I live in Brisbane in an old Queenslander. These are wooden houses traditionally with high ceilings and on stilts to allow for air circulation and beat the heat of the tropics. They tend to be difficult to insulate and my home is particularly cold during our brief winter. When there is no breeze the house can also be hot in summer.
There was some discussion about energy efficient homes at this web-log on 25th November; that was the day the Australian Building Codes Board meet to discuss implementing a 5-star building standard for new homes across the whole of Australia, click here.
In a comment following the post Steve explained:
This standard relates to a home’s thermal design – how much energy is required to keep it cool in summer and warm in winter.
Victoria had already implemented a 5-star requirement for new homes, since July 2004.
In addition to the 5-star requirement, the Victorian policy requires the home builder to also install either a solar hot water system OR a raintank.
The Housing industry media release posted by Jen is about the implmenetation of 5-star across the country.
According to the today’s The Sunday Mail – a local Brisbane paper – the resulting new energy-efficiency laws could spell the end of the iconic Queenslander home:
Changes to the building code to be adopted next year mean wooden houses and timber floors could be a thing of the past, Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane told The Sunday Mail yesterday.
The “five-star” energy-efficiency measures to be introduced from May are also tipped to increase the cost of building an average house by up to $15,000.
Mr Macfarlane called the decision a “terrible mistake” and warned it would be the death of elevated homes built with timber floors on stilts.
“The ordinary house on stumps
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.