Sustainable Home – Melbourne Custom Homes Magazine:

Situated in the town of Marysville, the scene of the devastating ‘Black Saturday’ fires in 2009, it was known from the onset that this home was to be a stand-out in the re-building of this town that lost 90% of its buildings. And stand out it certainly is, this home was recently awarded the MBA for ‘Best Sustainable Home’ for the North West, for custom home builders Hedger Constructions.

The brief from the clients was to create a ‘sustainable’ home that blended with the rural environment, incorporated energy efficient elements and was to function as a retreat for the owners from their busy Melbourne lifestyle, as well as provide a bed & breakfast facility for guests.

To enhance the energy efficiency and to ensure the home sat synergistically with its bush setting, the home was effectively built into the natural slope of the block, with the soil and thermal mass acting as insulation for the home. Polystyrene under the slab and double block reinforced concrete walls, along with extensive wall and ceiling insulation further assisted the home to achieve it’s 8.4 star energy rating.

Externally the home was clad with spotted gum and stone which added the natural elements to the design and a number of recycled materials were also used internally.

The home features a well-appointed kitchen with an expansive open plan dining and lounge area. The adjacent al fresco area leads to the rooftop garden that sits above the second bedrooms of the home. Water is collected via a Versidrain system that is then stored and used to reticulate gardens when required.

The home was certainly designed to be family friendly with an built in trampoline and undercroft play area that includes a climbing wall. This can be accessed from the alfresco decking via a fireman’s pole! Rock, gravel and a careful selection of native plans in the landscaping provide low maintenance gardens so that the home can be easily cared for in the owner’s absence.

A huge multi-purpose room provides guests with spaces for Yoga and other activities with a stunning outlook to the bush surrounds to take in the flora and fauna that is now returning to the area after the fires.

This is a unique and beautiful home that exemplifies contemporary living in an Australian bush setting and is a trademark of the quality that is consistent with a Hedger Constructions Home.