End-to-end decarbonised housing at The Cape

A NEW house at The Cape in Cape Paterson demonstrates the philosophy behind the eco village of showing what’s possible in the real world, not just talking about sustainability but delivering it.

According to independent analysis by New Energy Thinking, the house will deliver around 87 per cent lower running costs compared to a typical home and avoid over 10 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

The prefabricated factory-built modular structure illustrates the efficiency and cost effectiveness of that approach, the compact building’s energy-saving credentials highlighted by a nine-star Passivhaus rating.

Constructed in the Yarra Valley by Millbuilt, the house was transported to The Cape by an electric Volvo truck, the vehicle’s ability to handle a 40-plus tonne load that was far from aerodynamic, proving electric freight vehicles are improving, albeit a charging stop was made in Grantville to ensure the truck would make the 180 kilometre total distance.

The house’s owners Ned and Sarah Kilpatrick wanted a seaside forever home built to last and as energy-efficient as possible, keen to leave the world a better place for their kids and feeling this was a practical way to do so.

Mr Kilpatrick remarked that things have been kept relatively simple, without anything highly technical or expensive.

“It is essentially a steel subframe that we had double galvanised so it wouldn’t corrode down by the sea,” he said, explaining a wooden house went on top of that subframe.

“So, on top of the steel it’s a standard stud wall house; it’s just that the walls are 140mm thick instead of the standard 90mm, so having thicker stud walls means you can have R4 insulation thickness,” Mr Kilpatrick said.

The house also features Colorbond cladding on one side and Ironbark cladding on the north side, the latter seasoned in a solar barn rather than being kiln dried, saving energy use in its preparation.

The roof is Colorbond.

Interior paint used is technically limewash and helps regulate moisture levels in the more-or-less airtight Passivhaus setting, also avoiding using paint containing plastic.

Mr Kilpatrick outlined some of the benefits that can be gained through prefabrication.

“You don’t have to be concerned about all the tradies travelling from far away to get to the build site, you don’t have to worry about materials being stolen from site or days of work lost because it’s raining.”

Millbuilt is in an old timber mill site, the business ordering its building materials in bulk, and using leftover materials for the next house, avoiding wastage.

Local tradies are employed, enjoying the benefits of working close to home and being sheltered from the weather.

General Manager of The Cape, Clint Hare was delighted by the smooth partnership between the various organisations involved in the project and everyone’s willingness to pitch in and make it work.

Along with The Cape and Millbuilt, CMV Truck & Bus and CD Wilson & Son were other partners in the end-to-end decarbonised housing journey.

“In the design and construction stage of this home, all care and consideration was given to designing and building a house that minimised materials and maximised the thermal performance of the home, so it’s a nine-star Passivhaus,” Mr Hare said.

A lot of consideration was given to the materials used, where they were sourced from, and the relative sustainability of each material be that timber or manmade products, sourced locally where possible.

The house’s clever layout and correct orientation are important, with windows facing the right direction to maximise solar heat gain in Winter and minimise heat gain in Summer.

Mr Hare summed up the importance of the project.

“This project brought together pre-fab modular construction, electric transport and a high-performance home; none of these ideas are completely new on their own but bringing them together in a single real project is what makes it powerful,” he said.