AGO-CSIRO greenhouse efficient design: report for Australian Greenhouse Office

The objective of this project is to achieve a 60% improvement in annual operating energy efficiency (heating and cooling costs) in project homes built at Lend Lease Development’s North Lakes Master Planned community as a result of shifts in design practice among merchant builders in South East Queensland. The principal approach was to lift energy star ratings from under 1.5 to at least 3.5 stars, representing a significant contribution to the potential for reducing of CO2 emissions, estimated to be up to 5 tonnes per year for a contemporary 3-bedroom project house with solar hot water. This shift could subsequently be extended throughout Pine Rivers Shire, South East Queensland and Queensland in general via demonstration activities at a Concept House, on-going workshops and continuing education by the Environmental Protection Authority of Queensland and Faculty of the Built Environment at the Queensland University of Technology. The impact of changes in approach to energy efficiency of houses is expected to be high in Queensland, a state which currently lacks a house energy ratings scheme, and with significant population growth and new house construction forecast over the next decade, where new house designs exhibit major scope for improvement. The project consisted of: conducting workshops for designers and builders; development of specifications for a concept house; surveys of designers and builders, and; assessment of energy efficiency in houses.