Banksia House: Design for Climate

Banksia House is a free plan by the Australian Government designed to save energy and reduce waste. The Australian Museum (AM) has made a model of a sustainable house and garden using this house plan. In the AM’s model, the walls are made of Structural Insulated Panels known as SIPs, which has an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structure facing strand boards. This keeps the house warm in winter and cool in summer, meaning it uses less energy to keep inside temperatures stable.

Banksia House is not only part of the ecosystem, it also creates its own!

Houses that feature plenty of shade, native species and a water source create a safe and beneficial environment for native insects and animals. Native plant species have evolved alongside Australian animals; by planting them, you encourage native animals by extending their habitat and providing food. Ponds and other water sources also provide food and habitat for native animals, as well as create a cooling system for humans and animals to take refuge on hot days.

Did you know that a house’s roof can help reduce energy use? For example, a light-coloured roof helps to reflect sunlight, reducing heat in the home. Banksia House features a green roof that uses plants to provide a blanket-like covering, resulting in less energy used for cooling and heating. The green roof also provides a space to grow food for its human inhabitants!

There are other ways to keep temperatures at a comfortable level that don’t require excess energy. Features like double glazing (an extra layer of glass that traps heat or cool air), a heat pump (a low-energy air conditioner), and planting native trees around house help to regulate temperature without an exorbitant energy cost.

Sunlight can be helpful too! Solar energy is the cheapest form of energy humans have ever produced – both to install and to maintain. Solar panels convert the sun’s rays into energy to power appliances and cars, generating cheap, earth-friendly energy.

It's important to plan with the landscape in mind, and prepare for strong weather events.

Depending on local climate conditions, building a house on stilts or using light-touch screw-in foundations not only provides a natural cooling system, but also protect the house from flooding risks.

As bushfires are a risk in the Australian landscape, building homes with fire-resistant materials and fire sprinklers will help protect its inhabitants from the dangers of a hot Australian summer.

One of the best ways to be sustainable is to grow your own food: vegetables, fruit and herbs grown in a garden or on a balcony is fresh and delicious, produced with low cost, little pollution and no packaging.

It’s important to remember that gardens, particularly those planted with native plants, encourage wildlife to make a home in the space. For this reason, it is particularly important to use animal-friendly nets to protect birds, bats, and possums from getting tangled. Wildlife-friendly nets are fine with holes too small to thread a pinkie finger through, preventing non-human friends from getting hurt in their search for food.