As part of LMC’s Zero Carbon Challenge, an eTool LCA was conducted on Energy Aspect Living’s design for Lochiel Park. The team did a fantastic job and along the way produced this great short film about the design process. We really enjoyed working with Energy Aspect Living throughout the assessment and certification process.

The astute reader will note that their design actually performed a little better in some areas than the Collaborative Futures building that won the judges eyes and took out the challenge. Indeed, without the aid of solar PV generation, this would have been the lowest carbon design.

The summarised results of this project:

Impact
Area		Total CO2e / Year / occupant (kg CO2e)% Saved Against BenchmarkeTool
Medal
Embodied Carbon59442 %
Operational Carbon-590115 %
Total Carbon4100 %

Project features

  • Being a custom architectural design the design life is expected to exceed that of a normal Australian house, hence better use of materials before demolition
  • Excellent use of space, very comfortable design with low material use and land footprint per square metre of fully enclosed building area (120m2 internal floor area)
  • Single story, light frame constructon also significantly reduced the embodied emissions of the building compared to the bench mark
  • Reduced maintenance with natural timber finishes and fittings
  • 50% Flyash concrete in slab
  • Local materials, suppliers, and tradestaff
  • Low carbon assembly techniques (less transport of trade staff to and from the building site)
  • 8.1 Star NatHERs thermal performance rating (design requiring very little heating and cooling energy)
  • Fans the only cooling devices required
  • Solar hot water system with gas boost
  • 2.2kW Solar PV system that will generate more energy than the house will use

 

 

To find out more about this building and others like it, please contact Energy Aspect Living or visit Zero Carbon Home.

Alternatively please contact eTool to arrange a cost effective assessment or training on how to achieve best practice in low carbon building design.

This assessment was conducted by Danny and Donna from Energy Aspect Living and certified by Richard Haynes.