South Australia now has its first ten-star rated energy efficient home with construction finished at the Woodforde property in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs, with the home featuring the latest in energy efficient technology and innovation.
The property uses the latest technology including roof, wall, window and floor construction methods and materials to reduce energy consumption.
A house which is rated ten out of ten stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) does not need artificial heating and cooling to keep you comfortable, which could significantly reduce household bills and benefit the environment. Instead of air conditioning, the property uses energy recovery to change the temperature of fresh air supply with the outgoing indoor passively controlled air.
Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs, who toured the Woodforde property recently, said the house was another example of South Australia leading the way when it comes to environmental and energy innovation.
“South Australia is a national leader when it comes to energy and environmental policy and this ten-tar rated energy efficient home is another example of this,” Mr Speirs said.
“Around Australia more than 75 per cent of homes that get assessed under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme only achieve six or less stars, so to have a ten star-rated home in South Australia is very exciting.
“The house at Woodforde uses the latest technology and innovation to reduce energy consumption which can significantly lower household bills and lower emissions.
“In December the Marshall Liberal Government released our Climate Change Action Plan which is the most powerful vision for climate action in South Australia’s history. The Action Plan provides an ambitious practical approach to dealing with a changing climate, building a strong green economy and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions and buildings such as the one at Woodforde are a great example of local projects which can help.
“Demand for low emissions and climate-smart products is growing, and South Australia is well equipped to use our abundance of sun, wind and other natural resources to take full advantage of this growing demand.”
Suho Studio Manager, Ruth Nordstrom, said the ten-star home is an immersive mode of education that reaches further than one particular subdivision of the built environment sector or consumer.
“What is most exciting is the interest growing on the other aspects demonstrated in the home such as human health, indoor air quality, alleviating respiratory conditions and behavioural benefits which directly relate to aged care, education, hospitals and the like,” Ms Nordstrom said.
“Expanding on the interest of this project, the building monitors and adapts through windows, ventilation, CO2 and humidity to the changing climatic conditions, this has resulted in a home ‘as-built’ to international standards of airtightness and indoor health, something we believe the South Australian trade economy is well equipped to provide the skills or services for.
“We can further support the implementation of such Climate Change Action Plans by providing a consumer driven change in the industry from the bottom-up as homeowners are more empowered with knowledge.
“The off-the-plan designs we are providing from this home, are also an example of how this building is replicable, providing an owner the specification to control the build of their own healthy seven plus star home and assist better living standards.”
