Construction Stage Part 2
Last update of this page : 30 May 2005
See web page http://home.iprimus.com.au/fredb19/solarhouse/house01.htm for additional photographs and technical detail.
PHOTO 1
Photo 1 shows the late winter sunshine penetration on the floor along the northern side, and the sun shining through the clerestory windows on to the southern, rear, rammed earth wall.
PHOTO 2
Photo 2 shows another view of the winter sun penetration right along the "hallway" down the northern side. This sun-irradiated hallway area will be tiled with dark colored tiles to absorb energy into the thermal mass and then re-radiate heat from this warm energy source into the house during the evening. Note the sun shining through the clerestory windows onto the rear, southern, rammed earth wall - another high thermal storage mass.
PHOTO 3
Photo 3 gives a good illustration of the clerestory window frames. Every second window is double glazed, the remainder are louvres. Notice the foil/blanket insulation in the roof section immediately under the custom-orb roofing. This blanket insulation is under all roofing. Prior to gyprock installation, additional bulk insulation R2,5 batts will be installed in all ceiling spaces.
PHOTO 4
Photo 4 shows the "rats-nest" of wiring hanging down in the pantry. The blue and pink wires are data and C-Bus category 5 enhanced cables, the black ones are quad shielded video and RF cables (suitable for full digital TV and video), the white cables are standard electrical light and power cables. All light fittings have individual cables back to the pantry located, main electrical switchboard to enable simple fault finding, modification and control.
PHOTO 5
Photo 5 showing some of the ceiling space looms. The data cables are separated from electrical cables and strapped to catenary wires (to support the data cables without placing tension or strain on them - we don't want stretched, kinked or tightly bound data cables, which will reduce data transfer rate). The looms are loosely bundled and held in place with velcro, which supplies a soft, wide area coverage.
PHOTO 6
Photo 6 shows a view down the guest wing hallway. Note the sun shining in the clear skylights. These two skylights will eventually have polished stainless steel covers which will permit directed winter sunshine down the rammed earth walls and on to the dark tiled hallway floor, and in summer, will permit light entry but no sunshine. The low level louvres below the skylights provide cross flow ventilation in summer through the two guest-wing bedrooms. The "doorway" at the end of the hall is actually floor to ceiling louvres looking out onto a canal. The cable loom in the end of the linen press is the location for the guest wing C-Bus switchboard which has all guest wing wiring back to this point for control, modification and fault finding purposes. The ceilings show the batt insulation just prior to gyprock installation.
PHOTO 7
Photo 7 shows the laundry wall partially filled with batts and partially clad with gyprock. The image shows some of the cabling which provides data, video, audio, telephone and power.
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