OVERVIEW
Ecokit was appointed to design, manufacture and deliver two cabins for eco-tourist accommodation compliant with the eco-farm values.
The main criteria for the client were short time of building (up to 2 months), no use of heavy machinery, top quality healthy building materials. Minimal operating costs and positive environmental impact were also high on the agenda.
Location
Jindabyne, NSW, Australia
When
June – July 2018
Client
Avonside Alpine Estate
THE PROVIDER SELECTION
The client was very well informed about the current market with eco houses and lack of construction labourers in the area. He has thoroughly analysed the market and realized that many companies providing eco houses use materials that were not desired (such as polystyrene or foams) or not as high quality as he required.
He shortlisted few other companies offering eco houses, but all of them would deliver the houses in large modules which would require a crane to be available at the building site. As the site is rural, hiring a crane would add a significant cost to the project, hence the client started the search again, now he was looking for companies delivering prefabricated (to ensure high quality and short building time) eco-houses which can be build without use of any heavy machinery.
The final decision was made when the client realized that our system is so simple, that it can be built by anyone.
PROJECT PLANNING / DESIGN PHASE
The client has ordered a single storey and a double storey cabin. Orientation and careful planning were key elements in reaching the client’s sustainability goals as the project, being completely off the grid, was focused heavily on energy efficiency.
Ecokit was benefiting from using Building Information Modelling from the first day of the project. All information about every object in plans were added directly to the model, which was shared between engineers, architect and all other involved parties.
This technology ensured that all involved parties had always up-to-date information and we avoided clashes in planning. During the design phase, ecokit ran several computer-generated programs that showed how various insulation strategies, wall assembly decisions, and other building volume details would affect projected energy efficiency targets.
With the ultra-insulated shell and fine-tuned heating load, the client was able to reduce the heating requirements and save additional costs. Due to the air tightness of the building envelope, Velux Integra ventilation system was chosen to ensure adequate fresh air intake.
During the design stage we have also delivered 3D model of the cabins in Virtual Reality, another high tech advantage. What does VR brings for our clients? Once we finished the conceptual design, we prepared a 3D model. The client then was able to simply put on our VR goggles and enjoy the feel of his future home. This is really revolutionary, as many people find it difficult to read the 2D plans and to visualize the building well.
The virtual model allows our clients to visit their new home before it’s build and to easily request changes before the manufacturing starts.
Once we have fixed the scope of project, the client had submitted a building permit.
