Australians looking to build a new home or renovate can reduce the energy needed to heat and cool their homes by up to 40% by using Design for Place plans.
Design for Place now has five energy-efficient and climate resilient home plans available for free via the Your Home website.
The designs have been created by an architect in collaboration with an energy assessor. Plans include sub-designs and specifications tailored for 9 locations in different climate zones, including:
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Cairns
- Canberra
- Darwin
- Hobart
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Sydney.
Each home plan comes with several design options that show how changes to building features, like insulation and windows, can result in a more energy-efficient home. They are designed to be adapted to individual needs and include 2,3 and 4 bedrooms.
Design For Place has also been revised to meet the current National Construction Code. This will allow Australians to easily select and build comfortable homes that meet or beat the new minimum 7-star Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) energy-efficiency requirement.
Many Design for Place houses far exceed this minimum requirement, with ratings up to 10 stars.
Australian households can work with a builder to construct a Design For Place home or work with a designer or architect to refine the plan to meet their needs and preferences.
The design documents also include a guide to help you approach your conversations with your builder, architect or designer with cost-saving energy-efficiency in mind.
Design For Place is a feature of Your Home-Australia's independent guide to designing and building an energy-efficient, sustainable home. Your Home is a trusted source of advice from sustainability and construction experts.
