Victorian Home with 21st Century Insulation

Tues 22nd September, 7:00 - 8:00pm

Sat 17th October, 2:00 - 3:00pm

In this free interactive online tour you’ll learn about the ways in which a Victorian house can be transformed from a draughty building inefficiently leaking heat, to a warm and comfortable home.

After purchasing the house in 2005, hosts Samin and Zoe and their two children found it to be freezing in winter and overly hot in summer. Following visits to OEH and Superhomes events, Samin and Zoe engaged AC Architects to realise their vision for an energy efficient home. The renovation resulted in a more comfortable home with greater light and lower heating bills, as well as enhanced living space in parts of the house that were previously underused due to draughts. The wood stove is no longer the main heating source, as the solar panels meet the electricity demand from the house first, then heat the water, then feed into the grid. This is a home which has experienced improved warmth and a carbon reduction, and no longer inefficiently leaks heat out of an uninsulated roof, walls and windows. 

Key features of this home:

• High levels of insulation throughout: including external front and rear walls, roof and internal ground floor, as well as triple-glazed windows.
• Under-floor heating.
• Ideal Logic+ H18 condensing gas boiler.
• Sunpower 4kW PV array: provides electricity for the home, export or water-heating.
• Solar iBoost controller diverts excess solar PV energy to an immersion heater in the water tank.
• Honeywell Evohome wireless heating controls.
• Extensive reused and recycled materials: roof-tiles, plumbing fittings, floor boards.