It’s all in the design

There’s a huge surge in new homebuilding expected in Western Australia over the coming year, following the release of both the WA Building Bonus and the Commonwealth HomeBuilder schemes.

While some consumers will be getting their slabs down, others will still be making selections. So to kick off 2021, we’ve consulted with our experts on design considerations which will impact your new home.

The first step is to think about how you will use your new home – will you need adequate space to work? Will you have regular overnight guests? Will you be away frequently? What hobbies or activities are important to those who use the house regularly?

This assessment will help identify many of the non-negotiables of your design process. That may be a four-car garage for the boat, trailer, motorbike and cars, or an outdoor fish-filleting setup, a granny flat or a lap pool. Involve your family in the discussion to really work out what you will need from the residence over the coming five to 10 years.

There are other aspects of design that are important to consider to ensure each home not only provides functional spaces suitable to your needs, but performs well too. Orientation and energy efficiency are on top of the list here.

Households can reduce power bills for heating or cooling simply by ensuring the design phase considers the orientation of the residence and the block relative to things like the sun, the sea breeze and shading.

Simply mirror-imaging your proposed design can do wonders for a living room or outdoor area to really enhance the benefits of WA’s winter sun. Giving careful consideration to things like window placement goes well beyond what is pleasing to the eye – you will want windows in the right location to draw the sea breeze through the house from the cooler south-side in summer. Ensuring all windows have eaves, or some kind of shading, is another key element to avoid unwanted heat gain.

These can fundamentally alter how your house performs for the rest of its life – the benefits of solar panels, smaller air-conditioning units and deciduous trees can deliver exceptional results.

If you want to create a more sustainable home, contact the HIA WA office on 9492 9200 to learn more about previous HIA Australian GreenSmart Award winners.

Next week, we’ll look more closely at how selection of materials can enhance your dream home.

CONTACT Housing Industry Association, 9492 9200, www.hia.com.au