It's important to meet and understand how best a home will perform based on a set criteria of standards and basis measures

So let's take a look

1. As we're in sunny Qld it's important to understand that for the most part we live in a "Cooling climate": Most of your energy is used to cool your house

2. living locally – it's also optimal to live close to your community. That is – work, friends and family, sporting or social groups and your kids schooling etc. When these resources are close to home you're able to drive less, take public transport, walk or cycle, these are important for health and helps you to reduce costs.

3. orientation – When designed correctly, a house with good orientation takes advantage of winter sun for natural heating and keep out summer sun, reducing the need for cooling. This design is based on orienting the room you use most, usually the living room in relation to the sun's path. In Qld the optimal is a north/east facing living room. When utilised correctly it helps make your home more comfortable, whilst also reducing your need for mechanical heating and cooling.

4. cross ventilation. Cross-ventilation occurs when there are existing breeze paths through a home, from one side to the other. It is an important means of providing natural, low-energy thermal comfort. When used correctly cross ventilation can reduce the need for mechanical cooling and reducing risk of mould, helping to create a healthy, efficient and comfortable home.

5. zoning a home. Zoning simply means that the rooms in your home have doors or partitions that can be closed. This creates spatial zones that can be separately cooled or heated when required, rather than cooling or heat the whole house. There are two main types of zoning; the ability to close off rooms, and to be able to isolate between levels of the home.

6. insulation – Insulation is the material installed in a home to control heat entering or leaving the building. Without insulation all the heat and coolness that you are generating with your heaters and air conditioners is lost through the ceiling, windows, walls and floors. When used correctly, insulation creates a barrier to the transfer of heat from one side of the insulation material to the other. This can reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling while keeping your home at a more comfortable temperature.

7. dense building materials – The materials you build your home with can offer more than just structural support. Some materials with a property known as Thermal Mass can absorb and retain heat for later use. Dense materials such as a concrete slab and internal masonry walls allows heat to be stored during the day for release in the evening when the house is naturally cooling. This heat retention can delay or alleviate entirely the need for heating, creating a naturally warmed or cooled home.

8. Windows can transform a room by allowing natural light in, however traditionally they have been a room's main point of heat loss. Windows are an important factor in achieving comfort within a home as they can work in the same way as the insulation to stop heat entering or leaving the home. At Zeal we have the Improved glass inclusion such as low-e glass and advanced window frames can improve the insulating aspect of windows in our homes.

9. Shading or sun control measures are the external additions to your home which limit the sun's heat from entering your home. External shade structures can range from awnings to eaves, shutters, shade sails, deciduous trees and other vegetation. Let's talk about how we can incorporate some of these measures in your Zeal home

10. Heating and cooling are the most energy hungry activities in most homes and make up around 40% of the overall household energy use. When built with passive design and other livability features, you may not require additional mechanical devices to heat and cool your home to a comfortable temperature. If you do require additional heating and cooling, newer models with a high star energy rating will cost less to run and keep your home comfortable. At zeal we have partnered with a quality supplier who uses Panasonic Nanoe technology

Quoted resource – liveability.com.AU