SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECT MELBOURNE
A sustainable home is one that stays comfortable all year, costs less to heat and cool, and is built to last from materials that are kinder to the environment and the people who live there. That is how Guild Architects designs every home.
Director Penny Guild is a Registered Architect who has lectured in Environmental Building Systems at the University of Melbourne. In 2016 Guild Architects won the Architecture and Design Sustainability Awards for a single dwelling (alterations and additions).
HOW DO WE DESIGN SUSTAINABLE HOMES?
Passive solar design first. We orient living spaces to the north, size and shade windows for the seasons, and use thermal mass to store winter sun. Good design does most of the work before any technology is added.
Fabric upgrades for older homes. Many inner Melbourne homes are cold, draughty Victorians, Edwardians and bungalows. We retrofit insulation to walls and floors, replace key windows with double glazing and seal the building so the existing house performs alongside the new extension.
Natural ventilation and cooling. Clerestory windows, operable louvres and carefully placed openings draw cool southerly breezes through the house and let hot air escape in summer.
Low embodied energy materials. We favour plantation, reconstituted and recycled timber, and reduce high embodied energy materials such as steel, concrete and plasterboard where we can. Retaining and reusing the existing building is often the most sustainable choice of all.
Energy, water and gardens. Solar panels, heat pumps, rainwater tanks, green walls and kitchen gardens are built into the design from the start, so they work with the architecture rather than being added later.
Passive House principles. Airtightness, continuous insulation, high performance glazing and heat recovery ventilation can be applied to new homes and major renovations. We will talk you through which measures give the best return for your home and budget.
SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS
Playtime, Northcote. Second storey extension to a Californian bungalow. Retrofitted insulation, selective double glazing, improved passive solar heating, operable roof louvres, a roof designed for solar panels and hot water, hydronic heating ready for a heat pump, and phase change material as lightweight thermal mass.
Danny's House, Northcote. Extension to a Victorian home that almost eliminates virgin hardwood, cuts high embodied energy materials and adds a custom water wall for low cost thermal mass. The original rear facade and leadlight windows were kept and reused.
The Light Garden, Clifton Hill. Garden extension to a Victorian terrace with solar panels, a heat pump, efficient reverse cycle heating and cooling, ceiling fans, a below ground water tank and a vertical kitchen garden.
Cat House, Footscray. Extension to a workers cottage with an indoor green wall and roof gardens for cat play and bee keeping.
CAN A HERITAGE HOME BE SUSTAINABLE?
Yes. Heritage overlays and sustainability can work together. We keep what gives an older home its character, then upgrade insulation, glazing and ventilation so it is comfortable to live in. See our work in Brunswick, Carlton, Fitzroy and Williamstown, or our residential architecture services.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does a sustainable home cost more to build?
Not always. Passive design choices such as orientation, window placement and shading cost little when they are planned early. Some upgrades, like double glazing or solar, add upfront cost but reduce running costs for the life of the home. We help you prioritise the measures that suit your budget.
Can you make an old Victorian or Edwardian house more sustainable?
Yes. Most of our work is with older inner Melbourne homes. Retrofitting insulation, sealing draughts, upgrading key windows and adding a well oriented extension can transform how an older house performs.
What is the difference between passive solar design and Passive House?
Passive solar design uses orientation, glazing, shading and thermal mass to work with the sun. Passive House is a specific performance standard focused on airtightness, insulation and ventilation. We apply both sets of principles depending on your project.
Do you work outside Brunswick?
Yes. We design homes across Melbourne, mostly in the inner north and west, including Coburg, Northcote, Carlton, Fitzroy, North Melbourne, Williamstown, Newport, Yarraville and Seddon.
TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR HOME
Call 0423 714 729 or email info@guildarchitects.com.au. You will work with Penny Guild from first conversation to completion.