The Caladenia Street House was designed in response to climate change effects, including increased temperatures and frequency of heat wave conditions, but deals with these impacts differently from the typical installation and use of air conditioning units.

Essentially a ‘climate proof house’, the house requires no air conditioning even in sustained temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and above, and requires almost no heating unless there are several days of cloudy cold weather, even in negative zero temperatures.

A high thermal mass was necessary to maintain a constant internal temperature, as well as eliminate cooling and heating costs. This was achieved through the use of Ultra mass Walls, which are made of recycled concrete and allowed the house to be earthquake and bushfire resistant.

Key initiatives:

  • Correct orientation to suit the micro-climate of the site
  • Ultra Mass Walls and slab with high insulation and thermal isolation. Walls fabricated offsite to reduce waste and increase sustainability.
  • Double glazing
  • High windows for release of warm air in summer

Photography by Rodrigo Vargas