Sapphire
Description: Passive House Classic to BAL FZ
Building Type: Detached single family home
Location: Faulconbridge, NSW 2776
Number of Apartments/Units: 1
Treated Floor Area According to PHPP: 183m2
Construction Type: Timber Construction
Year of Construction: 2019
Background
Sapphire a certified passive house located on a large bush property in the Blue Mountains. Nestled among World Heritage-listed wilderness, the design aims to strike a delicate balance between the environment and the elements, maintaining connection to the landscape while providing protection from the region’s cold winters and hot summers.
The Sapphire is the first certified passive house in Australia (and likely the world) to also meet the highest Bushfire Attack Level – Flame Zone (BAL-FZ); a crucial requirement in an area ravaged by bushfires in 2019. Optimal thermal comfort was achieved through extreme air tightness, high performance continuous insulation, highly efficient glazing, no thermal bridges, and a Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation system. The Sapphire’s design enhances liveability for occupants with a strong focus on indoor environment quality, providing extensive views to the pristine bush surroundings. The strategic placement of windows and building orientation also maximises the use of natural daylight, eliminating the need for electric lighting during the day. The combination of these innovative techniques set new benchmarks in sustainable design and pave the way for similar developments in the Blue Mountains region.
Sapphire Certified Passive House represents a research-based design which is founded on innovation and science to deliver a high performance, resilient building. The home has been designed to be climate-responsive, sustainable and energy-efficient. But above all, it aims to provide a liveable space which encapsulates a sense of serenity, comfort and belonging for the occupants. Sapphire Passive House is also a certified healthy home, using specific construction methods and materials to reduce the risk of condensation, mould, electromagnetic fields, and other risks to health. Sapphire was designed and built to demonstrate the numerous benefits of living in a passive house, particularly in the Blue Mountains where there is strong demand for sustainable design The Sapphire was inspired by our connection with the landscape and our commitment to the innovative use of sustainable design principles.
Initially slated as a solar passive designed investment home, Sapphire evolved to become an innovative certified Passive House design, used as a display home to educate industry and the community regarding Passive House design and construction. We were willing to push boundaries to set new standards in industry best practice for passive house design.
Sapphire has been very well received by the local community and has won multiple awards, laying foundations for the future and enabling homeowners, designers and builders to make more sustainable choices when developing new homes.
Special Features
The Sapphire display home is unique in that it showcases many firsts for Blue Eco Homes, the construction industry, and possibly the world. These include:
Equal FIRST certified Passive House in NSW.
The FIRST Certified Passive house in Western Sydney/Blue Mountains.
The FIRST Certified Passive House in Australia (possibly the world) to also meet the development requirements for the highest bushfire risk rating – Bushfire Attack Level Flame Zone (BAL-FZ).
The FIRST house in NSW to receive Healthy House Australia Certification.
The FIRST of our new range of Concept Home Designs to be launched.
Project Challenges:
Building our first ever passive house, and the challenges of implementing what we learnt along the way.
Passive House construction and technology contradicted the technology necessary to meet BAL-FZ standards for construction.
Ensuring trades understand the construction of a Passive House and air tightness requirements.
Importing passive house materials and components from overseas.
Installing the windows and doors due to size, weight, and construction.
Considerations in meeting Healthy House requirements.
How These Project Challenges Were Overcome:
Joe trained and certified as a Passive House Tradesperson
Thorough planning of the project
Effective communication and collaboration between staff, consultants, and sub-contractors to achieve the high standards necessary for Passive House construction and certification.
Extensive research into passive house construction and technology, in combination with BAL-FZ technology.
The use of PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) to ensure this home achieved certification.
Consultation with a building biologist to ensure the materials used to construct and clean the home would meet healthy house certification standards.
Project Members
Architecture: Ingrid Donald Architect
Energy Consultant: LAROS Technologies
Building Services: Blue Eco Homes
Building Physics: Blue Eco Homes
Certifier: Luc Plowman, Detail Green
Craftsperson/Parties Involved: Blue Eco Homes
Thermal Envelope
Exterior Wall: BAL FZ
Wall Roof: BAL FZ
Roof Glazing: Triple Glazed
Mechanical Systems
Ventilation: Brink Climate System – Flair 325 HRV Unit
Domestic Hot Water: Sanden Heat Pump
PHPP Values
Climate: 5: Warm
Air Tightness: n50 = 0.4/h
Annual Heating Demand: 9 kWh/(m2a)
Heating Load: 10 W/m2
Cooling Load: 13 W/m2
Cooling and Dehumidification Demand: 4 kWh/(m2a)
PE Demand (Non-Renewable Primary Energy): 62 kWh/(m2a)
APHA Members
Blue Eco Homes seek to provide healthy, comfortable, and sustainable homes, with the lowest possible impact on the environment for the benefit of the community. Blue Eco Homes has played a significant role in developing and promoting sustainable building for over 17 years, and is a local industry leader for building in bushfire zones, regularly building homes to the highest Bushfire Attack Level – Flame Zone (BAL–FZ).