Expert passive house builders take an altogether different approach to come up with energy-efficient homes. Now the approach surely changes from one project to another depending upon the budget and the layout of the plan. Still, the principle upon which the plans are based remains more or less the same.
Now the main motive behind planning such homes remains constant – that is making sure that the home consumes as little energy as possible. How the experts achieve that through planning? Here are a few examples.
Dealing with the Facet in a special way
When it comes to designing the facet, the passive house builders in Melbourne will make sure that it faces the western sun instead of the eastern one. In other words, it will be the setting sun or a much feebler sun that the facet will be facing. Thus, they can minimise the extent of sunlight getting inside the building, thereby helping the interiors to remain cooler.Setting up brick volumes on the ground floor
Setting up multiple brick volumes at strategic locations of the ground floor will create enough shades, which will again make the interiors cooler. It does so by obstructing the unabated flow of sunlight chronologically. When that happens, the interior by default will create a much cooler ambience, which will reduce the need for artificial cooling significantly.Setting up a connection with the backyard lawn
One noble idea is giving the space more scope to facilitate air circulation, which makes the interiors cooler and healthier. This is done by setting up multiple sets of large sliding doors on either side of the dining area on the ground floor (these buildings usually follow the rule of reverse living. They get directly connect the interiors to the backyard lawn, thus facilitating freer flow of air in and out of the room. This naturally makes the interior airier and more energy efficient.Setting up polished concrete surfaces and internal brick walls
At times, the makers of energy-efficient homes would cover the internal brick walls with polished concrete surfaces. This concrete surface provides that thermal mass, which keeps the interiors cool and comfortable even in the height of Aussie summers.Setting up white walls and fit-outs
Alternatively, they would set up white walls and back them with white fit-outs, which will give the home enough light and summery atmosphere during the winters, making the room warmer than what they would have been, otherwise. Again, these rooms generally have windows with tinted glass, which when closed during summer, makes the rooms cooler. So you see, it helps both ways in two different seasons.Thus, the experts in most of the cases would put into effect passive solar design mechanisms, and this allows the building to optimise its thermal efficiency at the end of the day.
