Sustainable Habitat Challenge 09Team Update Sept 2009

Symposium Registration

project name Institution/s location build type

Te Hira Whanau Bach 101 Te Hira Whanau & UNITEC / ScALA / Te Hononga

Rangitoto Island retrofit

Team Canterbury CPIT, University of Canterbury, and Lincoln

Christchurch (relocatable)

new build

Team Housewise Housing New Zealand, Landcare Research, University of Auckland

Auckland retrofit

Whareuku University of Auckland Lake Rotoiti new build

Team Dunedin Otago Polytechnic, University of Otago

Dunedin (relocatable) new build

Team Waikato Wintec Hamilton new build

The Plant Room Victoria University, Massey University, Weltec

Wellington retrofit

Team Central Otago Otago Polytechnic Clyde new build

Unitec EcoBach Unitec Auckland new build

SHAC 09 is a project of the Otago Polytechnic. Significant funding has been supplied by the Minister for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund.

SHAC TEAMS

WhareukuUniversity of Auckland

“We see house design as a key aspect that needs to change in order to lessen the negative impact of humans on our natural environment”.

Vision for More Sustainable HousingThe Whareuku team from the University of Auckland are developing a low-cost, !ax-"bre reinforced earthen housing solution for rural Maori communities in the SHAC 09 competition. Our scenario for sustainable living is one where the basic needs (social, cultural and physical) of each individual in the community are

of Maori kaitiakitanga (guardianship). The concept of kaitiakitanga is a holistic concept that places the occupants of the land in the context of a greater whole with a responsibility to protect and preserve the environmental and spiritual wellbeing of the land. Our team is made up of students that are motivated by the clear need to change the ways the building industry currently provides housing, so that our generation and generations after us can and will have our housing needs met and have a healthy and sustainable natural environment to live in.

The Whareuku project, based at the University of Auckland, and under the leadership of the Principal Investigator Kepa Morgan, has partnered with a number of Maori community representatives from around the North Island to develop a practical, low-cost, !ax-"bre reinforced, earthen housing solution for use on rural Maori land. The Whareuku earth housing project has been developed from a novel !ax "bre reinforced earth idea into a two bedroom, 90 m2 house design and will be completed with the construction of the earthen building.

ChallengesBecause of our involvement in the SHaC competition, we looked at ways to "t out the house and create a sustainable house that considered all aspects of resource consumption and owner interaction with the building. One path focused on developing high-tech, super e#cient but more expensive solutions and the other focused on technology and solutions that everyone (including the poor and 3rd world developing

which is only used by the neighbouring communities and provides an abundant supply of water for a "xed cost each month. This raised an issue with implementing dual !ush toilets, !ow restricting shower heads and aerated taps because there was no "nancial or practical incentive for the builder/plumber or house occupant to install these more expensive water saving devices. In the end we did implement these features but it raised a point that at least in this rural community, is can be considered sustainable to use larger volumes of water than average because the generation of clean water is greater than the communities total water consumption. Early dialogue with "ve rural Maori papakainga revealed this particular site as the best site in terms of available land, agreement with the local people and the available labour for the research project. The relations with the people of the land and project preparation progressed and developed well with the designs, the labour force and the site con"rmed. Near the time construction however, a few people with an interest in the land objected to the project and the dispute went to the point where a Maori Land Court injunction was being prepared to stop the project. The replacement site identi"ed is where the Whareuku house stands today. From this we learnt to always have a backup location in mind because developing on Maori land is, more often than not, a di#cult process in several respects.

Opportunities for the next SHACThe methodology and stage of development should remain open and reasonably unde"ned keeping in line with the idea that this competition is more about working collaboratively and celebrating the diverse national research initiatives, helping them reach a practical stage (house building), raising the level of public awareness and facilitating co-operation in all areas and levels of society and government. In the future we

Media Enquiries:

Lake RotoitiWhareuku - SHAC Facts

housing solution

the consumption of power

the consumption of water-

ing system

walls regulates the indoor air temperature

Model - Local labour and resources used in the building are a part of the owner contributed down payment of the house.

supports local community building of housing. op-portunities to share about the housing research and to increase the environmental awareness of hom-eowners in the local community (Rotoiti)

Te Hira Whanau - Bach 101Te Hira Whanau & UNITEC / ScALA / Te Hononga

Vision for More Sustainable HousingSustainability has always been inherent in the typology of the classic Kiwi bach. You design and build it your-self, you reuse found and local materials, and you and your family has a real connection to the place. You also become a kaitiaki or guardian for a piece of our precious coastline. However, with the combined chal-lenges of coastal real estate price rises and the removal of Bachs built on crown land from the 1980s, the true kiwi bach is now certainly an endangered species.

ProgressThe Bach 101 retro"ts were "nished in 2008. Following the 1 week build, family members completed water tank reinstallation and so#t bird proo"ng and during the summer the family added a photovoltaic solar panel to provide electricity to run e#cient LED lights.

ChallengesThe key challenge over the 1 week build was to manage unforseen repairs required to the south wall and bedroom !oor while trying to maintain progress on the 3 core areas namely re roof, re cladding south wall new composting toilet and generator building. While this meant a full on dawn to dusk building schedule we were well pleased to complete all elements to a fully closed in weather proof level.

Opportunities for the next SHACThe Te Hira Whanau – Bach 101 represents a beacon of resistance to both the ubiquitous gentri"cation of kiwi bachs (many claiming bach status but are really beach houses) and the loss of those built on crown land. With Bach 101, the maintenance of low energy and water use practises and the adoption of appropriate technol-ogy solutions like Solar powered LED lighting systems and composting toilets has helped to preserve the es-sence of Kiwi bach life while enhancing cultural and environmental sustainability. The opportunity therefore exists for SHaC to help promote more simple, appropriate technology coastal living solutions which maintain, enhance and reclaim sustainable connection to place.

Media Enquiries: Rau Hoskins 021 658 019 rau@designtribe.co.nz

"Upgrading the bach was working in themorning and swimming in the afternoon.”

Rangitoto IslandTe Hira Whanau - SHAC Facts

is low-energy. The bach has a new insulated south wall and ceiling and low-energy solar powered LED lighting that replaced less e#cient candles, lamps and generator

enclosed by basalt walls and corrugated iron roof, is used to both cook food and keep whanau members warm in the winter months and on cooler evenings.

when collected from the bach roof with rainwater tanks

Waste: Reuse of materials reduces waste. This approach included recycled timber joinery windows and recycled corrugated iron for the roof of the toilet and generator shed

built in 1919 from native timbers (mainly kauri) and has wall paper on scrim on kauri sarked walls. The !oor has

!oor boards.

the family, it is inherently well-suited and adaptable.

“The goal is to get as close as possible to 100% renewable energy”.Vision for More Sustainable Housing

also using building materials that lessen the impact on our environment, and highlighting how we are currently using and living in our homes. Students will investigate and explore new systems and materials for the Unitec

be made available to industry sponsors, students, local government and the wider community.

In addition to the construction of the bach Product Design Students from the Bachelor of Product Design have been concerned with designing innovative, sustainable and appropriate products (and product systems) for

kinds of research designers can undertake within the product design context to support more sustainable solutions and secondly, how can designers contribute towards more sustainable lifestyles. The solutions arrived at are equally applicable as retro-"t items to any existing home.Each of the product designers was asked to prepare concept proposals for one or more of the following

1.Interior and exterior lighting design 2. Interior and exterior furniture design

5. Bathroom design

The breadth of concepts arrived at ranges from water harvesting products, water e#cient baths, fencing and screening, educational resources to storage and anerobic digestion systems.

Key elements for build or retro"t: Energy - The goal is to get as close as possible to 100% renewable energy. There is no power from the grid to this site. Everything must be generated on site from solar photo voltaic cells, wind power and if absolutely necessary a bio diesel generator. Power consumption will be monitored by measuring what is generated and stored in the batteries and how much is actually used. Energy e#cient appliances will enable this to be reduced. Heating is by way of hot air in the roof cavity being directed down over and stored in the concrete slab. This is released back into the house at night through vents in the !oor. Cooling in summer uses the same path in reverse.

Water - Rain water harvesting, solar water heating and a grey water "ltering system will be the main features of this project. This aligns with the SHaC 09 vision and modelling on this is still to come. Average water use per person in Auckland City is 203 litres per person per day. It is expected that the potential SHaC parameter of 90 litres per day will be easily achievable. The site has no mains reticulated water. Irrigation of the garden surrounding the house will also be supplied by the rain water harvesting system. Solar hot water heating must supply all the hot water that the household uses daily for bathing, laundry and dishwashing.

Materials: Team vision is to source durable materials and where possible locally. The Hebel cladding has to come from Australia. The choice of this material was governed by its thermal insulation properties for winter. With

is an oil derivative but the extra insulation value it adds to the wall and the reduction in energy use over the life of the building may out way this. The Building Code requirement for timber cladding is 15yrs. This system

time. Timber products will be sourced from plantations approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council. This will limit the number of suppliers available to the team. Recycled timber !ooring will be used to limit the amount of emissions, preventing ozone depletion and reducing volatile organic compounds.

Waste: Unitec Sustainable team goals are to minimise waste during construction and recycle where possible. Students will determine where the waste products will go and the absolute minimum will be sent to land"ll. This exercise will form part of the learning outcomes for the certi"cate of applied technology students building the house. Waste products from the house services will be processed on site. Grey water to be processed through "ltering system appropriate for an organic garden.

Media Contactger Bateman bateman 7667 http://designprojects.ning.com

Unitec EcocribUnitec - Product Design and School of Applied Technology, Auckland

Auckland

ecocrib

ecocrib

ECO

CRIBECO

CRIB

where food prep, cooking, recycling and storage meets socialising combined with a table for homework, dining and other activities. Materials are considered via LCA and the two part design allows for recon"guration and use in a variety of rooms.

Unitec Ecocrib - SHAC Facts

indoor temperature and moisture control

Team Housewise

“I have really enjoyed being part of the discussions. They have let me contribute my ideas. I have even become a keen gardener, and I am now recycling as well.” (tenant)

Vision for More Sustainable Living

a 1950s state house with useable technologies that facilitate more environmentally and socially sustainable

more sustainable living. We have run a design workshop including the tenant to make sure we are delivering an appropriate upgrade.

The UpgradeThe upgrade includes added insulation, open plan kitchen and lounge, an extra bedroom, a heat pump water heater, a heat pump air heater and a rainwater tank. An example of involving the tenant, Barbara, in the upgrade discussions was when she suggested a new window in her kitchen. “I wanted to be able to watch my children from the kitchen when they were playing outside.” Barbara also told us that the pellet "re we had suggested might be too hot and dangerous for her children. “I have really enjoyed being part of the discussions. They have let me contribute my ideas. I have even become a keen gardener, and I am now recycling as well,” she added.

ProgressThe "nal design is now being consented. Expressions of Interest from builders are being sought.

We have completed design reviews and are looking to lodge building consent. Tenant liaison has gone well with the team brie"ng the tenant regularly on the project, and seeking input into aspects of the interventions, i.e type of control panel for heat exchange system, secure backyard for the kids to play, etc.

Communications Our team has developed a new logo for communication purposes. The project has featured in local community news, Tamaki Campus University of Auckland Newsletter and internet site and the local Glen Innes Business Association newsletter.

ChallengesTeam Housewise has selected a family who is very excited to be part of this renovation project. The family has been integrated into the design process through an in-depth interview and participation in an initial design charette. We look forward to working with the family to design usable renovations to make the house warmer, drier and healthier, and monitoring the resulting bene"t to the environment.

Finally, we have begun collecting historical data on resource consumption (energy and water as well as health indicators – the family has been in the same house for 10 years – to enable us to have a reasonable benchmark for progress towards our goals of better performance in-use. We are also beginning to monitor the existing indoor environment for temperature and humidity benchmarks. Once the work on the house is complete, we will spend part of next year monitoring the actual performance of what basic house improvements and

Media Contact

Auckland

Team Housewise - SHAC Facts

for State Houses

sources, hardware and minor design elements for the house.

for water and wastewater for the house.

practicable.

and tenant education programme

principals and look at asset improvements such as passive ventilation, fan ventilation system, insulation, etc to ensure a healthy indoor environment and ensure tenant education covers importance of this

are fully aware and trained on how to maximise the house features and also ensuring the budget is reasonable and ensuring the repeatability of some or all of the features in future upgrades of similar stock.

design keeps with local character, civic identity, e#cient use of land, pedestrian, cycle, and vehicle friendly. The design would also support social ties and link with multiple transport systems

TEAMHOUSEWISE

TEAMHOUSEWISE

Vision for More Sustainable HousingTo The home has always been a symbol of a safe, protective environment with architects, builders and homeowners alike knowing the importance of healthy insulated homes. With support from their supplying partnersThe School of Trades at Wintec have constructed a 1-bedroom relocatable ancillary unit made of 90% sustainable and re-cycleable materials. “The students along with local industry have worked the project, usingPine from the Pine plantations of New Zealand with great enthusiasm,” said tutor, Trevor Wyatt. “The unit is well insulated, showing that we can save energy by insulating, creating awarm, healthy environment.” The insulation properties incorporated into the unit ensure that there is always a comfortable living environment in any season – and the energy savings should be significant. The Wintec Eco House is ideal for farms, baches or the extra room for visitors. Visit the Wintec Eco House and see the possibilities for saving money with top quality housing that require less resources and are great placesto live. Bid at the Auction and Help Hospice Waikato.

Key SHAC Team Waikato House Features

less materials to make. The panels will be custom-made to suit the design from standard plywood sheets with very little waste.

exposed ground dark coloured concrete !oor. Additional solar storage in translucent water-"lled trombe walls.

exterior insulating shutters provide additional insulation in winter if required, or shading of the trombe walls in summer.

construction. Mechanical ventilation will be required as a result. This will be combined with a heat exchanger to scavenge the exhaust air. No additional heating will be provided as it is not expected to be necessary.

house because of the inherent nature of the panels. The interior surfaces will be exposed premium plywood which will be clear powder-coated. This impervious surface has a long life and high impact resistance. These factors, should result in a long service life for the building as constructed.

purpose.

ChallengesForeign exchange has made the trial SIP panel importation possibly too dear. The construction methodology is being reconsidered. The team is "nalising its design and is meeting potential suppliers next week. The team plans a quick build in preparation for the Waikato Home Show.

Media Enquiries: Trevor Wyatt, Wintec , trevor.wyatt@wintec.ac.nz 07 834 8800 ext 8732

Team WaikatoWintec, Hamilton

HamiltonTeam Waikato SHAC Facts

building has less surface area to lose heat through, and uses less materials to make. Very high levels of insulation in ceiling, wall and !oor with very little thermal bridging. Highly airtight construction. The design has a signi"cant amount of Northern glazing with suitable summer shading. Solar heat store in exposed ground dark coloured concrete !oor. Additional solar storage in translucent water-"lled trombe walls.

design from standard plywood sheets with very little waste. Embodied energy is lowered by reduced use of steel and imported products.

a heat exchanger to scavenge the exhaust air. The interior surfaces will be exposed premium plywood which will be clear powder-coated.

is transportable, it can be moved to another location when it no longer suits the purpose.

The Plant RoomUniversity of Victoria School of Architecture, Massey University

“Our regenerative habitat, the Plant Room, is an inner-city project that will generate energy, collect water, recycle waste and grow food whilst addressing urgent housing needs”.

ObjectivesOne of the more unique aspects of living in Wellington is its dense inner city culture and the already high rate

living scenarios, high density, low-rise buildings, rooftop gardens, a variety of communities, and importantly, in the context of a post-oil-crash society, the need to live close to work, schools and shops. We felt that looking at higher-density living, particularly higher-density social housing was a need we should address for the Wellington region. We are also concerned that environmental sustainability as a goal may never be achieved

consume large amounts of energy.

Our current building stock is likely to be with us for a long time and there is a tremendous opportunity to improve these buildings to make them more energy e#cient, comfortable to live in and socially sustainable. We wish to address this issue through retro"tting a generic Wellington apartment. More broadly we are interested in

Vision for More Sustainable LivingThe Plant Room is a prefabricated room that bolts-on to a variety of existing apartment types. A Plant Room provides hot water for one, a healthy growing space for herbs, fruit and vegetables all year round, a worm farm, a rainwater tank, an outdoor space and an enclosed room.

It shades the apartment to avoid summer overheating and collects hot air to circulate warmth in the winter. It is

It could also be a suitable solution to o#ce retro-"ts.

We have committed to build two Plant Rooms:The "rst will be a transportable exhibition to communicate the ideas of sustainable building to the wider community. It will be "tted to a shipping container and exhibited at various locations around new zealand. The container will also provide a location for events where the technologies and products used can be fully explained. The second will be "tted to an apartment building. It will be occupied, monitored and tested to establish the base level of performance of the unit and to drive future development of the plant room as a potential building product/component.

Media ContactJessica Bennett VUW - jessbenorama@gmail.com 027 213 0817

The Plant Room - SHAC Facts

to a typical apartment. No energy will be required for space heating.

water recycling Wormerator Composting Toilets

maximum possible proportion of recycled materials. A green roof / wall modular system will be designed

drainage mat made from recycled tyres. The bolt-on plant room element will be made from recycled timber and local stone pavers for thermal mass. Glazing will be new to ensure a high performance standard. These two systems will be designed to be fully demountable so that they can be reused over and over.

reduction in construction & demolition waste 100% of grey water will be re-used for garden irrigation/ watering vegetable gardens. 100% blackwater (solids) fed to worm farm

Wellington

your average family living in Dunedin the opportunity to live in a more sustainable way than what they normally would.”

Vision for More Sustainable Housing in Otago

fact encompasses a variety of accessible and sustainable materials and services. Good use of conventional

use of energy, good use of the sun, and good insulation. It will be a pleasure to live in because of good design, including e#cient use of space.

Progress

Challenge. The house is being built by Otago Polytechnic Carpentry students and has been designed to be as

Challenges1. Working with existing sponsors. Team Dunedin is working with sponsors in order to fund their build. This

is both a positive and a challenge – we are strengthening existing relationships and putting a twist on our sponsorship relationship by asking for more sustainable products. Happily, our sponsors understand our motives and are happy to oblige. Without them, our build could not go ahead – but will aspects of

2. Ours is a transportable home built by new building students that must be taught to achieve unit standards. This must be the largest parameter to our project and build.

3. Working an education environment. With a team made up of members who each had their own personal

match objectives, as well as timelines.

more sustainable building is simply practical building. In the presence of misconceptions about what

underestimated.

Opportunities for the next SHACTeam Dunedin, therefore strongly advocates for a SHaC 2011/2012 – whatever the funding and timelines dictate. Firstly, the team itself might need a bit more time. We feel like our design was rushed through in a way and we would have liked to have a bit more time – but I guess it is hard to make everyone happy! We would also like to have had better opportunities to work with industry – if this could be coordinated somehow that would

expand the skills of our carpentry students. We really hope to have another opportunity with SHaC to try new

Media Contact 0800 762 786

Team DunedinOtago Polytechnic and The University of Otago

Team Dunedin SHAC Facts

mean low energy requirements. E#cient heating supported - wood burner, pellet "re, or heat pump.

much less costs to build or heat

for composting

and carpet

portable, bike storage

Dunedin:

Team Central OtagoOtago Polytechnic

“Hopefully it will provoke people to think and see

Description

house for the arid, Central Otago environment.

Vision for More Sustainable Housing

In keeping with his Finnish roots, a sauna and loft was part of the design brief and has been incorporated into the home. Earthen !oors, a "ve tonne masonry stove, earthen plasters, and a central mass wall are design elements and materials that will all act as passive solar collectors which absorb the direct radiation during the day and assist in warming the home during the cold Central Otago nights.

Utilizing straw bales, with an R-value of R6 wall insulation, will take a non-toxic, natural, renewable and potentially polluting waste product (as straw is often burned) and create a wonderfully insulated, beautiful sanctuary from exterior noise and temperatures.

Passive solar, active solar thermal and the masonry stove will keep the interior space and domestic hot water needs to the right temperature while keeping environmental emissions and use of fossil fuels to a minimum. Reuse of materials has also been a focus by salvaging timber for use in windows, !oors, ceilings and structural members.

The landscape has been designed to include both native plantings and edibles.

ProgressDesign changes and consenting issues have slowed progress. Building is now expected to start in September 2009. Construction began in mid July with the site being excavated and prepping it for the salvaged tilt slab

September 2009Building a Masonry Stove, Straw Bale Design & Construction, Introduction to Natural Building, Photovoltaics, among others. Contact 0800 765 9276 to sign up for these courses today.

Media ContactSarah Johnston, Sol Design Ltd./Otago Polytechnic, sarahjohnston@ihug.co.nz 03 693 7369

Clyde, Central Otago

Team Central Otago - SHAC Facts

mostly professionals in the construction industry

display Centre in Cromwell

masonry stove with heat exchanger

mass wall to act as passive solar collectors, absorbing the warmth of the direct solar radiation

cabinetry

Team CanterburyCanterbury University/ Lincoln University/Christchurch Polytechnic

“We were looking for long term, solutions that will bene"t the Canturbury region for years to come.”

Vision for More Sustainable Housing

Team Canterbury (CPIT, University of Canterbury and Lincoln University) developed its concept entry based on four key requirements:

Progress

furnishing concepts from paint and colour schemes through to wall and !oor coverings; and the Trades

Key elements for build or retro"t: Power: Grid tied system with provision for night rate meter and renewable alternatives such as solar PV should they become economically or environmentally sensible. Use the power from the grid if available as it will be

active solar evacuated tube system coupled to an on demand electric booster will be speci"ed. Ensure that the

into bedrooms from the passive solar and heat pump or small pellet "re.

Lighting: Compact !uorescent lights to be used throughout the entire home. Sensors for outdoor lights will minimise excess lighting while providing safety and security. Maximise use of natural lighting for living areas. No heat-leaking, low throw ceiling recessed spot lights! Appliances: Energy star rated appliances are highly

be sized according to the household requirements. A power meter unit will be installed to provide energy use information to the occupants as a type of feedback loop to help establish less wasteful behaviours.

Water: The main goals for this category is reducing mains water demand to 90 litres per person per day and

Hands-free kitchen "xture and a timer device in the shower will manage wasteful behaviour. Waste: The goals for our waste category are to reduce waste during construction and implementing sediment and erosion control during construction and operation.

Materials: The house will have a 150mm thick wall, with R3.6 insulation. The roof will have R5 insulation and the !oor R1.3. The living area !oor will be tiled to add thermal mass. This also reduces the amount of dust and allergenic substances in the house that reside in carpet. Two materials that are hard to dispose of are Pink Batts and treated timber. It is requested that during construction, the tradesmen take extra care when installing Batts, to make for a thermally tight house, and also to make it easier to remove the batts and reuse them at the end of the buildings life.

producing species and raised-bed structures. Purpose-built concrete compost bins installed behind the home as is the rain-water collection tank.

Media Enquires: Associate Professor Susan Krumdieck susan.krumdieck@canterbury.ac.nz 03 364 2987 ext 7249

Canterbury - SHAC Facts

sustainable house using timber framing and carefully considered conventional building techniques

requirements. Sun capturing north facing windows, E#cient heating heat pump.

designed so that it could be built in sections, as money is saved up.

transportable, and can be moved.

Christchurch