Hill End Ecohouse

Mid winter visit

2011-08-02T15:11:00.012+10:00

Courtyard and Dining roomGlass slot to lower Media Room filled with sunshine Dining/Play room

It's been some time since the last visit to the ecohouse. The bananas by the pool are now huge, as are the bamboo-type grasses across the fence. The house has taken on a personalised feel now with family bits and pieces and an eclectic mix of furniture. The youngest member seems to have taken over the best places: the sunny courtyard and sun-filled dining room.

The garden is awaiting its new-improved makeover to reduce maintenance for the residents. After that, we hope use of the greywater and rainwater will be highly used. With all of the technology in the house, hiccoughs do occur. It seems that one of the water switching devices has failed as the house has been drawing on town water rather than the full rainwater tanks recently - soon to be fixed.

The subterranean "Media Room" has become a very tranquil bedroom with warming sunshine spilling in through the glass ceiling slot.

Post-occupancy analysis of energy use has shown that with a family of 5, energy consumption is higher than originally estimated and exceeds the daily energy generated by the solar panels. However, with the paperwork finally sorted out with the energy supplier, the owners should now be earning money from their solar panels during the daytime.

Flood photos

2011-01-18T14:32:00.007+11:00

The floodwaters are well documented in the aerial shots on Nearmap .

Here are some other photos from the owners at the height of the flood and soon after....
Brisbane River water slowly clouding up clean pool
View from terrace out past pool to river
Door to lower hallway, protected with ply, plastic and sandbags
Protection to lower bedroom door and window
Lower bedroom from hallway

Many have asked how the house survived so well in the floods. The lower floor was always designed with the assumption that flooding would occur at some point. Here are some of the design considerations which assisted:

There was no built-in furniture downstairs (most vulnerable to flood damage).

Most walls are of rendered blockwork with cement render and limewash finish which is extremely durable and when cleaned down as the waters subsided was virtually unmarked.

The small amount of lightweight walls (only 2 in this level) had recycled hardwood framing (very dimensionally stable) and was sheeted in Powerscape which is a highly water resistant plasterboard alternative (and very high recycled content). Paint finish to these walls was water-based acrylic which cleaned down easily – only minor damage was where water got under the enclosed stair and its pressure caused one small corner of the paintwork to lift off.

The internal doors were veneered solid core doors and on one of the doors, the ply started to delaminate, though this damage is far less than would have occurred if the doors had been typical hollow core construction with a cardboard core and mdf outer.

The stair was solid timber so would have swelled with moisture but has dried out now.

Floors are all of polished concrete so very easy to clean

Floods and Mud

2011-01-15T09:44:00.012+11:00

High water mark on blockwork

Brisbane has just gone through the worst flood since 1974 and the ecohouse being on the river, had front row seats. Fortunately it survived the flood well, despite the waters coming inside half a metre up the walls on the river level. The owners cleaned as the waters subsided and apart from a damp base and slightly swollen timber doors, it looks relatively unscathed.Necessary safety gear

Knowing that the future was likely to hold many extreme weather events and sea level rising, we selected materials for the ground floor which could survive inundatation. I was pleased to see that they did surprisingly well. The Powerscape wall sheeting was completely intact. Only the paint in two places seemed bubbled (water in understair storage coming from behind the paint) and some taping to a joint. Wall cavities may be a different matter, if water got into wiring but cosmetically, the river level spaces and terrace looked good. The limewash finish looks like it survived the grime and hose down relatively unblemished.Paint lifted from pressure behind in store room.

The world's best ecopool changed colour slowly during the floods from clear green through cloudy blending to Brisbane River brown. Lots of wildlife appeared as the waters rose: two snakes, many spiders moved indoors and the bush turkey chicks have become familiar with the living room. Unfortunately as the house has no power, the rainwater and treated greywater cannot be accessed, despite the solar panels (a battery bank needs to be added) but the owners have clean townwater and gas for cooking.

For more flood photos, see my picassa photo site Plants are growing crazily with the huge rain and new desposits of silt.

Best eco swimming pool in the world

2010-11-08T18:05:00.008+11:00

The modest swimming pool at the ecohouse has just won gold in the international swimming pool awards in Las Vegas for pool builder and designer, Stuart Bevan, of Stuart Bevan Pools Pty Ltd. He was awarded the top prize for Residential Pools - Green Applications from GAVA (Global Arkitecture Visionary Awards).
The plunge pool is minimal in size due to site constraints (riparian zone at river bank and narrow block) and environmental considerations. It uses an efficient pump/filter system. With galvanised reinforcing and a thicker than normal concrete shell using recycled additives of fly ash and reactive magnesium, the pool is built for durability. It is finished internally with a pebble coating of local stone (minimal transport costs) which is long-lasting and easy to clean. At night, the pool is lit with locally-made LED lights.

The 15,000L (approx) pool is filled and topped up with rainwater and a flexible and moveable outlet hose allows flexible distribution of waste water over the garden area.

Home sweet home

2010-10-21T11:09:00.010+11:00

The new residents are settling into the house, adjusting to the change from a grand old Queensland to a sleek new home, and finding places for their belongings. Some technology glitches are being ironed out but the garden has been well watered with all the recent rain, the tanks are full and the owners are enjoying their new space.

The front garden's strawberries which fruited at completion of construction are fruiting again, much to the delight of the local bush turkeys and the owners' son.
The water tank beneath the courtyard is full and ready to be used on the garden and pool when the weather dries up.Mint and native violets are filling up between the pavers outside the Laundry and Kitchen.The pool is enjoyed for a dip after kayaking on the river.

BPN Sustainability Awards

2010-10-18T10:32:00.004+11:00

Emma Scragg was fortunate to be able to attend the BPN Sustainability Awards and received the award for "Single Dwelling - New" on behalf of Riddel Architecture. This is really an award for all those responsible for achieving such a thoroughly sustainable building - the dedicated building team, Robert Peagram Builders, our unwavering clients, the Riddel Architecture team (most staff helped out at some point over the 5 years) and all the consultants and suppliers that helped complete the picture.

Thank you to everyone involved.Emma receiving award from sponsor Daniel Strebel from Geberit

Publication update

2010-10-08T16:34:00.004+11:00

The Ecohouse has been published yet again – this time in Ukraine and India. The count is up to 43 publications (plus the TV segment) and 19 countries!! We’ve pinpointed on the world map all the countries who have featured the house. Hopefully this is a sign of design for greener homes globally.

A state award for the building team!

2010-10-07T17:31:00.009+11:00

Last Friday (1st October), Robert Peagram Builders were awarded the Sustainable Living Award at the Master Builders' State Housing and Construction Awards. This was following winning the Brisbane award for the same category. "Can you see my cumerbund?" was the question that caused the laughter below - L-R Emma Scragg (Project Architect), Alison Orr (Project Manager), Rob Peagram, Miki Hall (Project Manager)
The house is a finalist in the BPN Sustainability Awards and the Banksia Awards, to be announced in Sydney next week.

Taps and another prize

2010-08-03T16:09:00.004+10:00

Here is a nice shot illustrating the water systems of the ecohouse - lots of choice depending on availability.Photo - Gilbert Louttit

A prize!
The house has just been awarded the Intergrain Timber Vision Award for the Residential Interior Category 2010.

5 minutes of fame on TV

2010-07-19T11:51:00.006+10:00

The house was featured last week on Better Homes and Gardens, on Channel 7 in Australia. See if you can have a look, if you missed it - Better Homes and Garden. 16th July, Series 16, Episode 24

Master Builders' - Sustainable Living Award !

2010-07-12T17:05:00.002+10:00

On Friday night, Rob Peagram Builders (and the ecohouse) was awarded the 2010 Queensland Master Builders' Housing & Construction - Sustainable Living Award.

House on TV!

2010-07-06T15:09:00.011+10:00

The house will be featured on Channel 7 at 7:30pm next Friday night 16th July. Here are some photos of the house as set up for the shoot (photos and decorating by our talented work experience interior designer, Philip Budgen) with furniture from Stylecraft, Robert Riddel's and Alice Hampson's personal collections with cushions by Mokum.

Garden growing

2010-06-24T10:15:00.009+10:00

The garden is growing and fruiting. Some turkeys seem to be making themselves at home, shifting mulch onto the lower lawn and helping themselves to the juicy strawberries at the front.

I visited to check on the garden in preparation for a Better Homes and Gardens filming next week.

I just checked the number of visits to this blog - almost 20,000. I hope there are other ecohouses germinating out there.

For sale

2010-05-10T12:39:00.005+10:00

The house is on the market and being auctioned next weekend. This was always the intention of our clients but we always hoped they'd end up living here.

Here is the agent's blurb.

HILL END ECOHOUSE IS A ONE OF A KIND RESIDENCE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AT THE CORE OF ITS DESIGN BRIEF. THIS REMARKABLE, ABSOLUTE RIVERFRONT PROPERTY HAS EMBRACED CONSERVATION IN EVERY ASPECT OF ITS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

The architect Riddell Architecture, the clients and Robert Peagram Builders worked together to achieve the greenest home possible with a 6 star energy rating. From the dismantling of the original residence to the final landscaping touches, this vision has been realized with few compromises.

The building form responds to its unique site, drawing on elements of the Queensland home in a contemporary way. Large overhangs, window hoods, outdoor living spaces, blinds, lightweight building materials and generous ceiling heights, set within a lush landscape reflect this.

The rooms that populate the home are wonderfully scaled and the use of natural materials contributes a sense of warmth. With approximately 80% of the original home reused in the construction, quirky elements such as the original number at the front door, integrated lead lighting and recycled timber feature walls bring character.

Soaring ceiling spaces, light filled interiors, polished concrete and reclaimed timber flooring plus extensive windows capturing the pristine river views are some of the superb features.

The home sited on a long 683m2 block, has been constructed over three levels following and utilizing the natural contours of the site. The lower floor with a bedroom, media room and powder room, opens directly to a large covered deck with plunge pool, the lush back gardens, river and St Lucia.

The main level’s study and laundry are separated by a long wide gallery, perfect for housing the art collection, from the living zones including dining, meals, family room and a supremely functional and stylish kitchen. Two further bedrooms are positioned at the front of the home, elevated from the street to capture the cooling breezes.

These areas focus on the outdoors, either onto the very private central courtyard or through large expanses of glass to the river terrace and decks with unlined glass balustrade to maximize the river views.

The master suite, enjoying wonderful separation is sited on the upper level with a custom fitted walk in robe, ensuite and its own private riverfront balcony.

With conservation at its heart, the home features energy efficient lighting, solar power, 71000l of rainwater storage, grey water recycling system plumbed to irrigation and toilet and where possible all materials have been sourced from local manufacturers.

From the moment you step across the front pathways dotted with strawberry plants, cumquats and herbs its obvious this is somewhere special. This is a home to be proud of with a unique design and construction story, paving the way to a more sustainable future yet at no time compromising quality, function or beauty.

West End is a mecca for diverse eateries, great shopping bargains at wholesale outlets, farmers markets and a profusion of theatres, art galleries and museums. With the city centre just 3kms away, parklands and the close proximity of the City Cat, this home is ideally positioned to enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle and throw away the car keys.

Solar power

2010-05-10T08:53:00.005+10:00

According to our solar power installer, Mark Wright of Stand Alone Power Supplies, the house has now been generating an average of 13.5kWh/day. September, October and November are the best months for the 20 degree roof pitch so the panels will generate more power and increase the daily average.

April 2010

2010-04-19T10:18:00.030+10:00

Some more photos taken on a recent visit of the house. The rain has filled the tanks, the garden is flourishing and the house is ready for residents. The front entry has been marked by the original painted metal number plate.
Entry with polished concrete floor, ironbark battens, hoop pine doors, soffit lining of original house's floor boards. Outer door has a large crimsafe panel for secure natural ventilation.Pull handle to front door using reycled hardwood

Plant room - the least glamorous of all the spaces but the most active and interesting - grey water treatment (including worms), filtration, pumping and reticulation of rainwater, grey water and town water, monitoring of energy use, invertor for solar power...and a wine cellar beyond.Leadlight window of old louvre blades from the original house in the entry space, created by Annerley Glassworks

1 watt LED light in recycled hardwood base within entry stair wall (recycled hardwood framing and recycled hoop pine facing)
Bedroom with louvres through to Gallery to catch cross-breezes from river.

DINING ROOM - shelving made from the original hoop pine floor boards, hoop pine doors, original, unpainted vjs.View from main stair to Gallery (northward)Kitchen through stair screen of original house's pine rafters
Lower stairway
Lower bathroom, tucked under stair. Polished concrete slab floor, simple white wall tiles and water-efficient fittings.
The rosella bush is already fruiting and other plants are taking off after the heavy rains.

History of the house

2010-04-13T14:19:00.004+10:00

It seems the original house was built around 1930. At the end of construction, Rob the builder was approached by Lyndall Low who, with her grandmother, has watched the building site and blog with keen interest. Lyndall grew up in the house. Her grandmother, now in her 90's, had the original house built by her brother and husband from timber they harvested and milled at Blackbutt, 165 km from the site.

The family was particularly enamored of the project as the timber was such a special part of their family heritage and all of it was preserved.

I hope to add more detail to this tale....

All finished

2010-04-13T12:38:00.017+10:00

The handover of the keys to the proud owners of the Hill End Ecohouse occurred on the 19th of March. Some fine-tuning of landscaping and final touches have continued beyond. The house attracted large numbers during our invitation-only tours and 3 tours for the Australian Institute of Architects, leaving the architecture and building teams exhausted but happy to be able to share the building and knowledge.

Due to the house's rigorous aim to be sustainable and its high recycled content (estimated at 80%), the building has attracted media attention as far as Norway, China and New York and there have been almost 17,000 hits on this blog in a year. Our hope for this project was to inspire interest in sustainable building practices to a deeper level than just applying solar panels, sunshading and water tanks and that seems to be happening.

Such project couldn't have occurred without such dedicated and uncompromising clients. An architect's dream.

Here are some photos of the finished work by Chris Frederick Jones
Furniture from Retro ModerneStreet elevation with solar panels, just visibleEntry space with recycled hoop pine flooring stair divider. Leadlight window of old louvre blades is on the left. Artwork by Michael PhillipsNorth (street) facing balcony shared by front bedrooms/work spaces.Gallery space looking towards river. Courtyard to east (left) covers rainwater tanks (see earlier entries). Print in distance by Michael PhillipsCourtyard view back to Gallery and Dining (left). Print in Dining room by Michael PhillipsDining room with polished concrete floor, limewashed walls and recycled vj ceiling. Artwork by Michael Schlitz. View to river through staircaseKitchen with view to Dining. Stained and clear hoop pine cabinetry is throughout the house (no particle board)
Outdoor living connected to Kitchen and Living
Study
View from the rear - pool below, outdoor living and living with bedroom balcony at the top

2010-02-01T15:50:00.017+11:00

The pool is filled and the garden is planted out just in time for the rain. The rainwater tanks are almost at 100% capacity now so will be well stocked for when the rain ceases.
A creative solution to paving stepping stones on the side garden stairs - neat sections of the original tiled bathroom floor.
View from Lounge to Kitchen
Living room - now with furniture from local 20th century furniture sourcer, Retro Moderne.
Brushbox handles to stained hoop ply cabinets.
View from Dining to Kitchen. Note the large timber sliding door to contain solar warmth in room in winter and to control sound.
Large doors from the Gallery into the Kitchen and Dining Room (to left) enable the rear of the house to be used separately and privately from the front of the house and to contain winter warmth.
View from Gallery to Living Room
Office in use. Marmoleum benchtop surfaces provide the perfect work surface.Blackbutt stair treads (new) on steel stringers are contained by a decorative screen and handrail of recycled hoop pine from the old house.

Happy new year

2010-01-18T14:53:00.015+11:00

Only 2 weeks to go to handover and the house is almost there!

Despite temperatures outside the house soaring to 36 degrees today in Brisbane, the inside of the house, particularly the parts with concrete floors, were refreshingly cool. Higher rooms, warmed through the glass and natural thermal air movement, cooled down quickly once windows and louvres were opened to admit breezes.The study has been happily taken over by foreman Jean-Yves - a place to enjoy river glimpses, the courtyard outlook and a view to the building team.
Bedroom cabinetry is almost complete and ceiling fans and lightshades are in. Desktops await a linoleum finish.

Bedrooms to the front of the house not only have fanlights over doorways but also high openings to release hot air and to offer sky views through the even higher glass louvres beyond.

Thermal sensors are one part of the Ecovision information gathering system. These are scattered around the house and feed information on temperature variations into the central computer to add to the information on water tank levels and use, gas and electricity consumption and energy generation.

Living Room

Gallery view towards front door

Kitchen - almost complete

Open stairs to allow breezes and light.

Ensuite is almost complete. The window to the east is a source of considerable heat gain (reflected off the galvanised roof just below the sill) so may be upgraded to more insulating timber louvres.
External venetians, adjustable in height and angle provide flexible shade to the River Terrace.

Christmas Eve Eve

2009-12-23T12:38:00.008+11:00

Everything is looking sparkly and almost nearly finished. Timber floors are being polished today and the concrete floors were revealed from under their protective plastic sheeting - beautiful and cooling on a hot summer's morning.

The building team has been working flat out and will continue until the end of today when they collapse in a big heap.
Living RoomKitchen - not yet finished! Clear and stained hoop pine solid ply joinery with reconstituted stone benchtops.Sunny central courtyard. There will be grass between the pavers to filter rainwater into the tank below.All limewash rendering is now finished to the blockwork.
Blackbutt stairs on painted steel stringers are now almost complete - just waiting for the decorative screen and handrail.

At the 11th hour

2009-12-21T11:53:00.009+11:00

Although the whole house and landscaping won't be complete for Christmas as hoped, the inside should be sufficiently there to appreciate how the finished house will look. Here are photos from this morning - 2 days before the team has a rest after working 6 day weeks.
All concrete polishing is now complete. Entry pavers and slab show the difference between the internal concrete (and pavers, below architect's feet) and standard Portland cement with bluestone and hand-scattered coloured aggregate.
Stairs are going in today - no more ladders and steps made of salvaged ply and timber.
The floor and wall tiles (recycled content, glass and glazed porcelain) are complete.

Nearly there!

2009-12-17T16:40:00.007+11:00

Narrow chamferboards salvaged from the previous house have new life as fence palings.
Daniel, fitting the translucent roof over the Plant Room
The Entry has a outer, battened enclosure to allow for secure airflow through the house from or to the north.

Solar power and other trimmings

2009-12-07T16:39:00.006+11:00

The 3.2kW bank of photovoltaics is now on the roof and supplying power to the construction team during the day. This will provide all of the household energy needs and hopefully a surplus to sell back to the grid.Rainwater tanks have some water in them and a few of the stormwater gullies take the diverted, not-quite-warm-enough hot water back to the rainwater tanks for reuse (see the small black pipe behind the downpipe).
Ceiling fans are now installed and some of the compact fluorescent recessed downlights.Doors in solid hoop pine have been hung.

Grinding

2009-11-16T11:28:00.012+11:00

The first pass of concrete grinding is underway, with the floors and sitting ledges transformed with the white aggregate (chosen to improve light reflection) exposed. The stair screen in the Entry and Gallery is now being lined with the original house hoop pine flooring and small bands of hardwood.
Some splashes of colour...

Screens and joinery

2009-11-12T18:18:00.011+11:00

The locally produced planatation hoop pine doors and windows to the exterior have now been hung, giving a better sense of the spaces.
The Entry area is almost complete with recycled hoop pine flooring to the ceiling, sustainably source ironbark batten screen to the garage and soft finish of the natural limewash render to the blockwork.

2009-11-05T12:13:00.008+11:00

Limewash paint to blockwork is now finished.
Fences are almost complete, all constructed from parts of the original house. The rear, west boundary uses the hardwood t&g flooring from a more recent addition and the courtyard screen featuring the original verandah posts is now complete. The front feature fence will reuse the narrow chamferboard cladding.

Hardwood flooring before...
After...
Hardwood verandah posts before...After...
Chamferboards before...Stay tuned for next week's entry for "after"

A splash of colour

2009-11-02T12:59:00.009+11:00

Cheerful, singing Rudy and his team of painters is now adding colour to the interiors.

Blockwork internally will receive a final coat or three of natural limewash paint. The lower floor is now complete but the main floor is next.

The soffit lining to the entry is a combination of the original home's hoop pine flooring and black-stained hardwood.

Rains and tanks

2009-10-27T12:05:00.011+11:00

Photos above by Marcelo

A fantastic storm last night started to fill the two 23,000L rainwater tanks beneath the front yard.. and the surrounding soil.

The builder's concern with the tanks is their risk of "floating" when surrounding soil gets water-logged and the tank water volume is insufficient to counteract the pressure, pushing the tanks upward. The ideal topping currently nominated is a recycled plastic grid holding finely crushed recycled brick and concrete gravel, allowing water to permeate the soil around the tanks and into the water table. The current recommendation from the builder and tank installer is to weigh the tanks down with a concrete driveway.

Limewash painting is almost complete and the VOC-free Queensland-made paint is brightening up the interior.
The timber screen to the courtyard, which will give privacy on both sides of the fence, will be constructed of timber from the original house. Recycled timber decking palings will be fixed to the hardwood rails, on the taper-chamfered posts. The recycled laminated beam supports to the River Terrace roof have been stained, oiled and meticulously flashed to protect them from the elements.

Big hole

2009-10-13T16:18:00.005+11:00

The last two tanks (47,000L) will be lowered into place tomorrow in the front of the house. This will make the total rainwater storage capacity to around 60,000L - sufficient to run the house and garden.
The last wall to be rendered is now complete and the natural limewash finish is underway externally. This wall will receive a natural clay and plant fibre render finish.

Latest progress

2009-10-10T10:44:00.000+11:00

Wall linings are almost complete using the high-recycled content "plasterboard" and recycled vj linings from the old house. Balconies are being lined beneath to provide weather protection to the spaces below. The front trellis is underway to the balcony - constructed from reycled hardwood, with deciduous vines to be grown over to extend shade in summer time.

2009-09-21T14:55:00.009+10:00

Most of the external painting, with the exception of the blockwork is painted in VOC-free paint by the cheerful, singing painters. Lightweight cladding is in two tones of soft green, broken by bands of galvanised flashing.

One of the pavers cast with the flooring concrete has been polished to give an idea of the finish to internal floors. External surfaces will have less polish for safety reasons, particularly around the pool. Internal vj linings from the original house are now complete. These will be painted over for a more consistent look but it is hoped that a feature section in the Living Room will be retained with a clear seal as a historical reference to the old home.

Scaffolding down and student tour

2009-09-16T12:18:00.021+10:00

Scaffolding has come down on the outside of the building, revealing more of the building with its fresh coat of VOC-free paint, manufactured in southeast Queensland.

The large cantilevered pelmet for the sunshading venetian blind is constructed from the same laminated hardwood beams as the floor joists in the house. In their former life, they supported the weightlifting floor at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982.

Three groups of UQ students visited the site in the afternoon to learn about sustainable construction. This is a good warm up to many future tours of the building and gardens.

The days are nearing the Spring Equinox (22nd September this year), the date when roof and awning overhangs are designed to start cutting out the direct, warmer sun. With only a week to go, this is clearly evident in the photo below (taken at noon) on the northern balcony to the street. A dediduous, leafy trellis will extend shade out over the balcony for summer time living.

Glass and stainless balustrades have now gone in to the rear. A little prematurely but will provide better safety for workers on site.

Carpenter Damian Stapleton, very happy to be working on the job!
Formwork removed from cast concrete garden seat, render to block base and recycled timber post from original home.

More recycled trees

2009-09-01T15:37:00.007+10:00

Ceiling lining continues in the front bedrooms, using the vj boards from the old house and other salvaging sources.

Blockwork internally and externally will be rendered and finished in a natural lime paint.

Photos by Marcelo Garcia

August update

2009-08-31T11:53:00.016+10:00

I've returned from 3 months' leave visiting inspiring and thought-provoking building projects in Canada and the US, under pedal power (www.esdcycle.blogspot.com). Work on the Hill End Ecohouse has progressed dramatically under an increasing team of people, with spaces taking shape and all window joinery in (local plantation hoop pine and hardwood).
Cladding is almost complete - a combination of recycled hardwood weatherboards and FC custom weather boards. The fins to the rear balconies have been clad in the offcuts of the balcony decking hardwood and clear-finished.

The ventilated skin of cladding to the western wall is now complete. Cladding is packed out from the main studs and insulated sisalation, with bird mesh at the top and bottom. You can see the airspace beneath the mini orb soffit, below.

Cladding!

2009-07-08T16:45:00.001+10:00

Cladding is starting to go up around the house. Recycled weatherboards used for the majority of the lightweight cladding, with FC sheeting used in selected areas for visual contrast.

Awnings are going in also, a unique slimline detail carefully designed to maximise the winter sun & eliminate summer sun in all cases.

Mitred corners to the street facade have a more striking affect from the street and are worth the extra labour to construct them.

The cantilevered beam is in place for the retractable screen to the river terrace which, when in place, will add to the flexibility of the space, allowing direct solar gain deep into the building during winter and eliminating it in summer.

Roof!

2009-06-23T14:15:00.008+10:00

Finally another post, after an extended transition period between authors. My apologies. The roof is now on, spirits are high, and the spaces internally are really starting to take shape.

The gallery space, with roof sheeting on. Once lined, this space will connect the two halves of the house and draw ventilation through the house through the louvre windows on the right hand side.

View looking north at from the ensuite. The galvanised roof is a traditional sturdy option, with high reflectivity. And it simply looks great.

Traditional ceremony to celebrate the roof going on, a branch is placed at the highest point and a drop of beer is poured down it!

All rainwater products are of gal. The ends of the corrugated sheets are open at the top and the bottom, alowing the cavity between the rafters to ventilate and reduce heat gain internally.

Miniorb soffits look fantastic.

The zig-zagging roof profile from afar.

After the rain

2009-05-26T09:33:00.012+10:00

Brisbane received 1/3 of its annual rainfall last week, which clashed with the planned installation of the roof sheeting.

Plumbing and electrical have gone in, however, with copper piping for internal water supply. The alternative was recycled poly pipe but copper prices had dropped since the start of the project and is 60% recycled, with a long life-span.

Site foreman, Oliver, has been fabricating the sunshading awning frames on site. These awnings, to all windows without adequate roof protection or needing extra shading, will be topped with painted compressed fibre cement sheeting.
The base of the steel stand for the greywater treatment tanks was cut out of the centre of a diamond-tipped saw blade.

2009-05-14T11:16:00.009+10:00

Concrete, pre-mixed, comes in fairly large minimum quantities. As the pool edge coping only needs a little, all of the landscaping pavers will be created by the Builder. Also, by reworking ground levels around the Pool Terrace, we have been able to delete almost 7 metres of balustrades and a stair (lots of materials and embodied energy), replacing it with two insitu concrete steps to the side garden, using more of the concrete load.

Colours are being tested out with VOC-free paints and renders.

2009-05-05T11:16:00.020+10:00

Fin walls to the west will provide sheltered glimpses to the river, scoop in river-cooled breezes and provide spaces for sitting or displaying objects or artwork. Framed sturdily in pine from the old house and braced with masonite, the carpenters removed a significant amount of steel (and embodied energy) originally engineered for the walls.

Hardwood decks are now finished and sealed.

Scaffolding

2009-04-21T11:38:00.009+10:00

Scaffolding is going up to help
with the roof finishing and cladding. The pressure is on to finalise colours!

Ironbark decking is being laid to the rear, fixed with stainless steel nails (pre-drilled) which will fit neatly within the galvanised channel structural border. This new timber (and the roof batten material) comes from managed Australian forests who meet required standards of sustainable practice.

Ready for roofing

2009-04-09T15:42:00.009+10:00

All framing for roofs is up and fascias are going on. The builder's suggested a layering of treated pine fascias to protect the end grains of the very deep fascias will work well and create an interesting stepping edge detail, starting with the oversized galvanised steel gutters.

2009-03-31T18:09:00.012+11:00

Having the rafters in place gives a clearer idea of the expanse of rainwater collection area to fill the 70,000L of underground water storage.
Rafters were lifted into place by hand rather than with a crane truck, resulting in both financial and environmental savings and a great team-building exercise.

Masonite bracing was used in preference to plywood as it is thinner and is composed of sawmill waste material. Most bracing plys used in Australia are 4mm, made from Asian rainforest timbers. Australian-timber bracing ply is much thicker (starting at 7mm).

Bracing up and roof framing going on

2009-03-26T16:25:00.013+11:00

The great purchase of recycled laminated hardwood beams continues to supply materials. Lengths have been lifted into place on the front roof for rafters. Due to their random, rustic nature, the soffits and eaves will be lined to give a cleaner finish, in keeping with the design (and to simplify long-term maintenance).

Masonite bracing gives more of a sense of the volumes of the spaces and with the s00n-to-be-installed roof, will give a better impression of the overall form.

Bluestone walls to the boundaries and front garden bed are now complete.

2009-03-16T12:06:00.012+11:00

The tall gallery space, which will act as the lungs of the building, is taking shape.

Now that all the floor framing is in, the remaining recycled, laminated hardwood is being used as lintels to the wide door and window openings.

2009-03-05T18:31:00.004+11:00

Timber framing is almost complete and the hardwood support post to the River Terrace balcony (to right in first photo) is in place - one of the many timbers from the original house.

Roofing should be on by Easter, giving the building team welcome shade and giving the building more definite form.

2009-02-26T10:57:00.013+11:00

With blue skies and drier conditions, the roof is getting closer.

Some of the pipework (in PVC-free Geberit poly) and one low-flush toilet cisterns have been installed. We are still trying to negotiate with council a way of reducing pipework currently required by the need for separate dual supplies of greywater and rainwater to each toilet cistern.

Bluestone retaining walls are almost complete.

2009-02-18T11:03:00.035+11:00

The rear wing (main bedroom and living) is growing taller despite (or as a result of?) all the wet weather. Rooms are taking shape and the roof should give some shelter from sun and rain to the building team soon.

The swimming pool's sprayed shell used the green cement mix (high recycled content) used elsewhere on the project.

Up and up

2009-02-09T12:26:00.019+11:00

The top floor is now in place - ecoply on painted recycled hardwood joists supported by recycled hardwood stud walls. The timber from the old house, dismantled on site, is continually being used in the new construction; the 150x150 support post on the river terrace is the most recent example. Most of the 4x2 and major structural timber has been used.

Supplying the house with town, rain and recycled grey water does involve a lot more plumbing and we are trying to work out innovative ways of reducing the runs of poly pipe (not PVC) around the house. A meeting with council will hopefully allow us to do what we hope, with switching controls of water supply in the Plant Room rather than at every outlet.

The building team has snazzy new t-shirts with the company logo and appropriate colour (modelled by Eoin)!

Framing marching along

2009-01-21T13:37:00.005+11:00

With the steel portal frame now in place, the hardwood framing is going up at a more rapid rate.

Crane excitement

2009-01-14T12:21:00.008+11:00

Rob's crane truck Lofty (in foreground) is not lofty enough to reach across two back yards, to the building site. A huge crane was hired to lift the steel portal frame components from a nearby vacant block - a shorter distance than from the street.

Preparation for portal frame

2009-01-14T11:23:00.014+11:00

Scaffolding is up and all other framing is on hold until the steel portal frame to support the southern end of the house is craned in place.
"Batten screw technology" (Rob's term) will ensure rock solid framing

The scaffold tower gives an idea of the views from the main bedroom (about 1.5m lower than the panorama below.

The new year

2009-01-05T10:54:00.014+11:00

Despite plenty of rain over the Christmas break, the site is intact and work has resumed early this morning. Thermal mass block walls for the living areas are starting and next week, the steel portal frame will be craned in, enabling the upper floor framing to start.

Main level deck framing is in place with recycled hardwood joists. All steelwork is hot-dip galvanised for longevity, despite the additional cost.

2008-12-16T16:48:00.013+11:00

The courtyard water storage (with a permeable top) has been covered by silt dug from footings to the retaining wall. The green lid in the foreground conceals the primary water filtration for all of the downpipes draining into the underground storage which removes the need for unsightly first flush and leaf eater divertors.

Formwork has come off the suspended slab for the Dining (winter Living) Room and the light slot through to the cool Store /Media /Music Room below provides perfect natural light for these purposes.

The last section of floor framing to the main level is being fixed in place (recycled laminated hardwood) to the Kitchen area.

2008-12-08T12:18:00.010+11:00

The light-coloured (and light-reflecting) concrete was poured last week for the Dining Room, Gallery, Study and Laundry. This pale colour comes at a financial cost so the lower part of the pour (footings) used grey Portland cement.

Both concrete mixes contained recycled elements to improve properties and reduce embodied energy.

Taking shape

2008-12-01T09:34:00.010+11:00

Formwork for the thermally-massive living area floors is ready for a pour tomorrow, weather permitting. The ply underlay to the rear wing will provide a safe working platform during construction and provide added thermal and acoustic insulation on completion.

Hardwood framing

2008-11-12T13:27:00.011+11:00

Foreman Oliver Bergel on the job
Seasoned (40-60 years?) recycled hardwood framing is heavy work but will provide a rock-solid structure to the house and keep the carbon safely stored for another 100 years or more, we hope. Batten screws are the only fixings that can be used as the timber is so hard.

Courtyard water storage

2008-11-12T10:08:00.012+11:00

26,000L of rainwater storage will sit beneath the central courtyard, collecting water from the rear roofs and through the soil. The excavated site is lined with plastic, filled with modular polypropylene units and covered with geofabric, then sand and soil. All three elements have 100% recycled content. The water will be used for garden irrigation and swimming pool top up. The installation of this water storage will be completed this afternoon and once covered, will be fully trafficable (though in reality, only foot traffic will pass over it when the building is complete).

There will still be another 46,000L of rainwater storage beneath the front driveway dedicated to household supply.

Walls

2008-11-10T15:29:00.006+11:00

The recycled hardwood studs are beginning to stand up. The steep rake of the north-facing roof is angled to optimise solar energy collection.

Visible progress

2008-11-04T10:50:00.015+11:00

Waterproofing to subterranean walls is almost complete, the bluestone wall marches on and the floor platform to the front bedrooms, supported on recycled hardwood joists (see September 25th 2008). The ply floor will now enable the construction of the walls above and the cool shaded garage beneath will provide welcome relief to the building team to retreat to from the hotter sun.

Bluestone wall and steel

2008-10-20T12:22:00.014+11:00

Lower block walls are now core-filled with a cement mix incorporating flyash, reactive magnesium and by-product silica. Steel beams to the front are placed in position and will soon take the recycled laminated hardwood joists for the floor framing above.

The stone facade to the western boundary retaining wall is underway. Initially, we wanted a true (local) stone wall with no blockwork as this is a truer form of construction and uses low-embodied energy stone. However, the construction would have used more concrete (higher embodied energy) than a more compact core-filled block structure and taken much longer. Due to space restrictions, to the east boundary, the retaining wall will be built without the blockwork so it will be interesting to compare labour time and volumes of concrete on the one site.

2008-09-25T11:15:00.014+10:00

Lofty, complete with mirror ball, got a workout this morning lifting the recycled laminated hardwood joists for denailing. Oliver is very excited to be pulling out nails again and Eoin denailing too and ensuring the nails are straight, for possible reuse.

Waterproofing membranes and drainage cells are installed to front entry area as well as physical termite barrier.
Photos by Miki and Emma

River level blocks begin

2008-09-17T09:13:00.002+10:00

Marty's block walls are growing fast.

River terrace slab

2008-09-08T11:11:00.018+10:00

After delays due to forecast storms, the rear lower slab was finally poured using the Magnesium Oxide. The additional aggregate for the final terrazzo-like finish made the mix a challenge to pump. In the end, human power prevailed. The slab has been sealed and won't be ground and polished until it is well protected by the floor above.

Blockwork walls to the front have been core-filled with magnesium oxide concrete mix. Blockwork walls to the lower level will begin today.

Once approval from our clients is given for the varied colours of bluestone, sourced from Yatala, the stone walls will start.

2008-08-26T14:07:00.008+10:00

Blockwork to the front is almost complete and once the steel beams have been fabricated, the recycled hardwood framing can start above.

The carpet python has returned to the site much to the consternation of the local birds.

First walls up

2008-08-19T09:30:00.014+10:00

The building is starting to take shape as the blockwork goes up - Garage and Plant Room (greywater treatment, energy monitoring hub, water switching controls) and Entry.

Rather than fill in the cutting to the back, excavated for 25,000L of modular underground storage and temporary access to the rear, this space will become a Cellar and contain one of the greywater treatment tanks.

Super concrete? the waiting game

2008-08-11T11:13:00.021+10:00

Blockwork is going up at the front of the house and the formwork and reinforcing to the rear is ready and waiting for the all-clear from our concrete suppliers to include the reactive magnesia additive. This extra ingredient, in use in NSW and Victoria, reduces the production of carbon dioxide in the cement manufacturing process and can reabsorb CO2 during the carbonation process, reducing the carbon footprint. Additionally the result is a harder, higher quality product.

Finer and doubled up reinforcement was necessary for the polished concrete floors - fortunately the steel is over 95% recycled content.

2008-07-30T17:15:00.005+10:00

One neighbour's house is safely supported by a new retaining wall, soon to be faced with local bluestone. Recycled concrete aggregate has been used for backfill to the wall and for the substrate to the next, lower concrete slab. A mass concrete and bluestone wall to the east will ensure the timber house continues to stand.

The First Pour

2008-07-14T14:29:00.019+10:00

The first slab pour occurred this morning before a light sprinkling from the sky. High flyash content cement in the mix but we are hoping to incorporate crushed, recycled concrete in the next two slab pours if a concrete supplier will come to the party. This is being used in Victoria but has not yet caught on in Queensland.

Coloured aggregate has been sprinkled along the entry slab to tie in with the future polished internal and pool terrace slabs.

Blockwork by a small, local manufacturer is taking shape, forming the platform for the river terrace slab and small plunge pool.

Front preparations

2008-07-02T09:44:00.019+10:00

The platform for the front of the house has now been made. The "gateway" will become the space for the 25,000L modular underground water storage.

A toilet has been constructed from recycled materials from the old house to replace the portaloo.

Big concrete pour

2008-06-27T15:28:00.000+10:00

Hard work by the Peagram Builders team pouring the footings before dark clouds and a rainbow.

Footings in place

2008-06-23T13:21:00.001+10:00

Cages in place

2008-06-19T10:30:00.011+10:00

Lower spaces are beginning to take shape, outlined by the footing trenches and their 95+% recycled content steel cages. The concrete pour is planned for tomorrow. Currently, the best recycled content concrete we can obtain is 30% flyash cement mix. We would like to use recycled aggregate but concrete suppliers are not keen to do this. The race is on to find the greenest possible concrete block for the next stage of work. We are hoping to work with local manufacturers of blockwork with some innovative ingredients.

Although we have had to install pvc for the initial drainage, we hope to work with a company who supplies push-fit polypropylene pipe for any further waste pipes. Polypropylene has far better environmental credentials than toxic pvc.

7. Earth

2008-05-29T18:12:00.015+10:00

The platforms for the building have been prepared. Surplus rich alluvial soil, unable to be used on-site for landscaping, has been sent the properties of several very keen gardeners in Brisbane and to a landscaping company. The headaches of coordinating the spaghetti of rainwater, mains water, greywater, treated greywater and black water have begun.

6. All clear

2008-04-30T12:45:00.018+10:00

The site is now ready for footing excavations, following soil tests to determine site stability. The trees removed from the building location have been mulched and are stockpiled on site for landscaping at completion of the works. The resident young scrub turkey is likely to have its eyes on the mound the next nesting season.

The building team has been busy denailing the salvaged house timber and stored it in a custom built "shack" out of the reach of termites, rain and high tides.

5. Almost stumps

2008-04-22T11:26:00.011+10:00

All that remains of the house now is the concrete stumps, brick infill walls and concrete slabs. These will be dismantled, with slabs and paths sent away for crushing for reuse as gravel or as aggregate in new concrete.

One trailer load of non-reusable metal has been take to a recycler. All useful timber has been stockpiled at the rear of the site, protected by the old roofing iron. Only two 6m skips have been filled with non-recyclable/non reusable materials and taken to landfill.

4. Disassembly almost complete

2008-04-17T10:21:00.008+10:00

This baby python (in builder Rob Peagram's hands) and a young brushtail possum, at home in last section of roofing found quieter new homes nearby.

Disassembly of the house is almost complete with vjs, flooring and framing neatly stockpiled and stored under salvaged roofing iron. Some of the kerbside offerings have found new homes and new lives elsewhere.

Next week, earthworks will begin, scraping topsoil aside for use later in landscaping and preparing areas for rainwater storage, greywater treatment and possibly geothermal airconditioning.

3. Materials for reuse in new house

2008-04-11T11:19:00.007+10:00

Inner vj walls have been removed stockpiled ready for becoming ceilings, shelves, wall linings, cabinetry in the new home.

The building team had the creative idea of cutting the original bathroom floor into manageable sizes to incorporate into the new landscaping to fit between larger pavers or as inserts into new garden walls.

2. Dismantling begins

2008-04-10T09:59:00.001+10:00

Windows and doors have been carefully removed to send to a recycling yard with some of the doors possibly retained for reuse in the new house.

Timber flooring (hardwood and soft) and vj linings will be salvaged for use as linings, cabinetry and flooring for the new building.

Recyclable elements from demolition which are not reusable will be collected and sent off site.

Deciding what to do with short, damaged lengths of timber of various sizes is a challenge (not useful as a building material): if sent to landfill it will trap CO2; if used as firewood it will produce heat for warmth or cooking, saving on other fossil fuels but lead paint may be a hazard; left on street frontage with a "take me" for creative folk to build small things.

The proposal

2008-04-02T13:01:00.000+11:00

Here are a few drawings of the finished product!

Perspective from the street - excuse the floating pavers!

Overall view from the northeast, showing the photovoltaic and solar hot water panels.

...and again from the southwest

Plan of the Main floor showing the central courtyard for private outdoor living and northern sun to living areas