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Posted: 2018-06-16 22:00:00
Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

Star attraction: the 10 Star Home’s butterfly roof helps create a sense of internal space and hides solar panels from the street. Pictures: Dan Hocking

THE 10 Star Home is the first in Victoria with a 10-star energy rating.

And the people behind it hope to set a new bar for sustainable design and construction in the housing industry.

Designed by architect Clare Cousins, the home has been built by The Sociable Weaver.

It has four bedrooms, a beautiful fit-out and joinery, energy and water-efficient appliances, rainwater harvesting and solar power. It is also self-heating and cooling, with practically no energy bills.

This innovative coastal-style design far exceeds the required six-star energy standard of new homes.

But even though it’s eco-friendly, the home doesn’t neglect modern-lifestyle needs. For example, it has a second bathroom that can also be accessed from outside.

“We really wanted to showcase that you don’t need to sacrifice style or function to live in a truly sustainable home,” said David Martin, co-founder and director of The Sociable Weaver with social entrepreneur Danny Almagor, of Small Giants.

Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

The facade features timber cladding, which will silver off over time.

The home is part of The Cape sustainable housing project, in Cape Paterson, near Phillip Island.

The 220-home estate is the brainchild of some of Australia’s top sustainable architects and designers and all houses have a strong eco-smart focus.

The 10 Star Home can be built by The Sociable Weaver anywhere in Victoria and northern NSW. It can be built as-is or customised to suit the block, budget and site orientation.

Another feature is its high-performance “sealed envelope” around the exterior, dramatically reducing unwanted and unnecessary excessive air exchange.

There are also polished-concrete floors, which have good thermal mass — they absorb the sun’s heat, helping warm up the house in winter and cool it down in summer.

Reverse brick-veneer construction and a highly insulated slab, walls and ceiling that feature innovative “phase change material” insulation are other eco-friendly features.

Windows on the north and south sides of the building encourage cross-flow ventilation in summer to help cool the home.

Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

Dream maker: one of the home’s four bedrooms.

The butterfly-shaped roof helps with cross-flow ventilation, as well, and creates a sense of space inside, particularly in the open living area. It also conceals views of the solar panels from the street.

A connection with nature was an inherent part of the design. Large sliding doors along the entire north-facing aspect can be opened right up to link indoors and out, while also giving good views.

Mr Martin described the fit-out as minimal and pared back with a subtle colour palette and soft textures.

“We wanted the space to relax you when you walked inside and that’s exactly what it does. You breathe a sigh of relief when you step through the front door,” he said.

Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

Under the kitchen bench is a concrete pipe – one of many recycled products.

Recycled materials feature prominently, from the painted bricks for the walls to the concrete pipe underneath the kitchen bench, salvaged from a waste pile on another project.

“We think it is such a beautiful detail and a fantastic example of repurposing waste material,” Mr Martin said of the pipe.

The facade features timber cladding made from sustainably sourced and radially sawn silvertop ash and yellow stringybark.

“The cladding will silver off over time, blending with the surrounding coastal environments,” Mr Martin said.

The home was built with a zero-waste philosophy, with virtually no waste during construction going to landfill.

Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

Pared back is the look in the modern coastal design.

At a glance

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Two

Size: 160sq m (house only)

Price: As displayed, $500,000

Address: 5 Periwinkle Place, The Cape eco village, Cape Paterson

Open: 8am-4pm Mon-Fri.; noon-4pm Sat-Sun

www.thesociableweaver.com.au

www.liveatthecape.com.au

Supplied photo of The 10 Star Home designed by arc

One of two bathrooms in the home, which features energy and water-efficient appliances and rainwater harvesting.

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