Environmental Building Advice
You may find the following links useful:
www.smarterhomes.org.nz
www.earthbuilding.org.nz
www.energywise.org.nz
www.nzgbc.org.nz
Tne New Zealand Green Building Council is an industry organisation formed to lead New Zealand’s focus on green building.
www.branz.co.nz
BRANZ provides an independent research, testing, consultancy and information resource for building and construction.
Building towards Sustainability
Self-sufficient living was one of the aims of Pat and Graham Booth when they purchased their rural Otaki property in 1997.
At their seven acre property The GrayPatch, the environmentally-friendly house they designed themselves sits atop an ancient dune swale. It looks out over surrounding farmland and the 30 acre wetland Graham is re-establishing.
The house is well positioned for sun; particularly to capture the low winter sun. Good insulation and double-glazed windows help retain heat.
The main heatsoak is the polished concrete floor which has been installed over polystyrene pods to provide better insulation from below. A wood-burner is used to heat the house and the hot water on the days or times of the year when the sun is insufficient.
Water is heated by a solar panel on the roof which thermo-siphons to a tank in the roof-space. The panel can increase the temperature of their 60 gallon cylinder by as much as 30 degrees on a very hot day.
The sun’s energy is harnessed to make electricity via photo-voltaic panels, with a total capacity of 700 watts. Electricity is also generated by a one kilowatt wind turbine located near the house, for which a large array of deep cycle batteries provides up to three days’ storage of power.
Photo-voltaic panels, located a discreet
distance from the house.
Water is collected from the roof and stored in an underground tank. Sewage is currently taken care of by a composting toilet and grey-water disposal system.
A concrete floor holds Composting toilet.
the sun's heat.
Pat and Graham found the best resources to help them with sustainable building were:
- Sustainable Home Guidelines Waitakere City Council
- Warm House, Cool House Nick Hollo published by Choice Books, Australian Consumers Association (ACA)
- Sustainable House Michael Hobbs published by Choice Books, Australian Consumers Association (ACA)
- Energy Wise News Published quarterly by EECA Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NZ)
- Re New Published quarterly by the ATA (Alternative Technology Association).