Nestled in the surrounds of Eden Hills in Adelaide’s southern suburbs lies the Cochlan residence.
Environmentally friendly interior and exterior design features have been integrated into the building to create a home which takes advantage of the bushland and city views.
The construction of the home had several challenges, including being situated on a steeply sloping site in a high bushfire-prone area with limited access.
To combat these issues, the owners turned to steel. Using framing made from steel allowed the house to be built on a steep site that other builders would have avoided.
The steel framing reduces the need to cut and fill the area, which in turn minimises erosion and enables the home to be designed to run with the natural contour of the land. It also allows for natural ventilation underneath the house, which assists with cooling in the warmer months.
During construction, waste was minimised through the off-site fabrication of framing and the lightweight nature of the frame.
"Building with steel gave us greater flexibility to build. It’s tough and it doesn’t leave a mark on the surrounding environment," says Stephen Knight from Steventon’s Construction Group.
In addition to the house frame, roofing and wall cladding made from Colorbond steel was chosen both for its thermal properties and low maintenance requirements.
To combat the bushfire issue, the home has added bushfire defences, including electrically operated shutters over windows and an automatic sprinkler system supplied from the 25,000 litre rainwater tank located under the house.
The home is fully insulated and has a ventilation plenum in the roof/ceiling space.
