SUHO Studio has designed the first 10 star rated home in Australia, which has set a benchmark for future housing design.
Residing in Woodforde in Adelaide’s east, the home features the first Australian installation of the ABB-free@home, a piece of home automation technology that works throughout the home for optimum connectivity and energy efficiency.
Equipped with a FIMER solar inverter and solar energy storage system, the monitors the status of the battery, to show how much energy has been generated and how much has been stored.
The ABB-free@home lets homeowners control lighting, shutters, electric windows and awnings from their smartphone. Homes with artificial heating and cooling systems can also use these controls, but the SUHO 10 Star Home has its environment managed by its passive design and a recovery ventilation system.
The device is the ultimate in smart home sustainability technology, providing direct feedback on the energy consumption of the house. It is also able to control the overall ventilation of the house itself, blending smart technology with sustainable lifestyles to ensure peak performance.
Christian Schiemann, ABB’s market development manager, says the home sets a new standard in energy efficiency.
“Most Australian new builds are at the six-star level, which in the global vision is a pretty poor standard when it comes to energy usage.
“A six-star house uses on average 83MJ per square metre and a 10 Star house is so passive it only uses 3MJ per square metre – a massive difference. Having the ABB system that takes care of energy usage helps to achieve an outstanding rating.”
Australia’s Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) scales a home’s energy efficiency on a scale of 0-10; the highest-star rating denotes that the house requires less power to be comfortable all year round. Historically, a home that achieves the top 10 Star rating would most likely not have an artificial heating or cooling system installed. Clever design, selection of building materials and intelligent automation have combined to make that possible for the SUHO home.
With buildings and their construction accounting for 36 percent of global energy use and 39 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions annually, SUHO’s 10 Star house showcases how form and functionality can combine to reduce environmental impact through safe, smart and sustainable homes.
Image: Supplied
