Latest News

AccuRATE V1.1.3.0

The latest version of 2nd Gen BTP Assessment tools has been released.

DoP agree to a new Pilot to commence early February 2007.

BASIX (DIY) Review

ABSA instrumental in securing DoP DIY Sustainability Tool - DoP Review...not independent but a starting point 

Visit the ABSA Site for further details.

DIY found to lower the standard of Residential Building BTP in NSW - varies between 200% to 400% below Simulation Method when compared with NatHERS and far more variation expected to AccuRATE.

Remote Location Food Storage and Preservation

To reduce energy and operating costs in buildings, it is desirable to reduce the size and volume of mechanical refrigeration.

Buildings designed with renewable energy systems, it is practicable to install DC power refrigerators which are more efficient than conventional AC powered units.

Storage of many food items is not directly temperature dependant, providing that temperature variation is not large.

In conventional building, storage is in light weight cupboards, notably particleboard or MDF construction offering little thermal control - usually these are situated on outside walls where temperature variations can be large.

The result is the installation of large refrigerated storage to hold all meats, vegetable and part used foods.

In contrast, in a building designed along ESD principles storage which has substantially stable temperatures, some whole vegetables and foodstuffs held in air tight containers can be held in general pantry storage thus reducing the refrigeration loads and power consumption requirements of the building.

The design principles for such storage needs to feature:-

• isolation from external temperature variation by being located in the inner of the building volume, or well insulated from the external building surface
• thermal mass or earth linkage as for a cellar in part of the pantry construction to assist temperature stability
• deliberate ventilation to enable cool air inflow and stale air extraction.
  

Such ventilation can include:-

• air inflow vent paths either through the toe-board and raised floor of the pantry, or direct from the sub-floor volume under timber floors
• air outflow vents situated in the pantry ceiling or upper wall to outside, or a high internal space
  This outflow can be further encouraged where there are complementary or interlinked outflow paths from an adjacent refrigerator or hot water service.
• shelving within the pantry needs to been set away from the walls with air gap behind.
• The vents should be meshed to be vermin proof.

An integrated layout thus might have the pantry with its airflow paths situated between:

• a southern subsidence tower providing in-feed as well as general space cooling, and
• the hollow duct in the rear of overhead cupboards over a refrigerator on the northern side of the pantry
• or air venting away from a hot water service above the pantry

Such idealised layout is not always possible; and other layouts maximising the pantry potential are subject to the architect's skill in manipulating the basic principles involved; which are described in the 'climate response' parts of this web site.

Send mail to webmaster@architect-vzy.au.com with questions and comments about this web site.
©1999 to 2006 VZ Yanchenko Pty Limited - Architects
Last Modified: Sunday, 21 January 2007 10:57:37 AM