Kanuka Rural Eco Home

Located between Waikanae town centre and the beach, Kanuka Rural Eco Home was built to function for a young family. As a builder himself, this home needed to showcase the client’s skill set to a wide audience, be appealing to young couples, families, and retirees, while adhering to the development’s strict sustainability and design requirements. 

Featuring a well thought-through layout, gable roof and cedar for a farm style appeal, this home maximises indoor and outdoor living space, as well as providing outstanding solar energy design.

Eco House Plans 

As eco architectural designers, AD Architecture recognises that adhering to Ferndale’s covenants and design guidelines are the first priority. Established to retain and enhance the character of the site, as well as promote sustainability, energy efficiency and renewable resources, this home had to meet the following criteria to be approved for construction:

• Positive relationships between buildings, landscaping, and landform.
• Recognition of natural processes (e.g., sun, wind, rainfall) and utilisation/provision for them.
• Outstanding performance in respect to energy and water efficiency.
• Materials that respond to the environmental context of the site and embody principles of sustainability.
• Colours and finishes that are compatible with the landscape.
• Site layout and landscaping that engages with public spaces and adjacent properties.
• Respect for existing development and levels of privacy and amenity.
• Minimal areas of hardstand.

Design Features 

Layout

A north facing corner section enabled an efficient design with deliberate placement of wings that make appropriate use of the site and sun position and create various spaces of interest both internally and externally. The layout consists of three wings; one housing the living areas, one for the private sleeping areas and one for the garage and the loft, which provide a clear circulation path throughout the house. The wings enable the house to be integrated within the landscape, forming pathways, courtyards, and planting areas all around.

Gable for a Rural Style 

A simple gable pavilion form with innovative use of Hardies Oblique Weatherboard fixed vertically rather than horizontally with alternating board widths, gives a rural but modern style. The dark colour distinctively contrasts the slim‐line shiplap horizontal cedar weatherboards at the gables and inset wall of the lounge. The well thought-through detailing of recessed windows in the cedar accentuates this contrast.

Cedar, Space and Outdoor Living

A timber boardwalk leads to the entry, where the use of cedar panelling draws one from the outside to the interior and leads into the living wing. A pitched ceiling, cleverly constructed with scissor trusses, provides a cost-effective solution for increased space volume. From the entry, there is also a clear circulation path to the bedrooms and garage. The use of cedar is again highlighted in the master bedroom. The living room, conversation lounge and all bedrooms open out onto the northern landscaped courtyard to promote outdoor living. The garage also incorporates a loft space utilising Attix trusses to create considerable storage capacity with the option for it to become a studio in the future.

The Thermal Envelope and Collection of Rainwater

The thermal envelope, which provides an exterior to repel the elements, includes additional thickness insulation in the walls (140mm framing) and over the ceilings, with thermally broken Low‐E argon filled double glazed aluminium windows. The slab is completely insulated with use of the MAXRaft system. Rainwater is collected in an underground storage tank and used for irrigation, and supplies hose taps and toilet cisterns. Grey water waste is piped to a diversion device that feeds an irrigation dripline, thereby reducing the load on the council sewer.

Solar Energy Design

Solar PV cells provide power, and the system is capable of feeding into a battery in the future. Hot water and space heating is provided by a high efficiency combi gas boiler that supplies the HWC and in‐slab hydronics. The exposed, dark, float finish concrete floor slab makes best use of passive solar gain.

More Eco Architecture:

If you are interested in eco architecture, you may also like Contemporary Design, Ngarara Sustainable Family Home, and Waikanae Energy Efficient Home. If you have something particular in mind, speak to us, we are more than happy to discuss this with you.