The types of homes being built in Melbourne
At Carland Constructions, we believe a home should be a sanctuary, a place of comfort, health, and durability. Yet, many homes in Australia fall short, leading to discomfort and high energy bills. We can categorise Australian homes into five different levels of performance, from the '80% house' to a 'certified passive house'.
1. The 80% House 🏕️
This category represents the majority of Australian homes, with 80% failing to meet current energy efficiency standards. These are high-energy homes Melbourne is filled with, which often have an energy rating of three stars or less, where draughts are part of daily life and indoor temperatures fluctuate wildly. They are like a basic tent: they provide some shelter but fail to protect you from the elements. These homes often lack proper insulation, airtightness, and efficient heating/cooling systems, leading to high energy bills and potential mould growth from poor ventilation.
2. The Minimum Standards House 🍔
The 'minimum standards house' typically meets the minimum 7-star NCC energy efficiency requirements. While it may look good, it can be compared to a "glorified tent". Little care is taken with weatherproofing, insulation installation, airtightness, or ventilation. Like a fast-food meal, it’s cheap and fills you up temporarily, but it’s not truly satisfying or nutritious in the long run. These homes experience significant temperature fluctuations, draughts, and will likely have mould and condensation issues.
3. The Better Built House 🔥
This home goes a little beyond the minimum 7-star NCC requirements. Some care is taken with the installation of a weather-resistant barrier, and the insulation is installed with an "above average" level of care. While there's a basic level of airtightness, no testing is done to verify the home's performance. This home is like a campfire on a cool night: it offers warmth, but you might still need an extra layer to stay truly comfortable.
4. The High-Performance House 🥷
The 'high-performance house' is what we believe should be the minimum standard for new construction. In this type of home, performance, comfort, and energy efficiency are the main priorities from the start. The house is modelled early in the design process and actively tested and verified to ensure it's built as designed. High levels of care are taken in the construction detailing, with airtightness and mechanical ventilation being key considerations. This house is a ninja: silent, efficient, and barely noticeable in its energy consumption, while delivering exceptional performance. These are the kinds of high performance homes Melbourne needs.
5. The Certified Passive House 🏆
A 'certified passive house' is the gold standard of construction. It’s the pinnacle of building quality, much like winning a premiership cup or an Academy Award. This is a home where extreme care is taken in the construction detailing, and the building is tested, verified, and certified by a third party. It is designed to be durable, healthy, comfortable, and resilient, shielding its occupants from external noise, pollution, and temperature fluctuations. This home is the opposite of a tent, providing unparalleled protection and security from the outside world while requiring extremely low amounts of additional heating and cooling to maintain comfort. This is the ultimate goal of a Passive Home builder Melbourne and represents the best of Melbourne Passive House construction. These projects are built by Passive House specialists Melbourne who have the skills to build a Passivhaus Melbourne can be proud of.