Ascot Passivhaus
Residential: Single Dwelling
Passivhaus Classic Certification
Ascot, VIC, 2024
This four-bedroom, two-bathroom, one living space house was designed to meet the requirements of a rural property. The house has a butterfly roof specifically designed to maximise winter sun and summer shade, and shed attached to it via a Breezeway/Laundry (Unconditioned spaces). It is clad with corrugated iron north and south, and tilt panels east and west. Rooves were constructed at ground level and craned in place the same day as the tilt panels.
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AIRTIGHTNESS n50 ACH@50pascals: 0.2
HEATING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 11.4
COOLING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 4.3
HEATING LOAD (W/m²): 8.1
COOLING LOAD (W/m²): 13.0
PRIMARY ENERGY RENEWABLE DEMAND (PER): 33 -
PROJECT NAME: Ascot Passivhaus
LOCATION: Ascot, Ballarat, Victoria
NCC CLIMATE ZONE: 7 – Cool temperate
NATHERS CLIMATE ZONE: 66
YEAR OF COMPLETION: 2024
PROJECT TYPE: New Build
BUILDING TYPE: Residential: Single Dwelling
CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Timber frame
CERTIFICATION LEVEL/ ENERGY STANDARD: Passivhaus Classic
THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATIONS: Gold Star -
PREFAB ELEMENTS: Tilt up panels and rooves built on site at ground level prior to lifting
MHRV SYSTEM: Zehnder ComfoAir Q350
DOMESTIC HOT WATER SYSTEM: Reclaim Heat Pump REHP=CO2-400SST V2
EXTERIOR WALL TYPE : Corrugated iron and tilt panel cladding to insulated loadbearing timber frames
EXTERIOR WALL U-VALUE: 0.214
FLOOR SLAB TYPE,U-VALUE: 90mm screed over 75mm XPS installed on a Waffle Pod slab, 0.313
ROOF INSULATION TYPE, MANUFACTURER: Earthwool R6.5 (R4.0 and R2.5 HD Batts)
ROOF CONSTRUCTION: LVL pitched butterfly roof with internal box gutter
ROOF ENVELOPE U-VALUE: 0.115
WALL FRAME TYPE: Timber
GLAZING TYPE, MANUFACTURER, G-VALUE, U G-VALUE, UW VALUE: Triple Glazed, Logikhaus, 0.53/0.58, 0.58/0.67, 1.03
EXTERNAL DOOR TYPE, MANUFACTURER: Triple Glazed Doors, Logikhaus
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The house faces true north. A full-length passage running east/west through the house has glass doors at each end. The doors are protected from overheating the house via matching porticos. At equinox the setting sun shines through the house all the way. The glazing has a LowE coating to the aluminum clad timber windows and doors which function exceptionally well. The wide upward sloping north eave protects the large north facing windows from any summer sun but allows for winter sun to penetrate over 5.5M into the north facing rooms. All water is collected, stored, used and treated on site.
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Two major unprecedented flood events. Bogged delivery trucks and cranes, then drought preventing landscaping! Economic issues - interest rates and excessive inflationary materials and labour costs meant the build ended up taking three years.
Lessons learned: I completed the Passivhaus tradesperson course in 2015. The subsequent builds since using the skills and methodologies learnt at that time were invaluable for this build. I highly recommend builders completing the Passivhaus tradesperson course. Ceiling fans are a great addition, reducing the requirement to use the air-con. I would add more than the one in the future. Trades still have difficulty understanding the importance of airtightness and thermal bridging issues, so attention needs to be paid at all times and extra instruction given.
Project Members
ARCHITECT/ INTERIOR DESIGNER / PROJECT MANAGER: Allan Hocking
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT/ QUANTITY SURVEYOR: Allan Hocking
CONTRACTOR/ BUILDER/ DEVELOPER: Hocking Homes Pty Ltd PASSIVHAUS CERTIFIER : Detail Green - Luc Plowman
PASSIVHAUS CONSULTANT/ DESIGNER: Passive Analytics - Cameron Munro
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: MRM Group Australia Pty. Ltd. EC-61560
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Invermay Electrical
WINDOW SUPPLIER: Logikhaus
MECHANICAL ENGINEER/ HRV SUPPLIER: Fantech
INSULATION SUPPLIER: Unique Eco Solutions
AIRTIGHTNESS MEMBRANE SUPPLIER: (1) Laros. (2) Unique Eco Solutions
ROOFING SUPPLIER: Striproll
BLOWER DOOR TESTER: (1) Greg O'Beirne Design - Final. (2) Allan Hocking - Pre-Plaster
TIMBER AND HARDWARE SUPPLIER: G Gay and Co Mitre 10 Ballarat
PHOTOGRAPHER: Allan Hocking