Under our BuildGreen label, we give clients the opportunity to make elements of their build more sustainable. Offering a bespoke, tiered approach to efficient design, our eco-friendly features can be customised to meet our clients’ individual requests, environmental concerns and budgets.
When you BuildGreen with us, you’ll be creating an earth-conscious home your family will enjoy for many years to come.
Committed to the future of our planet, Acustruct are accredited as ‘Green Living Builders’ through Master Builders Victoria.
Co-founders Danny and Nancy Italiano have lived and worked within the green wedge of Victoria’s Nillumbik Shire for nearly fifteen years and are in tune with the elements of nature. Taking a holistic approach to ecological design, we create enduring homes that maximise natural attributes and structural adaptations.
Working alongside trusted sustainable suppliers and manufacturers, it’s our mission to construct a better future for our clients, our communities, and the environment.
Sustainable design is essential in the family homes of tomorrow. Investing in these future-focused measures will lower the cost of energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the life of your home.
Following Passive House design methodology, energy usage can be reduced by up to 90% compared with typical buildings, without compromising on architectural style or aesthetics.
Using improved building practices, Acustruct homes achieve a seven-star rating on the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). This exceptional efficiency ensures occupants remain thermally comfortable.
We explore the fundamentals of Passive House design to achieve a naturally optimised way of living with minimal auxiliary heating or cooling.
Built in accordance with key building physics, Passive House relies on home surroundings, positioning, construction materials, and internal features to create healthy, dry indoor spaces.
Making use of the climate and topographical characteristics of the site will reduce the amount of energy your home consumes. Considered choices in internal paint, stone, joinery, and carpet boost a home’s core thermal capabilities, while integrated renewable energy sources generate ample power for household heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting.
This methodology avoids the need for expensive bolt-on ‘green technology’ that compromises the architecture and aesthetics of the build.
Our multi-level approach to sustainable design ensures the key elements of Passive House can be built-in to suit your requirements, environmental interests, and budget. Five design principles that should be considered include:
Airtightness
The first strategy in achieving energy efficiency is an airtight building envelope. This involves the construction of highly insulated exterior walls, roof, windows, and floor slab. Low air leakage gives you full control over the internal environment and significantly improves thermal comfort.
Thermal Insulation
Sufficient insulation within the building’s envelope means adequate thermal separation between the inside environment and the outdoors. This improves heating or cooling capabilities and reduces the risk of condensation on cold internal surfaces in winter.
Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery
A mechanical ventilation unit can improve internal air quality without the need to open windows and doors. It effectively controls air by recovering heat and cooling that would otherwise be lost and filtering the fresh air coming into the building. This restricts pollutants, regulates humidity, and maintains a healthier indoor space.
Thermal Bridge Free Construction
Thick and continuous insulation is essential for proper thermal amplitude. Penetrations should be kept to a minimum to avoid losing heat from internal spaces. If necessary, opt to incorporate thermal breaks using timber or a similar material that is less conductive to heat.
High Performance Windows
Superior levels of solar insulation can be attained through optimised windows. With size appropriate to the home’s orientation, it allows solar radiation to naturally warm internal spaces during winter, while limiting unwanted heat in summer. Windows are designed to be airtight, with double or triple glazing and thermally broken or non-metal frames.
Homes that are certified as Passive House are required to meet strict criteria, with the total heating and cooling reduced to only 10% of the energy used in standard buildings. Acustruct engages and collaborates with your local accredited Passive House certifier throughout the building processes to make sure every feature is the best it can be.
In principle, Passive House certification can also be applied for after completion of the building but engaging from the initial planning phase is recommended for optimal thermal efficiency.
As an independent authority, the Passive House Institute tests and certifies building products based on their suitability for use in Passive Houses.
Products that carry the ‘Certified Passive House Components’ certificate have been tested according to uniform criteria. They are comparable in terms of their specific values and are superior in their energy efficiency credentials. Choosing Passive House approved products significantly contributes to a sustainable home. Current certified building components include:
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