Hempcrete House 2 – Mudgee
By Envirotecture
This elongated home capitalises on its position, elevated above an infrequent creek with views across the landscape. One of few clearings on a property that typifies the gentle slopes of the Mudgee area with creek flats below.
The entry to the home leads you along a sweeping driveway past the utilitarian shed that accommodates the large photovoltaic system, arriving at the back of the home you enter through the carport, no formalities here.
Project Details
The long plan of the home provides maximum northern solar exposure to warm the home during the cold winters, generous overhangs provide the shading required of an area that can frequent top 40°C. A retractable awning over the northern deck gives the flexibility to provide sun or shade as desired during the shoulder seasons.
The main living space contains the heart and heart of the home. Food preparation and its enjoyment are the focus, the central dining table is ensconced with a sinuous ceiling that provides the intimacy and attention that good food deserves.
This high-performance home negates the need for any other heating system beyond the sun and fallen timber that needs to be gathered for bushfire safety.
A simple system of ropes and pulleys operate the fire shutters that shield the exposed western end of the building. Although not designated as bushfire prone the shutters are a sensible precaution for that ever-present risk. They double as solar shading to the western glazing and if closed at night provide protection in addition to that of the thermally improved aluminium frames and double glazing.
The Hempcrete walls give an R-value of 3.2 from a locally grown resource that is carbon positive when installed and is breathable therefore avoiding potential condensation issues.
At the 2018 Building Designers Association of Australia National Design Awards, the Mudgee Hempcrete House was the Winner of the Paul Dass Memorial Prize, Winner of the New Residential Buildings 251-300sqm and over $2000/sqm, and won a Commendation for the Colorbond Industry Partner Awards.
Photography by Amber Creative
Professionals used in
Hempcrete House 2 – Mudgee
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Envirotecture
About the
Professional
At Envirotecture we design beautiful, sustainable buildings that work for you, your family or your business.
With over 35 years’ experience in sustainable architecture, we can offer you a full range of building design and consulting services to deliver the best possible built outcome for your build.
Facilitate and future-proof your lifestyle with our cost-effective designs that provide stylish design solutions. See our sustainable design portfolio.
We Design for Comfort
Our designs, using state-of-the-art materials and passive design principles, will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter.
We Design for Style
You want you to enjoy spaces that inspire your soul. We will design your building so that it not only works really well, it looks great too!
We Design for Value
We can give you the biggest bang for your buck. Our sustainable designs are an affordable alternative to traditional design and will significantly reduce your long-term operating costs.
We Design for the Environment
When you chose our sustainable architectural solutions your build will have a direct beneficial impact on the environment by helping to:
- protect the ecosystem
- reduce emissions
- improve air and water quality
- conserve water
- reduce waste
- conserve and restore natural resources
We Design for the Future
Our architectural solutions will help create you a responsive, beautiful, energy efficient home that will continue to work for you and your family as your needs changes.
Sustainable design will also optimize the life cycle of your building and increase your property value.
We use the latest technology to ensure clever, creative design solutions that last the distance.
We Design for Business
You want your commercial building to provide environmental, economic and social benefits to your business.
We can design your building to:
- help reduce your operating costs
- improve workplace environment
- optimize the life cycle of your building
- increase your property value
- improve your employee’s attendance and productivity
We Believe in Giving Back
At Envirotecture we always have a pro bono project, or ‘love job’ on the go.
The current Love Job is for the Read Triplets who are wheelchair bound with muscular dystrophy
Previous love jobs include:
- Wakisa Foundation's shelter for homeless pregnant girls in Kampala, Uganda
- the Laotian School project
We Believe in Sustainable Architecture
We have over 35 years’ experience in sustainable design, and our team are all leaders in their fields.
We each bring different skill sets to the business but we all are inspired by sustainable design because we see the difference it makes on so many levels.