Ar. Vijaya N.

Thakare ,
Lecturer , Dept. of Architecture
KITS,Ramtek
The Challenge
The Healthy House project brought together a
multidisciplinary team to produce a prototype
low energy, low toxicity house in a suburban
environment.
The owner occupants worked with designers,
contractors, suppliers and building scientists
to design a conventional house incorporating
readily available products and technology, to
set a standard for sustainable design in the
area.
To produce a modern pavillion style
Queenslander for their growing family.
It is located in a high-density residential area,
at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast. The site
was selected to be within easy walking
distance of the beach, the local school and the
workplace.
The key goals for the family were to minimise
harmful, toxic elements in their home, and
minimise the impact of the house on the
environment.
The design response was to produce a light timber
frame dwelling that makes maximum use of
passive environmental control features such as:
high levels of daylight, controlled solar gain, cross
ventilation and stack ventilation.
Where possible, low embodied energy, low
toxicity, recycled materials have been specified.
The impact of household operations have also
been considered; appliances have been selected to
conserve energy, and electricity is supplied by
photovoltaic panels.
Rainwater is stored and treated on site for
household use, and greywater is treated for use in
the garden.
Location and Climate
The house is located on the Gold Coast, where the
climate is warm and temperate.
Humid conditions and heavy rains can occur in the
summer.
The prevailing winds are easterly onshore breezes
in the morning, and westerly offshore breezes in
the evening.
The site is also subject to cold Westerlies in the
winter.
Large objects in the vicinity of the house, such as
trees and two storeyed houses, redirect the wind,
so that the house is predominantly subject to
winds from the SE and NE.
A lane along the East side of the site facilitates
airflow along this side of the house.

Climate information for South East
Queensland
Annual Heating Degree
Hours13507Annual Cooling Degree
Hours5098Relative Humidity Annual
average 9am: 64%Annual average 3pm:
51%Average Annual
Rainfall1460mmAverage Daily Solar
Radiation4850 Wh/m2
The site is in a relatively high-density
beachside suburb, and was clear at
purchase (except for two trees, which have
been retained). Services available at the site
were water, stormwater, sewerage,
electricity and telephone connections.
Three adjoining sites are occupied by
double storeyed, single dwelling buildings,
and this is the dominant building form in
the neighbourhood.
The sandy site was relatively flat at the time
of purchase and so few earthworks were
required, though excavations were made to
accommodate the grey water and rainwater
storage tanks.
Site planning
Orientation
The building is oriented along a North-
South axis, offsetting it from the site.
Building-site interface
The building connection to the ground was
designed to be minimal, to reduce the need for
earthworks and maintain habitats for local flora
and fauna.
The house is founded on concrete footings.
Excavation was required for the placement of
the two large water storage tanks, and slabs
were poured for the carport and laundry.
Landscaping
Approximately 1/3 of the 480m2 site has
been planted out in locally sourced natives.
The garden strongly favours fruiting
species to support the bird population in
the neighbourhood, which otherwise has
only sparse vegetation.
Topsoil was imported to establish the
garden on the sandy site, and a subsurface
irrigation system was installed to reduce
evaporation losses.
Building plan
The building plan is based on two double
storeyed units, which are connected by a
double height breezeway. The breezeway is
designed to facilitate cross ventilation through
the house, and admit daylight into the centre
of the building.
Low occupancy wet areas including
bathrooms and a laundry are located along the
West side of the building. This maximises their
exposure to ventilating breezes, and buffers
the main body of the house from solar gains
from evening sun.
The steps in the building plan also
permit access to daylight for all
rooms.
The density of the development in the
neighbourhood limits access to
daylight from the West and East, so
most rooms are designed to include a
north or south facing window.
Response to the climate

The main strategies were:
- To maximise airflow through the
building
- To reduce summer solar gains to a
minimum (without compromising
daylighting)
-To insulate the roof and walls
Airflow
The house was designed to take advantage of
the prevailing South-Easterly and North-
Easterly winds.
Louvres on each facade and concertina doors
along the North facade allow the occupants to
open the house to cooling breezes.
The ground floor is open-planned with a
central double height space to facilitate stack
and cross ventilation.
Louvred ventilation "towers" facing North and
South are also used to promote airflow.
Wet areas such as bathrooms, the laundry
and the kitchen project from the house to
capture breezes.
At the design phase flume testing was
carried out to evaluate the performance of
the building in NE and SE wind conditions.
This involves placing a model of the
building in a liquid and subjecting dyes to
currents to assess flow patterns around the
house.
The results of these tests were used to
optimise the size and location of openings.
For example the size of the towers was
reduced on the basis of the tests.

Solar Gains
The house is laid out to open it up to low
incident radiation from the North and East, to
allow the house to warm up in the morning
and in winter.
Service areas (the bathrooms, the laundry and
circulation spaces) are used as buffer zones
along the West side of the house, to reduce
the impact of heat gains from low evening sun
on the living spaces.
The roof material selected is a light colour to
reflect as much sunlight as possible from the
roof and reduce solar gains.
Glazing
Glazing has been located to minimise uncontrollable
solar gains, with west facing glazing eliminated
altogether.
The glazing was assessed using the GSL energy
modelling programme, developed at the Queensland
University of Technology. GSL is used to compare
different types of glazing within a given window and
building design.
The modelling programme Radiance was used to
evaluate interior lighting levels. Using these modelling
tools, the design team selected a blue tinted glass
with a low emittance coating.
Glazing
This reduces the heat gains to the house
while maintaining a good level of daylight.
The blue tinting is very subtle and does not
detract from the outlook.
South facing glazing (which is not exposed
to direct sunlight) is clear, to reduce the
cost of glazing.
Shades have been installed over the North
facing windows, to reduce solar gains from
high summer sun.

Insulation
Foil type insulation was selected for
the walls as it is suited to the warm
climate.
The double layer of foil, which
incorporates an air gap, reduces the
transfer of heat from the sun through
the walls.
An R-value of 0.67 is achieved in the
walls.
The roof is
insulated with a
combination of foil
insulation and
fibreglass
insulation. These
operate to reduce
heat losses through
the roof in winter,
and solar gains in
summer. An R-value
of 2.6 is achieved in
the roof.
Air quality
The strategies employed to optimise
indoor air quality include:
- High levels of passive ventilation
- Material selection and design
- Location of the carport
Passive Ventilation

This house makes use of passive
ventilation strategies to maximise
airflow through the building.
Increasing the rate of air changes
ensures that there is no build up of
pathogens or toxins from the house or
household operations.
Materials
The use of reconstituted wood products,
which contain glues (which can emit harmful
fumes), has also been kept to minimum.
These are used only in structural elements like
the portal frames and floor joists. Instead solid
timber has been used extensively in the
house.
The timber was locally sourced, and recycled
where possible. Where suitable recycled
timber could not be obtained, plantation was
specified.

Materials
Materials with low
volatile emissions
were selected
wherever possible.
Both interior and
exterior timber work in
the house are finished
with locally sourced
organic products,
eliminating the need to
use varnishes.
The plasterboard
walls are finished
using a long life
organic paint
system, as standard
paint products are
associated with
harmful off-gassing.

It was also decided to use HDPE
waste water pipes and polypropylene
water supply pipes, rather than PVC
piping.
Greenpeace have shown that the use
of PVC involves production and
transport of large amounts of toxic
material and by-products (). In use,
PVC leeches toxins into water
systems, and produces toxic fumes in
a fire.
Planning
The carport was deliberately
separated from the house, and
designed to be open to the wind. This
prevents harmful fumes from the car
being drawn through the house.
Embodied Energy
The design strategies for reducing embodied
energy in the building were to:
-Minimise site works
-Use recycled and local materials where
possible
-Select low maintenance, long life materials
and finishes
-Design the building structure for flexible
planning and reuse
-Select materials and construction methods
that facilitate reuse.
Site works
The house was designed with mainly
timber foundations to reduce the need
for earthworks.
Soil removed for construction was
also retained on site, for redistribution
on the site.
This eliminated the transport energy
required for disposal, as well as the
impact of using the excess soil for
offsite landfill.
Materials
Where possible, materials with low embodied
energy were selected. For example locally
supplied, recycled timber was used for floors,
framing and most of the joinery.
The timber was tested and certified for
soundness by the supplier.( recycled joists).
The concrete specified was a special low
embodied energy product, which makes use of
recycled cementing products, and recycled
aggregate.
Low maintenance, long life materials were also
selected, to reduce the ongoing embodied energy
consumption. For example, an interior paint
system selected had a guaranteed life of 20
years.
Design for Flexible
Planning and Reuse

The building utilises
a series of glue
laminated portal
frames, which
minimise the
amount of bracing
walls required, and
thus increase the
flexibility of the
building.
Internal partitions can be added or
removed from any part of the house,
without affecting structural integrity.
The use of frames also allows the
building to be open plan with large
areas of windows and doors.
This assists with the passive
ventilation, heating and lighting
strategies.

Materials and Detailing for
Easy Reuse

The house
makes extensive
use of timber,
which can be
easily recycled in
the event that the
house is
demolished.
Operational Energy
The design strategies for reducing the
operational energy of the house were to:
-Plan for passive heating and cooling
-Access natural light
-Use low energy lights and localised switching
-Specify energy efficient appliances
-Specify electric boosted solar hot water
heating
-Install photovoltaic panels
Passive heating and cooling

The house has been planned and detailed to
maintain a comfortable temperature, using
passive heating and cooling.
The main strategies are: planning for stack
and cross ventilation,
reducing midday and afternoon solar gains,
and insulating the roof against heat gains
and losses.
The success of the natural ventilation
strategy has elimnated the need for air
conditioning, significantly reducing the total
energy requirements of the house.
Natural light

Daylight levels within the house have
been maximised, without admitting
excessive solar gains.
This was achieved by optimising the
window size, selecting a glass type
which maximises light transmission, and
locating windows to control heat gains
while maximising light admission.
Lighting

Lighting in the house is predominantly long
life, low energy fluorescent bulbs
. This not only reduces the energy
consumed by lighting, but also reduces the
heat load within the house.
The lighting design strategy was to localise
switching as much as possible.
This allows small areas to be lit, at any
given time, further reducing the energy
consumed by lighting
Appliances
Some energy efficient appliances have
been selected for use in the house.
Hot water is supplied by an electricity
boosted solar hot water system.
Photovoltaic Panels
A 1.44kW array of photovoltaic
panels are connected to the local
grid, so that surplus supply is
exported (there is no need for
batteries).
Water and waste water
The water use reduction strategies include:
-Treatment and storage of rainwater for
household use
-Treatment and storage of greywater for
future garden use
-Selection of plant species suited to the
area
-Installing an irrigation control system to
reduce overwatering
Rainwater
Rainwater is collected from the roof and stored in
tanks. The main tank is a 22,000 litre tank buried
below the house, this is supplemented by a 1,000L
galvanised tank.
Water quality is protected by a twenty-micron filter
and first flush devices, which divert the first 120
litres (8mm) of each downpour into the local
stormwater system.
The rainwater supply is supplemented by town
supply. The local council required that there should
be no connection between the town supply and the
rainwater tank, and this was achieved by allowing
for an air break between the tap from the town
supply, and the maximum water level in the
rainwater tank A water level sensor alerts the
occupants when town supply is required.
Greywater
Greywater (water from basins, laundry and the
showers) is collected and treated on site in a 6000L
tank. Settlement and sand filtration are used to treat
greywater before releasing it for reuse.
The present legislation in Queensland prohibits the
use of treatment of waste on site so the house is being
used as a test case to assess the viability of this
approach. The water would normally be used for the
garden, but the local council are waiting for the results
of the testing before they will permit the greywater to
be reused on site. Because the site is served by the
local sewerage system, regulations prohibited the
treatment of blackwater on the site.
Plant species
Locally sourced native plants were
selected, which would be suited to the
local environment, and require minimal
watering.
The garden was designed according to
permaculture principles, in order that it
will eventually be self-sustaining.
In the short-term, watering requirements
were reduced by heavy mulching.
Irrigation monitoring devices

Two devices were installed to help
monitor and minimise garden water
use.
The first is a tensiometer, which
measures the dryness of the soil, and
indicates when watering is required.
The second is a Full Stop Device. This
sends a signal to the householder when
water has reached the bottom level of
the roots of the plants.
Building Performance
Building plan
Over the first year of occupation both external
and internal temperatures have been
monitored. Results show that the house warms
up quickly in the morning, without meeting the
peak midday and evening temperatures. The
measured temperatures also show that the
insulation works to prevent heat losses at
night, allowing the house to maintain a
relatively steady temperature throughout the
diurnal cycle. The chart below shows
temperatures measured at head height on the
ground floor.
Summer 1999-2000 Indoor-Outdoor
Temperature Differences
Average external
maximum28.88CAverage internal
maximum26.65CAverage difference
2.23CAverage external
minimum20.43CAverage internal
minimum23.27CAverage difference -
2.84C
Average exterior wind speedAverage
interior wind speedSouth
Easterly2.6m/s0.5m/sNorth
easterly2.2m/s0.7m/s
The results show that high levels of airflow are achieved in the
house, effectively cooling and adding to the comfort of occupants.
The high air change rate was found to continue even when the
louvres and windows were closed (a full air change ocurred in
under two hours), indicating that the louvres cannot be fully closed
off. This has implications for active heating and cooling
mechanisms, as heating in particular will be quickly lost through
the louvres. Because the house is in a temperate climate, where
little heating energy is required, this was felt to be an acceptable
compromise, outweighed by the cooling benefits of the high
airflow. However, the detail design could be refined by developing
a louvre system which could be sealed more effectively. This
would allow the occupants to exclude hot air in the summer, and
minimise heat loss in the winter.
Air Quality
Indoor air quality testing was carried out by Envirotest and the
University of Queensland, immediately prior to occupation and
after a full year of occupation. The table below summarises the
findings of the tests after a full year of occupation, and compares
them with standard acceptable levels. The tests have
demonstrated the Healthy House has levels of volatile organic
compounds, polar compounds and formaldehyde below detectable
limits, and that carbon dioxide and respirable particles are well
within acceptable guidelines in the entire house. The only
contaminant to exceed acceptable levels is the level of airborne
micro-organisms, which reach a high level in the master bedroom
and children's bedrooms. This could be due to the half height
walls which separate the bathrooms from the other upstairs
rooms. These permit damp air to circulate in the upstairs rooms,
and possibly facilitate the growth of airborne micro-organisms.
With respect to all other contaminants the house has performed
well within acceptable limits.
Contaminant measured AreaLevelAcceptable
standard CO2Whole house<600ppm600-
800ppmRespirable particles, PM10, ug/m3Whole
house18 (4 minute mean)40 (annual mean) Volatile
organic compounds Whole houseBelow detectable
limits500ug/m3Polar compoundsWhole houseBelow
detectable limits -Formaldehyde (HCHO) Whole
houseBelow detectable limits 120ug/m3Carbon
monoxideWhole houseBelow detectable limits
10,000ug/m39ppmAirborne microorganismsChildren's
bedroomsChildren's bathroomParent's
bedroomDownstairs TV
area 568cfu/m3438cfu/m31100cfu/m3479cfu/m3 1000c
fu/m3
Embodied energy
While the house makes use of low
embodied energy materials and
construction strategies, it is still a
relatively large house, with a large
surface to volume ratio.
While the house may achieve a low level
of embodied energy per metre squared,
the large amoount of materials required
to construct this house may lead to a
relatively high level of embodied energy
per occupant.
Operational energy
Electrical systems have been metred
over the first year of occupation, to
breakdown the proportions of energy
used in each area of the house and
evaluate the solar hot water and
electrical systems. The following pie
chart summarises energy end use
characteristics of the house.
The household uses an average of 15kWh/day, and
this compares with a Queensland average of
19kWh/day.* Given the high level of occupancy in the
house (five people, compared with a Queensland
average of 2.7 people per household), this represents
an impressive reduction in energy consumption. The
savings can mainly be attributed to the passive cooling
strategy, but also to the solar-electric hot water system.
The solar-electric hot water system typically uses
2.5kWh/day, compared to (approximately) 10 kWh/day
for an all electric system.
The pumps which pressurise the household
water supply and recirculate the greywater
through the sand filtration system consume
2.2kWh/day, on average. The research team
suggest that the municipal system would use
approximately 0.6kWh/day to perform the
equivalent functions. Thus there is a potential
energy penalty of 1.6kWh/day for the
decentralised water services used in the
house.

The monthly end use breakdown for household
electricity shows that there is a seasonal trend, peaking
in winter. The increase can be attributed to cooler
temperatures and reduced sunshine hours, as the rise
is mainly due to increases in hot water energy and
electricity use in bedrooms. Winter energy use could
be decreased by sealing the house more effectively,
reducing heat loss through the louvres, for example.
Increasing the level of insulation in the house would
also reduce heat losses. The energy consumed by the
solar-electric hot water system could also be reduced,
by installing low-flow devices at showers and hot water
taps in the house (this would have the added benefit of
reducing water use).
When supply from the photovoltaic
system is taken into account, the amount
of energy imported from the grid will be
further reduced. As the system was
commissioned in September 2000,
supply information is not yet available,
but it is anticipated that the PV array will
supply approximately 10kWh/day, more
than half of the household requirements.
Water and waste water
Both rainwater and grey water were monitored for quality and
quantity used over the test year, and the systems have been
refined in response to the testing.
Rainwater testing established that levels of nitrogen, phosphorus
and heavy metals were well within the levels specified by the
National Health and Medical Research Council Australian Drinking
Water Standards. However, drinking water often didn't pass tests
for faecal and total coliform counts. As the acceptable level for
these contaminants is zero, the design team consider the
standards to be very strict. After heavy rainfall (ie more than
50mm), the faecal and total coliform levels have exceeded
300cfu/100ml, and it is suggested that the main source of
contamination is bird and possum faeces. Because the source is
non-human, it is not considered likely that the water contains
pathogenic organisms. However, a domestic UV disinfection unit
is to be installed.
Over the test year it was found that the greywater could
not meet the guidelines set by the Department for
Natural Resources for reuse on site. As a result, an
additional UV disinfection unit was installed in the
system. After UV treatment, the greywater has a
measured total coliform count of less than 10, which is
well within guidelines for use in above ground irrigation
and for toilet flushing. However, current regulations
prohibit the use of greywater by individual households.
The Healthy House research team hope that by
proving that onsite greywater treatment can meet
health standards, they will help to pave the way to
modification of the statewide guidelines.