The Cape, Australia’s premium sustainable housing project in Cape Paterson introduces their latest premium sustainable family home, Sunlight. The 7.6 Star-rated house sets the standard in energy-efficient, high performance homes in Australia.
The Cape Eco Village is a residential development in the Bass Coast, Cape Paterson and consists of over 200 homes surrounded by more than 50 percent of open, natural space. A minimum 7.5 Star rating, 2.5kW PV solar power system and 10,000 litres of water storage are mandatory elements in every home in The Cape.
Located on Sunlight Boulevard in Cape Paterson, the house also generates more solar energy than it uses, while its expansive north-facing windows invite abundant amounts of natural light inside. Designed by Adapt Design Group as a single-storey spacious home with three bedrooms, two living areas and two bathrooms along with several sustainability features, Sunlight is the ultimate family home.
Sunlight features northern orientation for maximum passive solar access, recycled glass block work, thermal mass walls, thermally broken windows and passive cooling through ventilation and strategic shading. Energy efficient appliances at the new home include a 5.25kW hybrid ready solar system, Daiken 7-star split system for heating and cooling, and electric oven and convection cooktop. Designed to run without gas or fossil fuels, the home also features water efficient appliances and two 5,000-litre slimline tanks plumbed into the house.
‘Eco Blocks’, which replace aggregates with 40 percent recycled glass, have been used to build the house. The use of Eco Blocks reduces the massive amounts of glass currently going into landfill, therefore, reducing energy to create new materials as well as the total cement usage, all of which lower carbon dioxide emissions.
The high energy efficiency of the home also comes from thermally broken double glazing, air tightness, very high insulation levels and thermal mass walls – these features will ensure a stable and comfortable interior temperature all year around, minimising heating and cooling even in extreme conditions outside.
Troy Harris of Harris Build built Sunlight for a retired couple who wanted a low-cost residence that also offered ample room for their large extended family.
“The homeowners of Sunlight are in a beneficial position as they now reside in a home that was built with environmental consideration at the foundation of the build design, resulting in a household that is cheap to run, especially in comparison to similar sized houses.
“Sunlight is a home with year-round thermal comfort, designed with little need for mechanical air conditioning or heating and a home full of natural light and airflow. Well thought out design and affordable, reliable off-the-shelf technologies like heat pumps heating, fans and electric cooling systems ensured the cost effectiveness of this project,” Harris noted.
