Building A House With Zero Carbon Emissions

By Author: Sharyn Parker
Total Articles: 39
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Eco-friendly homes built with zero carbon emissions are now within reach for average Aussie families thanks to the latest project run by the CSIRO.
Dubbed the AusZEH project, the CSIRO is currently building sustainable houses for the average Australian family with the help of government and industry partners.
Each of the AusZEH houses were designed to meet the requirements and budget of a typical, middle income Australian household and achieve a zero emissions target by combining energy-efficient design and building practices with an on-site renewable energy supply.
One of the latest home designs built as part of the AusZEH project is the ‘Net Zero’ home built by Thompson Sustainable Homes, a family owned business run by former Brisbane Broncos player, Brad Thompson.

The Net Zero home is now on display at the Fitzgibbon Chase Display Village just north of Brisbane.
Thompson Sustainable Homes also used lightweight building materials to construct its first AusZEH demonstration home.

The company’s residential estimator, Mike Vella, who worked closely on the project, told Light Home magazine ...
... that he likes the fact that lightweight building products can be used to build a thermally efficient home with minimal waste.

“All the units are built in lightweight construction. We’re using a combination of materials externally – Scyon™ Axon™ cladding for a vertical timber-style planking, some rendered HardieTex™ sheet and a smooth sheet [EasyLap™ panel] – to create three different sorts of finishes, textures and looks. We’ll also use colour to accentuate this even further,” Vella said.
The homes built under the AusZEH project will be used by the CSIRO who are developing new guidelines for sustainable new home building.

The guide will be similar to The Code for Sustainable Homes from the UK Government, which sets sustainability standards for new, low carbon home building in the UK.

The Code for Sustainable Homes rates buildings for sustainability based on key factors involving energy and carbon emissions, water, building materials used, surface water run-off, waste and pollution.

Nina Carrozo is Client Service Manager with Light Home. Light Home is a website and bi-annual magazine that celebrates lightweight construction and light homes, because when they’re well designed, they’re perfectly suited to the way we love to live.
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