Living smart: A matter of principle

 

There is something utterly seductive about the eco-house Antoinette and Michael Beck have built overlooking Lake Taupo. It’s not grandiose or presumptuous. Rather, it is compact and easy on the eye. And, far from being “earthy”, this house is stylish, chic and very contemporary. All of which is just as the Becks intended.

Three years ago, interior designer Antoinette and her builder husband Michael took leave of their regular jobs to build their dream home. “That decision meant we didn’t have to try to build it in our spare time. And financially it made sense to do most of the work ourselves rather than pay others,” says Michael. “We’ve always enjoyed working together. Antoinette is no stranger to the worksite… she’s dug footings, helped lift trusses into place and painted the exterior of several houses.”

The Becks have a well-developed sense of environmental sustainability and a clearly defined view on the individual’s moral responsibility to create and furnish living spaces that are gentle on the planet. Ten years ago they completed a Building Biology and Ecology (BBE) course, which set them up as certified BBE consultants.

“We share a passion for our natural world and attempt to live lightly in it,” says Antoinette. “It seemed a natural extension for us to work together and put these principles into practice in our own home.”
Aided by their architect and friend, Fraser Cameron, the couple achieved all they set out to do and, almost three years later, they’re still in awe of their house.

“It constantly surprises me how comfortable it is,” says Michael. Their significantly lower electricity bills are an added bonus: for six months of the year, the monthly electricity account is about $50; in deep winter, however, that figure might climb to $140.

No part of the 262sqm, two-level house is wasted. Situated on 610sqm of sloping land, the L-shaped design is oriented north-east for the sun. With its roof pitched so that the double-glazed windows get all-day rays, the house is always warm. 

Only the living room and bedrooms are carpeted. The rest of the house is dressed in neutral Italian tiles, which trap and retain the sun’s heat.

A passive solar heating system is key to maintaining a temperate interior, with clerestory windows rising above the flat section of roof. Underfloor heating is available throughout, but is used only in the bathrooms and kitchen. Additional warmth is generated from the wetback freestanding Fisher wood fire in the living room and a fuel-efficient Jetmaster fireplace dominates the loggia.

Antoinette’s design choices enhance the house’s efficiency. “Spaces must be flexible. This bedroom, for example, could be used for anything,” she says, pulling aside a barn-type wooden sliding door to reveal a room resplendently eclectic in style. Chinese cupboards, blonded wooden beams and soft natural fabric curtains blend perfectly with a French country chandelier. A stylish shower room acts as an en suite when needed or as a guest bathroom accessible from the hallway.

Antoinette’s strength is style and she is gloriously random in its application. Rather than just adding character through accessories, the Becks have breathed personality into the building itself. Recycled native timber and eucalypt add character and warmth and everywhere there is evidence of Antoinette’s love for things Asian.

She is equally adept at style fusion – mixing chandeliers and touches of sleek Scandinavian design with modern bath-room fittings. Two shower heads in the en suite feature aerated heads that produce a fine mist to reduce hot water use, with one using less water than the other.

The Becks have applied neutral, natural wallpapers through most of the house, adding contrast with splashes of colour and pattern. Lighting has been selected for brightness in working areas, but it’s subdued in the living areas where energy-efficient Fozz lighting provides a diffused glow.

Building their own house this way has brought great rewards, says Antoinette, who was recently appointed a consultant to ebode, a young company dedicated to designing and building sustainable houses throughout New Zealand. 

“There is something intrinsically satisfying about creating your own living space. And, despite the blood, sweat and tears, it is incredibly empowering to build it with your own hands.”

 

 

HEATING HOW-TO 
Harness the sun. When building, consider first the possibility of passive solar heating, which entails collecting the sun’s energy through north-facing windows and storing it in heavy mass materials within a well-insulated house, for release during cold nights. It’s the most environmentally friendly way of keeping your house warm and, as the most important element is good thermal design, it does not need to add any costs. If you’re building, orient your home towards the sun and lay insulated concrete or tiles around large double-glazed windows to catch and hold the day’s heat, for release at night.

Think ahead. Lay water pipes at the same time you pour a concrete floor. Pipes can be fed with hot water from solar panels, a heat-pump water heater or wood-pellet boiler to provide you with energy-efficient underfloor heating. The concrete pad needs to be well insulated, both underneath and around the perimeter, or you’ll lose most of the heat. Avoid carpeting. Make sure you can control the heat to each room independently. In colder areas you may need to supplement the solar panels with a heat-pump water heater or wood-pellet boiler.

Heat pumps. These are a very efficient heating source – as long as they are properly sized and installed, have a high energy rating and you resist the temptation to run them constantly or use them as air conditioners in the summer. Energy Star qualified heat pumps are the most efficient. For excellent advice on choosing a heat pump, visit www.energywise.govt.nz.

Wood burners. Modern versions are very efficient and can be fitted with
a wetback for simultaneous water heating. Make sure you buy one that meets stringent government regulations for emissions: see www.mfe.govt.nz for a list.   

Pellet burners. These are even more environmentally friendly, as they burn pellets made from recycled wood shavings and you have far greater control over their heat output.

Gas heaters. Some are quite energy efficient, especially condensing gas heaters. Those that are designed to look like wood fires are usually less efficient than those that aren’t. Avoid unflued gas heaters as they pollute the indoor air with toxic gases and large amounts of water vapour, which can be a significant health risk.