Tractile tiles fit the brief for passive solar house

When Justin and Peter Buckwell from Buckwell and Partners Architects wanted to create a beautiful passive solar house, which fitted seamlessly with the bush environment, Tractile was the only choice.

As Peter Buckwell says, “We’re not wild about banging solar panels onto a roof. We discovered Tractile and the way it is integrated into the roof works out really well.”

The Pearl Beach Project has a 120sqm roof with a 30-degree pitch to maximise solar generation and an 8kWp system comprising 48sqm Tractile solar tiles, as it is in a relatively shaded area.

“If you look at all the systems you’ve ever seen, Tractile works out the best,” says Peter.

“You can barely see it.”

Justin and Peter’s beautiful, sustainable design, high windows, natural ventilation, water conservation and use of timber, combined with Tractile’s solar roof enabled them to win three awards at the prestigious Australian Institute of Architects NSW Country Division Awards – in the Residential Architecture, People’s Choice and Timber categories.

“The very fact that Tractile integrates solar into the roofing won us over.”

“We’d absolutely use it again,” says Peter.

And as for the clients?

“They love it. They think it’s wonderful.”