Annual energy expense for home prototype projected at $69

Imagine the annual energy cost for your home being only about what it costs to take a family to dinner.

A new carbon positive home in one of Australia’s first sustainable housing projects is expected to rack up just $69 in energy expenses for a year, according to the structure’s designer, architectural studio Beaumont Concepts.

The home in the coastal town of Cape Patterson in Victoria and is a prototype of the house, dubbed Core 9, is designed to provide a better housing solution that is considered cost-effective and sustainable, reports Wonderful Engineering. 

Core 9 is a part of The Cape, one of Australia’s first sustainable housing projects. The development features 220 blocks of land where the residents can build a home that meets specific sustainable home design standards.

Beaumont Concepts officials said the development is a response to the effort to conserve planetary resources, meet consumer demand for sustainable homes and provide economical long-term housing solutions.

The roughly 1,400-square-foot Core 9 prototype features a modern kitchen, open-plan living and dining, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, outdoor terraces and a two-car garage. The dwelling is designed to maximize natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The interior includes a concrete flooring and in-built timber furniture. The exterior features reclaimed bricks.

Construction was done with a zero-waste approach to include recycled materials and a process that produced minimal off-cuts and waste. 

Core 9 also uses a solar hot water system with rainwater harvesting and solar power. The roof is fitted with a series of photovoltaic panels.