With rising energy costs and melting polar ice-caps, a home renovation is the perfect opportunity to upgrade the energy efficiency of your existing home, so you can save money in the long-term and reduce your impact on the environment. No one wants dead polar bears weighing on their conscience. Around the Corner by Statkus Architecture is a renovation to an existing weatherboard house in Northcote in Melbourne's Inner-North that took the change to reenergise the home and improve it's energy rating in the process.
"Previously rated at 1.5 stars, the house is now a 5.3-star energy rated home, with an extensive internal reconfiguration of spaces along with external decking and a new canopy. Once stage two is complete, the house will exceed a 6 star rating." - Statkus Architecture
The renovation minimised costs by keeping all external walls and roof lines where they were. New window and door openings combined with a reconfiguration of the internal walls and spaces is what made the big difference to the liveability of the home. Creating a more open-plan home with a seamless connection to the backyard. Now, living spaces open onto the backyard, where a new timber deck and canopy create an all-weather outdoor space.
But the real star of this renovation is the environmental improvements. Statkus Architecture have improved the year-round comfort levels of the home, while saving energy and money by introducing "large north facing double glazing, combined with increased thermal mass, passive lighting, heating, and cooling strategies."
Previously your average, inefficient weatherboard home, Around the Corner has undergone a dramatic and energy saving transformation. With average Australian houses being described as "glorified tents" by Public Health expert, Professor Adrian Barnett, this project shows us how it's possible to update our homes with living and energy efficiency in mind.