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Perth, |
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Energy nightmare to become house of the future
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This sounds like a big ask, but Mike Hulme, the present owner of Laxey Glen, a Cottesloe landmark, is well on the way to finding out. Mr Hulme has enlisted the help of Murdoch University's architectural department and three students to turn the old girl from a money-guzzler into an energy and water-efficient exemplar. Along the way he hopes to learn a lot about making existing houses energy-efficient and to share the lessons with POST readers who may wish to do the same. If everyone does it, this could save building the odd new power station and water desalination plant and at the same time help slow down climate change. Mr Hulme, who last week was appointed to the WA Planning Commission as a building industry member, has a long pedigree in promoting energy and water-efficient new homes. New houses are easier to do at the design stage, where north-facing windows, breezeways and grey water plumbing and solar power and heating can be built in from scratch. Mr Hulme was the developer behind an estate in Broome, where he battled to put caveats on the new lots to require buyers to build houses that fitted with the environment and were energy-efficient. Covenants cover solar power, light-coloured roofs, high roof pitches and breezeways to take advantage of the local wind directions. He also devised a system to stop stormwater flushing pollutants into Roebuck Bay. Houses on the estate are in great demand because of their eco-friendly designs. The same standards have been applied to the controversial South Beach estate at Fremantle, another Mike Hulme project that began 10 years ago. There, the blocks are oriented north-south for maximum heat efficiency and buildings must be stepped back to guarantee solar access to neighbours.. "It was a wonderful project to put together, to be able to develop an example of a sustainable housing estate," he says. Mr Hulme cut his teeth in the sustainable business at the Permaculture Centre and later ran APACE, a sustainable co-op. His latest challenge is to retro-fit his family's old Cottesloe house in Broome Street, a house that has had many owners, and many additions. "It's a nightmare of add-ons, with, for example, three hot water systems," he said. They will be replaced with one solar system. One advantage is the huge roof area, over 500 square metres, that is enough to make the home 80% self-sufficient in water once rainwater tanks are installed. Coordinated by Dr Martin Anda, of Murdoch University, the three students are poring over the water, energy and car bills for the Hulme household over the past 12 months to document present consumption. All household appliances are measured for power consumption. Solar panels to generate power and sell the excess to Western Power are being considered, and four water tanks should take care of most of the water needs. "It is in these areas that you see that compromises need to be made," Mr Hulme said. "The capital cost of going 100% self-sufficient can be prohibitive, while an 80% compromise can be easily affordable." Converting the family cars to gas was considered, but it turns out it would be better ecologically to trade them in for diesel-powered cars. "Gas emits less carbon dioxide per litre, but fuel consumption is higher," he said. "I don't want to do it, but there is a business opportunity in retro-fitting existing houses to be energy and water-efficient." Like many 100-year-old houses that were built with Perth summers in mind, the high ceilings, high-pitched roofs and wide eaves and verandahs are perfect for keeping cool in summer. But in winter they can be ice-boxes, a problem that can be solved cheaply with roof panels that heat the air from sunlight and circulate in through the house. The coldest winter days in Perth are usually those with the clearest skies. Landscaping will be re-done with mostly native plants, water from waste or grey water. "The exercise on our house can be a template," Mr Hulme said. The students will produce a report on Laxey Glen that could be duplicated for houses all over Perth. It will document what is being done now, what could be achieved, how much would be saved and contain recommendations for further action. Mr Hulme will them implement the recommendations, and the students will come back and monitor the results to compile into a final report. New houses have been built that remain between 18 and 25 degrees all year, with no heating or cooling. The former "brothel" will become a guinea-pig that could eventually save the building of another power station or another desalination plant. And the environmental effect could be even bigger. Each Australian needs the equivalent of 7.5ha of arable land to sustain him or her during a lifetime. The figure is high because we burn mainly coal to make electricity. But a "footprint" of only 1.8ha is sustainable. "It is very hard to get it under three hectares, but we have to try," Mr Hulme says. • The POST will bring readers progress reports on the Laxey Glen project as they happen.
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