Off-Grid Lifestyle Home

For this rural lifestyle property, the clients requested an energy efficient, off-grid home which optimised the use of solar power. They required a compact design, which maximised views of the surrounding countryside and provided indoor and outdoor areas to enjoy regardless of season.

Clever design and meticulous planning were central to achieving the client’s brief. As an off-grid project, Hedger Constructions ensured all services to the site and infrastructure were captured in the build. Polished concrete floors run throughout the open plan home, providing good thermal mass, whilst commercial windows draw views in to the centre of the house and allow solar gain to passively heat the concrete slab in winter. The internal walls are exposed masonry blocks, which not only provide a solid feel and rustic style, but also create thermal mass to help provide heat retention and energy savings.

The house is serviced by a P.V. unit with full battery back‐up, double-glazed windows, low energy downlights and high levels of insulation. Attention to sealing details, siting and positioning were imperative to achieve high efficiency levels. Similarly, the use of L.P.G. gas for the hot water service and cooking offset the need for electrical production.

Read more about this property in a feature by Melbourne Home Design + Living Magazine.