Gorgeously Green

Gorgeously greenStory by Petra de Mooy. Photography by Robert Geh.

Page left: The gate is from Dee’s family’s old farm in Quorn. It was a sheep yard gate. ‘We wanted to incorporate some rural items that had sentimental value into the landscaping. There are three salt bush plants planted behind the gate to add authenticity.’ Above: The large beams at the entrance to the home were reclaimed from the Victor Harbor causeway. The beams serve as a framing device and give the home solidity and mass.

When Deidre (Dee) and Henry Nieuwenhuis decided to build at the seven star energy rated development Beyond at Hayborough, their brief to the builders was clear. They told Bailey Homes they wanted a sustainable house that was also a ‘home’.

This vision ultimately resulted in Dee and Henry’s home winning the 2017 HIA GreenSmart Sustainable Home award. The Nieuwenhuis and the team at Bailey Homes were elated with the accolade. ‘You always hope it will happen, but you never know until the night,’ says builder Don Bailey.

It’s not the first time Don’s won awards for his energy efficient homes and Dee is also no stranger to eco building. She worked for Sustainability House, one of the big companies in Adelaide performing energy ratings via thermal imaging and blower door or pressure tests (designed to measure how well a home is put together). Dee’s goal was to achieve a high rating for her own home. They certainly did this with the house achieving 8 stars along with the ‘best result’ previously tested by Sustainability House for their blower door system in South Australia and Victoria to date. ‘Victor and surrounds are climate zone six so it is really hard to even get six stars. This showed that the house was very well put together.

When Henry and Dee made the decision to build at the Beyond Development they had previously renovated four homes and built three. They’d learned a lot along the way, but working at Sustainability House really cemented Dee’s understanding and passion for green living. ‘It is just so logical to build this way,’ she says.

The large beams at the entrance to the home were reclaimed from the Victor Harbor causeway. The beams serve as a framing device and give the home solidity and mass. They also pair new with old, which forms an important part of the aesthetic the couple wanted to achieve. The beams create a visual connection between Henry’s garage/shed/workspace (a non-negotiable) and the main house.

The two structures are completely separate because, as I learn, an attached garage can lead to major loss in energy efficiency when it comes to heating and cooling. The cosy, sheltered courtyard however aids in the prevention of heat loss and cooling and also has the lovely effect of creating a protected and private entrance to the home.

But the true ingenuity of the design lies in the details you don’t immediately notice. ‘Orientation is extremely important,’ Don explains. ‘The correct depth of eaves, with carefully located windows, good pergolas and good screening and deciduous vines ensures you get the cool feel from the shading in summer and the benefit of the north sun in the winter, after the leaves have fallen.’ >

Above: The cosy, sheltered courtyard aids in the prevention of heat loss and cooling and also has the lovely effect of creating a protected and private entrance to the home. Next page top: The home is fitted out almost entirely with collections from the couple’s Victor Harbor Shop Coastal Habitats – a mix of contemporary and rustic, for easy but stylish living. Bottom: The kitchen, designed by Goolwa Kitchens, features a mosaic look splash back and has a pared down, but highly functional aesthetic.

‘You have to work the house,’ explains Dee as she opens a window here and pulls a curtain shut there. The retractable shading and cross ventilation via windows and doors need to be operated at the right time of day and night to maximise the design benefits. ‘Having some southern windows down low brings in the cooler air and northern windows up high lets the hot air out. You need this to be achieved in as many rooms as possible, with the main living areas being the most important.’ says Don.

The windows are the latest in energy efficient design from Europe. The wood-look acrylic boasts an excellent seal and the thick thermal panes are filled with argon, which is more inert than air and therefore more effective. The insulation and sealing are so effective, you may have to open a window just to get some fresh air. This also eliminates dust coming in so saves on cleaning – bonus!

Dee and Henry began establishing a property portfolio when they were young and as part of it they built an energy efficient home in Willunga. When they heard about the Beyond Development they wanted to get involved and initially invested in a display home being built in the, then new, development. ‘That was just an investment but we eventually moved into that home,’ says Dee.

Dee’s long term interest in green living and building sustainably led her to working in the office at Beyond and she began to take courses and gained her qualifications to become an energy rater. ‘I then applied for a job at Sustainability House and worked with them for a couple of years.’ Here Dee truly began to understand all the measures required to make a building ‘perform well’. ‘I can give you the energy efficiencies pretty much verbatim,’ says Dee. ‘It involves combinations of orientation, zoning, insulation, cross ventilation and thermal mass.’

Dee and Henry chose Bailey Homes to do their build because Dee wanted to work with a local company that would be able to deliver on best practise for the highest energy rating, without compromising on craftsmanship and design.

The large tiles that extend from the entryway into the living area are polished concrete and tie in beautifully with the cabinetry and mosaiclook splash back in the kitchen. The kitchen is simple but highly functional and while the house works really well when it is just Dee and Henry at home, it also easily accommodates entertaining. Guests can spill outside when the weather is warm, or mingle in the generous open plan living area or around the kitchen island when weather is unsuitable. >

7576Page left and bottom left: The bedrooms are light and airy with a relaxed coastal vibe. Top left: Artwork and other objects adorn the dining room buffet. Top right: The bespoke cabinet, wooden ladder and plant holder in the main bathroom work well with the cool grey tiles.

‘I really enjoyed Deidre’s passion for energy efficiency,’ says Don. ‘She and Henry knew what they wanted and were very thorough with their expectations.’

While Dee and Henry are truly thrilled with their ‘most energy efficient house under $400,000’, it is the South Coast lifestyle they are perhaps most satisfied with. Their return to the region brings them full circle, after they met close to forty years ago at Encounter Bay. In recent times, the couple has become further entrenched in the community with their latest venture Coastal Habitats Furniture (previously Mica Furniture). ‘We wanted to rebrand to make it a better fit for us,’ says Dee. While retaining popular lines of furniture, they are refreshing the stock and making it their own - a reflection of the easy coastal lifestyle. ‘We both love the beach, water and lifestyle down here,’ says Dee.

Their new home gives them the best of both worlds; engagement with nature and access to amenities. It has views of the hills to the north, is close to the beach and the Port Elliot township, while the landscape around Beyond features wetlands and walking paths and is a stone’s throw to the new Fleurieu Aquatic Centre. ‘I love sitting in the living room at night and seeing the twinkling lights of Port Elliot,’ says Dee. Idyllic indeed.