Courtyard Passivhaus
Residential: Single Dwelling
Low Energy Building Certification
Anglesea, VIC, 2023
Courtyard Passivhaus is an example of building efficiently, with an adequate floor area (but not large) and is built to higher standards than code. It serves a couple who have guests, requiring a warm sense of welcome, but with privacy and designed efficiently to meet zero carbon in use.
It provides a master bedroom with en-suite and two guest bedrooms, together with two bathrooms. Its large entry lobby works as a dining room, hobbies room, and airlock. The living, dining, kitchen has a TV nook and a small wood-burning stove. This together with the lobby looks out into a courtyard enclosed by a rammed earth wall with directed views out.
The site was selected for its north facing slope, and the house’s orientation of due North was determined by the solar opportunity.
Retaining as many trees and shrubs as possible, given its BAL29 location, the building has been detailed to be slippery to minimise the risk of ember attack in the event of fire.
The external material palette comprises rammed earth, horizontal, spotted gum boarding, and matt finish, basalt coloured ribbed Colorbond metal cladding.
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AIRTIGHTNESS n50 ACH@50pascals: 0.8
HEATING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 14
COOLING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 6
HEATING LOAD (W/m²): 15
COOLING LOAD (W/m²): 26
PRIMARY ENERGY DEMAND (PE) (kWh/m².yr): 63
PRIMARY ENERGY RENEWABLE DEMAND (PER): 28
PRIMARY ENERGY RENEWABLE GENERATION (PER): 81 -
LOCATION: Anglesea, VIC
NCC CLIMATE ZONE: 6 – Mild temperate
NATHERS CLIMATE ZONE: 64
YEAR OF COMPLETION: 2023
TREATED FLOOR AREA (PHPP sqm): 177.3
PROJECT TYPE: New Build
RESIDENTIAL: Single Dwelling
CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Timber Frame, Rammed Earth
CERTIFICATION LEVEL/ ENERGY STANDARD: Low Energy Building -
PREFAB ELEMENTS: Timber frame wall panels
MHRV SYSTEM: Zehnder Comfoair Q350
DOMESTIC HOT WATER SYSTEM: Reclaim REHP-CO2- 250GL
EXTERIOR WALL TYPE, U-VALUE: Insulated timber frame, 0.207
FLOOR SLAB TYPE, U-VALUE: Timber / insulation / slab, 0.305
ROOF INSULATION TYPE, MANUFACTURER: Bradford Gold, R7
ROOF CONSTRUCTION: Timber frame, cathedral ceiling With ventilated ColorBond surface
ROOF ENVELOPE U-VALUE: 0.144
GLAZING TYPE, MANUFACTURER, U W-VALUE, G-VALUE, U G-VALUE: Double, Viridian, 1.32, 0.59, 1.10
EXTERNAL DOOR TYPE, MANUFACTURER, U D-VALUE: Timberdore, European Timber Windows, 1.75 -
NUMBER OF MODULES: 24
HEIGHT, WIDTH OF ONE MODULE (m, m): 1.033 x 1.872
HEIGHT OF ARRAY: 4m and 7m above GL
EFFICIENCY (%): 90
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> The use of a double 90mm thick stud wall for the main structure, enabling 180mm of quilt insulation to be provided.
> Use of Posi-strut floor joists to allow ventilation pipe work within the floor.
> Bespoke Spotted Gum hardwood windows and doors incorporating Viridian Light Bridge
> Spotted gum external cladding incorporating Sioox long-life timber coating constructed as a ventilated rain screen
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The sloping triangular site, located in the coastal town of Anglesea, is 1065m2 and is 46m above sea level on hilly terrain with mature bushland in all surrounding property. It is bounded on two sides by roads, and the solution to incorporate an external courtyard provides external privacy and a continuation of the living spaces. An arrival court has been created around an existing mature Eucalypt, providing a view to the lobby interior and beyond to the courtyard. This creates a sense of a large continuous space, partly internal within this modest sized house. Seven alternative living spaces have been created including the courtyard and roof deck. It has already proved itself as a venue for celebrations.
Engineers identified that ground conditions limited the economic opportunities for thermal storage in the slab. Thermal mass had to be provided in alternative ways with a rendered solid concrete block inside the thermal envelope and internal bluestone floor tiles inside the north windows. They also assisted the architect in ensuring that the steel required in the structure was located outside the thermal envelope to avoid cold bridges.
The rammed earth wall was internally insulated where it is used as an external wall to the guest bedrooms. The insulation is installed continuously through to the adjoining external wall constructions.
The incorporation of a room-sealed wood-burning stove (very few are certified for use in Australia) and a high-quality insulated pet door may have slightly compromised the air tightness of the project. These are important client requirements, and the clients are therefore satisfied with PHI Low Energy Building certification.
Project Members
PASSIVHAUS CERTIFIER: Marcus Strang of Hip V Hype
PASSIVHAUS CONSULTANT/ ARCHITECT/ BUILDING DESIGNER: Fred Batterton and Josh Batterton of Studio B Architects
CONTRACTOR / BUILDER: Michael Limb Builders
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Yttrup
PROJECT MANAGER / ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT: Fred Batterton and Josh Batterton of Studio B Architects
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Joel Seagren
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Lighthaus Electrical
QUANTITY SURVEYOR: Prowse
WINDOW SUPPLIER: European Timber Windows
HRV SUPPLIER: Fantech
AIRTIGHTNESS MEMBRANE SUPPLIER: Proclima
INSULATION SUPPLIER: Bradford & Thermostruct
ROOFING SUPPLIER: Colorbond, Withers Roofing
BLOWER DOOR TESTER: Efficiency Matrix
PHOTOGRAPHER: Aaron Pocock