , identify relevant attributes for illuminating each room (e.g quick start up , long life lamp , dimmable , multi-way switching
10. getting the “ right amount of light “ to create the ambience you want , think about lumens , witch measure the total amount of visible light emitted by true source , not wattage (power)
following these easy steps will help the team at
All Seasons Building and Construction build projects with a lighting plan that will minimise the on going cost of the construction long after the project is complete. APPLIANCES
household appliances account for up to one-third of energy consumption and about 45% of greenhouse gas emissions in the average household
heating and cooling consumes the highest percentage around 40% ,
water heating 21% and appliances 33%
when selecting appliances for a project we will keep in mind its
operational running cost , its maintenance costs , disposal after is service life
and is there a building design or layout we cam implement to reduce its usage
The main things to look for when selecting a household appliance is to check there Energy rating and Water rating the higher the star rating the more fuel efficient the product will be
A great way to reduce your power usage for home entrainment equipment is to install stand by power controllers these systems can be easily installed and reduce the running costs associated with leaving appliances on or in stand by mode for prolonged periods of time . RENEWABLE ENERGY
There are many different was to adapt renewable energy to a building project
there are
