The Jade 808 sustainable home boasts an outstanding 8-star rating

With an 8-star house energy rating (using the Building Energy Rating Scheme ‘BERS Pro’ second generation software), the Jade 808 has been developed as a leading edge model of sustainable housing.  Water and energy conservation were paramount in the creation of this dwelling.  It has been designed to achieve a 72% reduction in water use and a 76% reduction in energy use when compared to the average WA home of similar size.

Designed and built by award-winning Jade Projects and located in LandCorp’s new Revolution Road display development at Seville Grove, this affordable double-brick home showcases just what can be achieved when passive solar design and sustainable building practices are carefully combined.

Passive solar design

Consideration of the block and environmental conditions is vital in achieving good passive solar design.  The Jade 808 has been appropriately orientated for maximum solar gain with the living areas located on the north side of the house to take full advantage of the warming winter sunlight. For summer protection, eaves and shade sails have been carefully placed so that they protect windows and walls from the hot afternoon sun.

Windows play a major role in passive solar design and this home has varying sized windows to ensure that just the right amount of warming sunlight enters the dwelling.  As such, the windows on the north are large while those on the east and west-facing walls are small.

Good ventilation is also important in creating an energy efficient home that is healthy and comfortable to live in. With this in mind, windows and doors have been carefully positioned to capture cooling summer breezes and to provide excellent cross-ventilation. Further ventilation has been provided in the roof cavity to allow excessive hot air to escape.

Reducing reliance on energy-guzzling heaters and air-conditioners

As artificial heating and cooling accounts for around 25% of the average home’s energy consumption, helping to maintain a comfortable internal temperature is one of the corner-stones of passive solar design.  This home has been constructed in double clay brick as it is a material that provides excellent thermal mass which is a requirement for high levels of energy efficiency.

In addition, floor tiles have been laid in the north-facing living areas to absorb warmth from the winter sun during the day that will then be radiated back into the room during the night. Rooms of similar function have been grouped together to form zones to make it easier to heat or cool selected areas rather than the whole house and  R4.0 ceiling insulation has been added to further protect the home from excessive hot and cold outside temperatures.

Other energy-saving features include:

• A solar hot water unit that has insulated hot water pipes - to retain as much heat as possible - has been positioned close to the kitchen, bathroom and laundry
• Energy efficient ‘T5’ Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) tubes and fittings
• High star-rated appliances

In addition, the home has a 1.2 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system which is connected to the electricity grid so that any excess electricity it generates can be sold back to the energy company.

Water-saving features include:

• A greywater system that captures waste water from the laundry and bathroom for reuse as sub-surface garden irrigation
• Two 1600 litre rainwater tanks provide drinking water and water for the garden.  They also provide water to the toilets and laundry
• Water efficient 4-star rated (or higher) fittings and fixtures such as taps and dual-flush toilets
• A WaterWise garden with low water-using plants
  

Further Information

As this home is a display home and open to the public for viewing it provides an excellent opportunity to see inside an 8-star House Energy Rating Software (HERS) rated, energy efficient home.  To highlight the numerous features that help make the Jade 808 so energy-smart, there is interpretive signage inside the home.

The Jade 808 is located at 184 Verdant Crescent, Seville Grove and is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-5pm.

The home demonstrates the benefits of using the HERS approach to measure the thermal performance of homes designed for high levels of energy efficiency. Details on obtaining a HERS rating can be found here.

For more information, please refer to the Jade Projects, Think Brick, Revolution Road or LandCorp web sites.