CORE 9

To develop homes for the Australian housing market which are: Carbon Positive –combining passive solar design, operational energy efficiency and construction with locally sourced sustainable materials to minimise embodied carbon. 0Zero Waste -work towards zero waste by adapting designs to use standard material lengths to minimise off-cuts and select recycled or up-cycled materials to avoid landfill contribution. Recyclability -with the ability to be manufactured with recycled content to reduce raw material extract be recycled, up-cycled or re-processed after use. Economics -affordable for the Australian housing market balancing energy efficient design, optimal thermal performance and operational efficiencies.

The home functions as an exemplar of mainstream, environmentally sustainable design that’s affordable, and functional. A compact floor plan has been carefully resolved which balances standard construction with provision of recycled material thermal mass all whilst achieving an 9.1 star energy rating. The material palette is reflective of the site and surrounding context, responding with honesty to the rules determined at the outset. Whilst this house is modest in its intentions, it successfully demonstrates that sustainable living can be achieved by balancing the attainment of high energy ratings, key building material selections and affordability.

CORE 9 achieves a 9.1 energy rating through integration of passive solar principals to eliminate operational energy consumption. The design is suitable for the Australian climate and can be adapted to any location achieving energy ratings between 6 and 10 stars. CORE 9 pushes the boundaries of standard domestic construction to achieve cost and resource efficiencies whist embracing sustainable materials, operational savings and dedication to addressing key issues of future environmental sustainability. CORE 9’s operational costs could be as low as $0 a year which is a huge saving considering that the average house running costs average $2000-3000 per annum.

Materials for the CORE 9 home have been influenced by the ability of each component to be manufactured with recycled content to reduce raw material extract, with the ability to be recycled, up-cycled or re-processed after use. Specification of Materials - Selection of materials which are recycled or have the ability to be up-cycled Efficient material allocation and usage resulted in minimal stockpiles and recycle skips collect any excess wastage during construction. Separation and materials for collection and recycling, provide clearly marked bins for material separation prior to collection. The CORE 9 home has actively focussed on Embodied Energy Timber Framing and Trusses and Cladding – use of plantation timber from sustainable sources and recycled timber. Thermal Mass - Embodied energy was considered. Electric car charging point – To further encourage sustainable living practices an electric car charging point is available which harnesses energy from the sun to power your transport. Cooling/Heating – the CORE 9 has NO artificial heating and cooling.