Caulfield Solar House, Victoria

Design Philosophy

The Caulfield solar house is designed to use the sun as its heat source. Northern orientation maximises natural heating through passive solar gain. The curved spine wall provides internal thermal mass, separating the north-oriented living spaces and yoga studio from the southern service areas. The insertion of courtyards maximises passive cooling through cross ventilation and the two-storey void around the stair acts as a thermal chimney, removing excess summer heat through stack effect. Gas-boosted solar hot water is integrated with the hydronic heating system in the concrete floor that provides energy-efficient heating. The design is sensitive to the religious needs of the client incorporating facilities for orthodox customs, food preparation and festival celebration.

Sustainable Design Elements

• Orientation for passive solar gain for natural heating in winter, complemented by external shading to prevent summer overheating
• Two-storey stair void acts as a thermal chimney, naturally removing heat in summer through stack effect
• Thermal mass provided by rendered concrete block curved walls
• Solar hot water integrated with hydronic heating system in the insulated ground floor concrete slab
• Pool used as a ‘heat sink’ for excess heat generated by solar system
• Low-voltage, energy-efficient lighting design
• Rainwater harvested and stored in tanks and bore water for garden use
• High-performance thermal insulation and double glazing