Passive House Design

Farnsworth House Project will team up with a local builder to create a home that performs brilliantly in Central Victoria conditions. Designing for climate ensures house occupants remain thermally comfortable with minimal auxiliary heating or cooling, working with the climate, not against it.

Studiees show 40% of household energy is used for heating and cooling to achieve thermal comfort. This could be cut to almost zero using climate responsive design. Read more here at the Australian Government YOUR HOME website

Solar Powered Energy

Clean renewable electrical energy generation systems are becoming increasingly accessible to the average homeowner either installed at home and connected to the grid or purchased as GreenPower. As part of the consultation process for the Farnsworth House Project we will work with you to determine which renewable enegy generation system best suits your lifestyle.

Electricity accounts for about 53% of the energy used in Australian households but creates around 87% of the greenhouse gas emissions (DEWHA 2008). Read more here at the Australian Government YOUR HOME website

Best Passive House Builders

Passive Builders are one of the builders you will be able to choose from. They are dedicated to building houses that perform to the highness standard in thermal performance and air quality. Depending on your desired outcome, they can either have your home Passive House Certified, or simply design, specify and detail a home that meets best practice. Working almost exclusively in Central Victoria Passive Builders are experts in delivering Passive House systems specifically tailored to the nature of the climatic conditions. To read more go to their website HERE.

Water Smart

Rainwater is a valuable natural resource that has been collected by Australian households for domestic use since colonial times. Here in Castlemaine we have connection to a reticulated, treated (mains) water supply but you can significantly lower mains water usage by installing a rainwater harvesting system.

Farnsworth House Project will help you specify the best tank sytle and size for your needs. This will reduce water bills, provide an alternative water supply during water restrictions and help maintain a green, healthy garden. Read more HERE

Appropriate Size Footprint

Farnsworth House Project is designed to be large enough or small enough for a couple, single person or small family. It certainly isn’t a tiny house. It is, however, a modest size home with space for privacy and entertaining both inside and out. It is a responsibly sized house which considers it’s inhabitants as well as the township and land on which it’s sited. Urban density, as opposed to urban sprawl, is desirable when considering the environment. The well thought out relationship between the dwellings enables this cluster of buildings, here on the Farnsworth St hill, to sit comfortably. In doing so they provide urban density without compromising amenity, views, relationships to neighboring houses, or the sense of spaciousness necessary for wellbeing.

Edible + Waterwise Gardens

The planning and design of outdoor space will be considered an integral part of your home’s sustainable design. Landscaping and garden design will simultaneously address aesthetics and amenity, water management, air quality, climate modification, biodiversity, habitat creation and local food production. It will also help warm and cool your house. Read more HERE.

During the consultation phase of the project we will work together to create outdoor spaces that are as beautiful to look out over from the house, as they are to be in when outdoors. Designed by desire we will find out what type of garden suits this environment and makes you happy.