Zero Carbon House; The Swift Parrot
Swift Parrot House; what’s in a name
The endangered Swift Parrot makes the migratory trip from Tassie to the mainland every year, taking advantage of the flowering gums in Victorian and NSW before heading back home for breeding season. It’s the fastest parrot in the world, but is threatened by habitat loss due to forestry harvesting and urban/agricultural clearing. The Swift Parrot house design represents the parrot in a number of ways;
Packs a punch!
There’s a lot in this small house! The floor area of under 135m2 allows for investment in clever joinery and high quality materials and systems. The form of the building with its opposing skillion roofs echoes the wings of a parrot in flight.
Long migratory flight
The house is designed for longevity and persistence, particularly in the face of a changing climate. The building has a very low summer cooling load and is well placed to cope with increasingly frequent and severe heat waves
Bringing attention to our biodiversity loss
Named after an endangered species to bring attention to habitat loss of species by urbanisation. The small footprint of this house acknowledges the need for both urban density to combat sprawl, as well as giving the opportunity on a large plot for a dedicated sanctuary of revegetation and urban Biodiversity.
The Swift Parrot Concept
We are warmed by the eagerness and awareness for those seeking high-performance, well designed homes. There are promising signs in our industry. However, many are wary of the overall cost and time commitment of going through an entire bespoke design process. We have recently introduced a new aspect to our business called AlterecO2, which aims to offer pre-designed, pre-specified high-performance homes that can be delivered within budget.
The Swift Parrot is a flagship model within the AlterecO2 range. This collection emerges from the demand for intelligent, practical design and the dissatisfaction with inadequate building standards, all while addressing the requirements of our climate.
Pre designed home.
Living in the House
The Swift Parrot house offers a user experience almost incomparable to the average Australian home. Whilst the energy performance will ensure thermal comfort, we have designed a home that will epitomise a healthy and comfortable indoor environment year round.
There is a current shortage of accessible housing in Australia, so designing for a house that provides universal accessibility was vital. Single level for easy access is also key to allow for ageing in place and we have minimised all internal steps and provide a step free threshold onto the northern and eastern decks.
A home study has become an essential part to most briefs. We wanted to respect this space, offering privacy and good visual connection to the garden.
Whilst the design is presented as a single living room with a three bedroom configuration, we feel the design of bedroom 2 or 3 could easily be adapted to another function, such as a second living space if the household dynamics required.
Environmental Specification
Emphasis was put on the design of a high performance thermal envelope, according to Passive House principles. When deciding on materials for any of our projects we score them on the following metrics;
Suitability
What is best for this particular site? Assuming that this flat site is in good soil conditions, we feel that a low-carbon concrete subfloor will give us the best structural base in this situation, provided we thermally decouple the slab from the earth. Our use of SIPs wall panels creates a wall panel which is easy to make airtight and quick to erect, reducing on-site costs. A truss roof was chosen to allow for the desired eaves and ability to insulate a service cavity in the dropped ceiling.
Durability & Longevity
Fibre cement cladding has made gains in recent years to offer remarkably low embodied energy per square metre, particularly when compared to the ongoing energy required for repainting and replacing other less durable materials.
Health
Ensuring the well-being of builders, tradespeople, and installers is not compromised, with specific regard to avoiding exposure to harmful substances such as silica. Additionally, guaranteeing that the final product does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other toxins, while also preventing the creation of an environment conducive to the growth of mites and mold. This ensures the optimal health and safety of the occupants.
Cost
A successful project is one that gets built. Continual awareness of material costs, once installed, are critical to achieving a budget of this kind.
Whole of House Report
The Whole-of-Home tool proved valuable in providing a clear indication of the distribution of ongoing operational energy usage within the home. Given that the Swift Parrot has achieved 8.7 Stars the operation energy was very low; only 1,173MJ annually compared to 2,430MJ for water heating and 7,420MJ for appliances! Given that we had pushed hard for sustainability in all aspects of cooking and HWS selection, these figures suggest that in order to achieve a complete 100% energy cost offset within the tool, additional solar panels and batteries would be required.
Embodied Carbon Payback Calculator
The negative 8.62 tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions from the Whole-of-Home analysis is a great result. This low operational carbon is the payoff for the slightly higher than average embodied energy in the materials of the home and positions us well to achieve a net zero home by 2050. Considering the significant portion of operational energy allocated to appliances, accelerating the payback time would be possible by taking into account occupant usage habits, utilising smart metres, and upgrading to more efficient appliances beyond what is currently allowed by the software.
Pre designed home.
Summary
The Swift Parrot House is a building of uncompromising calibre that prioritises quality over quantity. It caters to occupants who value their present and future health and comfort. While the floorplan is specifically designed for east-west oriented sites, it is also well-suited for regional or rural locations with fewer restrictions on land allotments. Additionally, it serves as an ideal choice for downsizing families or couples.
The small floor area allows investment to be directed into high-quality materials and systems which will allow it to perform as well in 50 years as it will on day one!
Of course, it’s going to need a new lick of paint and some maintenance, however by and large this building is going to withstand the climatic conditions and challenges that lay ahead. The building has a very low summer cooling load and is well placed to cope with increasingly frequent and severe heat waves.
Though not included in NatHERS scope, the design has allowed for an Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation and associated ductwork, and we believe is easily capable of a Passive House standard of airtightness. This is estimated to lower energy consumption by half again and will additionally act to filter air pollution from bushfire events and increasing urbanisation.
We are warmed by the eagerness and awareness for those seeking high-performance, well designed homes. There are promising signs in our industry. However, many are wary of the overall cost and time commitment of going through an entire bespoke design process, making the Swift Parrot house as part of the AlterecO2 existing range, is a streamlined and economical option for people seeking a high performance and resilient home .
The Swift Parrot House was entered in the Design Matters True Zero Carbon Challenge in 2022 where it received a Commendation.