Tag Archives: passive solar design

Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage

Mike Hulme recently sent this update on the Foxcliffe land development at Witchcliffe.

Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage

Image retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/24farmli.html

Dear Friends of Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage,

I am delighted to inform you that the Augusta Margaret River Shire Council unanimously passed the amendments to the Witchcliffe Village Strategy and Local Planning Strategy that are required to enable the Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage project to proceed to WAPC for approval.

This is the first time in two and half years, since purchasing the property, that I can write to you with some confidence that the Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage will proceed!

The approval will enable up to 180 homes to be built on the 160acre farm. This will enable around 80% of the Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage to be utilized for public open space, community vege gardens, dam, orchards, vineyard, recreation, community centre, backpackers/tourist accommodation, etc…

We are confident that we can achieve all of this and 100% self sufficiency in energy and water at an affordable price point of around $400,000 for house and land.

For those of you that haven’t had the opportunity to visit the Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage it is a magnificent property with an abundance of water and great soil, immediately abutting the wonderful little town of Witchcliffe (at the intersection of Redgate Rd and Bussell Hwy, 10k’s south of Margaret River & 6k’s east of Redgate Beach).

We are hoping to receive WAPC approval by around January 2013, after which we will still have to rezone the town planning scheme (TPS), which will take us the best part of 2013. However, once we have received WAPC approval the project will have the certainty required to complete the detailed planning during 2013, so that we are ready to lodge subdivision and development applications as soon as the TPS amendment is formally gazetted.

We are very excited to be moving forward and thank the Shire’s planning officers and Council for their solid support.

We now have over 200 people who have registered interest in the Foxcliffe Farm Ecovillage; I look forward to keeping you all informed of our progress.

Kind regards,

Mike Hulme

Green Architects

Green Architects can save the client 60-90% on energy costs in their new home.

 

This solar movie opens the scope of solar design to commercial, institutional industrial buildings, as well as the smaller scale of residential design, including the retro-fitting of existing ones.

Prominent Green Architects Perth

A number of prominent Perth green architects are interviewed in this video together with planners who point out that well thought-out land subdivisions and master planning are crucial for the success of this strategy.

This solar movie about green architects was made in the 1990s for the Australian Institute of Architects. Dr Bill Parker was involved in the production and direction. The movie entitled ‘Green by Design’ won a government energy efficiency award in 1998.

Green Architects Discuss How to Design for Energy Efficiency

The messages on going green by design and the benefits of using green architects are still very relevant in the developed world.

to learn the basic principles and how you can best orientate and design your house for optimal comfort and energy efficiency download the Climate Sensible Designs video showing why it pays to use  green architects.  Go to the www.solar-e shop to view this and other DVDs


Solar Movies | Solar Energy + Solar Movies

Solar movies are a current internet fad but the most important solar movies are those that show you the effective and efficient way to use solar power is to build your home as a passive solar home based on your climate.

Read more about the solar movies on our website and see the link at the end of this article. In the meantime watch what Garry Baverstock A.M., award-winning green architect and solar specialist has to say:

Solar Movie | Climate Sensible Designs

In addition to our excellent building guide Low Energy Buildings in Australia and easily downloadable green home plans which are available on this website, we recommend the viewing of our solar movie‘Climate Sensible Designs – Living in a Home that Breathes’, as well as a number of past solar movie productions.

They give a clear idea of how you can empower yourself and live cheaply, comfortably and make a contribution towards saving our planet from the severity of uncontrolled Climate Change.

David Karsten, producer and presenter of several television programmes, takes you through the environmental reasons for building according to the sun.

Climate Sensible Designs is just one of our solar movies and David shows how easy it is to incorporate solar passive principles in your building design.

Once your eco-architect checks the location of your land and knows the sun’s angles for various times of the year in your area he/she will know where to place the windows, doors and shading for your new passive solar house.

Remember, it doesn’t matter whether you live in USA, Asia or Europe, the principles are still the same. Start with some research on the sun angles for your area. Once you have this information you can base the location and aspect of the house for the best passive solar results.


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Eliminate Power Bills

By using the sun, wind and incoporating natural building materials you can reduce your heating and cooling bills dramatically. In some climates it is possible to completely eliminate power bills. Of course once you have a passive solar home you can choose a solar water heater and solar energy panels using photovoltaic cells, to bring your home truly into the 21st century.

Efficient water use, natural and low energy building materials, landscaping that suits the climate and local food production, will all add up to a carbon neutral or sustainable house.

Solar Movies | Passive Solar Design of Buildings

Solar Movies

The first solar movie we made is also available from our on-line shop and the information is still valid today: Passive Solar Design of Buildings.

Imagine living in a solar passive house, with solar panels on the roof to create free electricity and a solar hot water system to supply free hot water on sunny days.

Go directly to our shop to check out the Climate Sensible Designs solar movie or one of our other solar movies or read more about green building products elsewhere on this site.

Solar Movies Available Here

Should you purchase our solar movie DVD, ‘Climate Sensible Designs’,  please let us know if it helped your understanding of what can be done.

Green Home Plans

If you are planning an environmentally-friendly new building, or are looking to add renewable energy technology to an existing property, you are not alone. In recent times, the importance of designing in accordance with green home plans has really gained popularity. It is important to start by getting the orientation of the building right. This varies from location to location, so to understand the the sun’s angles and the climatic region of your planned location,  it is important to have scientifically correct data on which to base your decisions.

Green Home Plans climatic Regions

Climatic Regions Map

Changing Traditional Building Methods

People are beginning to understand the damage caused to the environment by traditional building methods and they are actively looking for green architects to undertake their new buildings, extensions or upgrades to existing homes. For details on architects and building methods please view our other articles under the Consumers Section of this website.

Using Renewable Energy

Millions of homes and businesses across the world are using renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind power, to harness the planet’s natural resources and reduce our dependence on expensive and depleting fossil fuels.

Buying Green Building Products

Many people now view the purchase of green building products as a long-term investment, reducing the running costs of a property, while also helping to reduce their carbon footprint. Green building supply companies are booming and an increasing number of energy efficient devices are becoming available on the market.

Whether you are adopting  green home plans for an entire property, an extension, a greenhouse,  garage or  planning to retro-fit an existing building, there is a wide choice of building products available to help you complete your project. Read the article on ‘green building products on this website.

Choosing Green Building Materials

If you have specific green home plans prepared already you will now be able to find a wide range of construction materials to choose between for the best environmental results. However, a little preparation will be required to ensure that any  green home plans are executed for the best results in energy efficiency, climate control and comfort.

Green Home Plans Data Sheets

Green Home Plans Data Sheets

While shopping shopping for eco-friendly building materials, it’s important to consider the many natural materials available, including but not limited to earth, wood, straw, bamboo or stone. The choice is now vast – new environmentally sensitive  products are being developed for the market continually, in a bid to satisfy the demand from green building projects.  Our expert green building design guideLow Energy Buildings in Australia” is now available in the solar-e.com shop. We recommend you research the information in this guide to help you select the orientation of your building, the placement of windows, your choice of  building materials and their contribution to a successful low-energy building design.

Adopting Sustainable Architecture

Ideally, you will need to find a balance between practicality and great aesthetics. Green building incorporates many different elements and should always embody a high level of sustainable architecture. Many people use the services of a specially trained environmental architect to help them plan and design their projects and turn their green home plans into viable and sustainable options.

Obtaining The Stamp of Approval

Your architect can also advise you on ways to obtain green building certification on your property, which can be extremely beneficial when it comes to selling your home.

Considering The Cost

When you are working with your architect or designer on your green home plans it’s vital to consider your ongoing requirements, before commencing with any building work. This will ensure that you get the best possible results to suit your lifestyle and needs.

Carefully reviewing the number of rooms you think you need may lead to a guest bedroom doubling as a multi-purpose room. Reducing the number of rooms or their dimensions will reduce building costs and ongoing energy consumption.

Searching For Help

There is now a vast range of websites available to help you get any green projects off the ground. Using the internet, searching websites and special interest forums will uncover tips and ideas for the implementation of new technologies in a practical and cost-effective way. Use the ‘search’ button on this site for a subject you wish to read in more detail or contact us with your questions.

As increasing numbers of people look towards the use of renewable energy sources as a way to make a positive contribution to the planet, there will be increased demand for specific green home plans and architects and designers will add energy efficient design training  to their skills.

Perhaps now is the right time to research your options, get your green home plans underway and look forward to a brighter future. Please contact us if we can assist you with any specific queries on designing a passive solar or low energy building.