Sustainable house design is an important factor to consider when building a house in Perth. During the summer months, you may think about how you can use less energy to cool your home or help protect our environment for generations to come. So, how can you design your new home to perform better and use less energy in the longer term? In this article, we will cover 5 ways to improve the sustainability of your new Perth home.
Correct orientation, choosing the correct glazing, including a solar system, installing lighting that uses less electricity and adding an EV charging point in the garage all contribute to sustainable house design. These inclusions can reduce your monthly electricity bill by 20% or more. By planning ahead, your new home design will be more affordable over its lifetime compared to the additional cost of retrofitting features later. Adding sustainability inclusions creates the perfect combination of increasing the value of your property and offering peace of mind – with a lighter footprint on our environment.
Correct orientation and passive design
We can reduce or even eliminate the need for heating and cooling in your home by working with aspects of ‘passive design’. The most impactful way to do this is to position your house in the right way on your block so that you make the best use of the sun. We’ll also optimise the design of your house structure – including the roof, walls, windows and floors with meticulous attention to detail. Your roof design will improve environmental performance – by selecting the optimal colour and allowing space for solar hot water and panels – for your new home. Including insulation in the walls will help to further stabilise the temperature inside your home – creating a sanctuary of your own.
While living in Western Australia, passive design will keep heat inside during winter months and the air cool during summer months. As natural ventilation flows between spaces, it also reduces the need for additional heating and cooling systems.
Choose low-emittance (Low-E) glass
The choice of glazing for the windows in your house design has a large impact. Strategic placement of low emittance (Low-E) glass lets in the northern sun while regulating heat escape, and is a great choice for your new Perth home. With the correct choice of glazing, you may not even require auxiliary heating and cooling for your new home.
Install a solar system
Invest in a solar system to harness free energy from the sun and reduce your energy bills. Together with our supplier, Habitat Air, we can design and install a complete solar energy system to meet the energy requirements of your new home.
Install energy-efficient lighting
Installing efficient lighting throughout your house can reduce your monthly electricity bill by up to 30%. In addition to reducing your electricity usage, these lights use less energy than traditional bulbs. They’re also more durable and longer lasting. Energy-efficient lighting is already included as standard in all Content Living new home designs.
Install an EV charging point in the garage
Future-proof your garage design by installing an EV charging point in your new garage. As more and more of us make the switch to electric cars, an EV charging point will be a ‘must-have’ feature for any home. With installation cheaper during your build compared to retrofitting later. Even if you don’t currently own an electric vehicle, add an EV charging point to add value to your home.
Content Living Sustainability Upgrade
Add these extras to your home design to save money over retrofitting later;
- Passive design
- Low-E glazing
- Solar system
- Water tank provisioning
- EV charging point in the garage
To find out more about Content Living’s Green Upgrade Options, please enquire below and one of our expert Design Consultants will be in touch to help you choose the right sustainability upgrade for your new home!
