Steel Roof Covers Energy Efficient Home

Location:	Metford, Maitland, New South Wales
Country:	Australia
Architect:	Mr Glen Spicer EJE Architecture Ph: 02 4929 2353
Builder:	Jones Homes Ph: 02 9433 5411
Fabricator:	SmartFLO Gutter - Sankey Australia Pty Ltd PO Box 589 Mayfield NSW 2304 Ph: 02 4968 0833 Fax: 02 4967 2367 web: www.smartflo.com.au e-mail: sales@smartflo.com.au
Products Used:	Roofing
Awards:	2000 National MBA Award for Energy Sustainability, 2000 HIA Award for Energy Efficient Design

The Landcom Energy Efficient Home at Metford, near Maitland, NSW, features roofing made from COLORBOND® steel to demonstrate the cost savings and benefits of energy efficient living. To achieve the cost savings the energy efficient family would use 40 percent less energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.5 tonnes.

An average family of four living in an energy efficient home would save almost one third of the costs compared to living in a conventional dwelling according to NSW state government estimates.

Landcom, the NSW state government's land development arm, has created an environmentally friendly blueprint for new home buyers with the construction of an affordable five star energy efficient home.

Glen Spicer of EJE Architects won a competition instigated by Landcom and Maitland City Council in 1998 to design an affordable five star energy efficient and environmentally friendly home. Energy saving features include a northerly orientation that maximises natural light into the home, with louvre windows assisting in temperature control through cross ventilation.

The house is designed in zones, with entryways separated from living areas to assist in controlling the effect of the elements on the home's living areas. Glen Spicer said the roof incorporates wider than normal eaves to help protect the inside of the home from the hot summer sun, with thermally efficient light coloured Shale Grey™ COLORBOND® steel used to roof the home.

"The roof made from COLORBOND® steel was also chosen for its aesthetics because we believe steel is more appealing than concrete tiles," Glen Spicer said.

"You can reduce the size of the timbers in the roof because steel is a lighter weight roofing material which is also easier to work with, and these factors combine to contribute to overall affordability."

Three collection tanks are installed at the home to gather all rainwater shed from the roof.

A SmartFLO gutter system also manufactured from COLORBOND® steel eliminates up to 94% of all pollutants from the rainwater and contributes to minimising the amount of mains water used in the home.

"A further major benefit we've found over the years is that the tensile strength of steel roofs makes them more resistant than tiles to storm damage," said Mr Spicer.

"While a steel roof may be dented by hail or a tree branch falling across it, a tiled roof is more prone to fracture - with the result that water can enter and then cause substantial damage to the interior of a home."

Download Steel Roof Covers Energy Efficient Home Blueprint (215 KB)