Sunday Age
Sunday 20/7/2008 Page: 5
BARBARA and Graeme Davidson are sitting in the new, bright back room of their 1930s Surrey Hills home. It is a cold, grey day but the room is light and comfortable, without artificial lighting or heating. They are thrilled with the environmental performance of their north-facing extension. "I just find every morning I come in here and it's a delight. It's airy, it's spacious," Mr Davidson says. The Davidsons finished their revamp almost two years ago. Now, renovations like theirs are set to become the norm. On May 1, the State Government introduced new regulations forcing additions and alterations, like new homes, to comply with the five-star energy standard.
The couple's contemporary extension added both a study and a large open room, with a kitchen, lounge and informal dining space. They also installed solar hot water and a rainwater tank that collects from the roof of their new garage. Andrew Wilson, the architect on the Surrey Hills home, is pleased with the results. He called his clients during a long hot summer spell and found, to his satisfaction, that they had barely used their air-conditioner.
According to Mr Wilson, environmental efficiency is just about good design. "This is not rocket science, at all," he says. "The sun is higher in summer and lower in winter. It's as basic as that." In the hotter months, wide eaves shade the large north-facing windows. Between each pane of glass, thick supports jut out to protect against the westerly afternoon sun. "In mid-summer you get no direct light into the building," Mr Davidson confirms. But in mid-winter, he says, the sun stretches right across the room.
Other eco-touches in the renovation include insulation beyond the five-star requirements and effective cross ventilation-airflow through the house to help natural cooling. Equally, in winter, the warm lounge room can be shut off from the rest of the house to keep the heat in. The garden, too, has a role to play. The Davidsons planted deciduous trees that will offer summer shade and allow winter sun.
The renovation maybe finished, but Mrs Davidson's plans continue. Keen to make the house even more efficient, she wants to put in a grey water system and solar panels. "I just feel we come from the generation that have used the resources, and I include myself in that," she says. "I've got grandchildren and I'm worried about what sort of world I'm going to leave them."
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