Winner: Skookom
Torbul Hill house sits belongingly within the landscape with extensive 360 degree views across stunning Southern Tasmanian waterways and surrounding native forests. The totally off-grid and self-sufficient home attracts exceptional passive solar gain whilst the passive construction methodology and technology ensures this highly detailed and beautiful home not just braves the wild elements but lives comfortably within it.
The single storey one room wide design along the east west axis allows light and heat to enter the home from the north-facing windows and glazed doors. The homes achieves a 8.6 star NatHERS rating and uses thermal mass, cavity insulation and triple argon-filled glazing to capture and retain heat.
All water used in the home is collected either from the roof of the home or the shed, and stored in two 30,000 litre and one 25,000 litre tanks. The water is distributed to the house using a gravity-fed system to minimise the reliance on electricity.
Aesthetically the home uses the soft tones of nature to blend with its surrounds, incorporating timber, stone and plantings.