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Harrington Hybrid Homes

Passive solar house

New Zealand > Auckland > Rodney District > Riverhead
Contact the owner

Property Details
Land area:   809 m2
Building area:   90 m2
Date built:   2008
Bedrooms:   2
Bathrooms:   2
Living areas:   1
 

Property Features
Dining room ,  Study / office ,  Water views
 

Description

This house was designed by the land, it adopts to the site constraints which are quite significant, including an overland flow path, underground stream and springs. This led to an interesting shape, offering open space and privacy, whatever is required.
Built from boron treated pine with extensive use of exposed macrocarpa beams and joists, a double galzed double height void area catching the day's sun and storing it in the well insulated concrete slab, maintaining an even temperature during day and night thus minimizing heating requirements and moisture.
Timber offcuts from construction will heat the house for years, waste during construction was as little as 10 rubbish bags.
No soil was removed from site and the overland flow path was incorporated into the design and turned into a feature.
The evacuated tube solar panel systems delivers optimal performance and stores the hot water into a german made highly insulated water cylinder to minimize temperature loss at night or rainy days.
Land use was minimized by a two storey construction and also to minimize the exterior surface while optimizing solar gain on the northern facade.
Lighting layout incorporates separate perimeter and inner room lighting to save energy as well as specially selected halogen and CF lights according to their need, purpose and usage time.
The building is not completed yet but already proves it's performance by maintaining it's 18 to 21 deg temperature although not being occupied nor heated.