Vinegar Lane apartment receives 8-Homestar design rating

21 May 2013

Vinegar Lane apartment exemplifies desirable, attractive and sustainable apartment living with 8-Homestar design rating

The developers of Ponsonby’s new Vinegar Lane have responded to Auckland’s housing shortage with a beautifully designed and environmentally thoughtful neighbourhood of town houses, terrace houses, boutique apartments and office space, where it is quite literally possible to live and work in the same building.

Located just off Ponsonby Road, Vinegar Lane boasts 30 lots for development. Situated around an exclusive courtyard for residents’ private use, the project sets itself apart by allowing owners to develop their own homes and office spaces, just the way they want.

Brendon Poole and Nikki Cliffe, owners of Lot Four, Vinegar Lane, saw an opportunity to showcase modern energy efficiency principles as part of their new-build and, spurred on by Brendon’s environmental background, they created a building that exemplifies desirable, comfortable and sustainable apartment living.

Teaming Nicholas Dalton from Toa Architects, with Alex Rieche of EnviroSpec, who provided valuable design and product selection advice as a qualified Homestar Professional, allowed them to create a stunning architecturally designed apartment – the first to be awarded an 8-Homestar Design rating in New Zealand.

Brendon Poole says, “We have a passion for energy efficiency and it was always our intention to use our home to promote sustainable products and in turn demonstrate to Kiwis that you can build green for a realistic price whilst still maximising comfort and style.”

Designed using the Homestar ratings tool, the apartment features high efficiency hot water and solar electric panels, a 5,000 litre rain water bladder that is plumbed into the toilet and laundry, a rooftop vegetable garden and clothes line, and good moisture extraction from the kitchen and bathrooms, plus passive ventilation through windows with security stays.

While some major benefits come through design, a major contribution towards the excellent environmental performance of the three bedroom, 132m2 penthouse, comes from superior products.

Many aspects of product selection for the build are a showcase for best practice:
• Kingspan Kooltherm rigid insulation, providing higher than building code R values with minimal insulation thickness
• Double-glazed Fletcher Aluminium windows with a thermally broken frame to reduce heat loss
• Eco-friendly flooring products like Cavalier Bremworth carpets with Flashbac recycled backing
• Energy efficient LED lighting with daylight cut-off sensors
• Low emission and eco-certified paints, timber, sealants and adhesives

Alex Reiche confirmed that the Homestar rating tool was vital when selecting fittings and fixtures that were environmentally sound.

“Many Kiwis don’t realise just what impact appliances and fittings like taps can have on the overall performance of a house. Attention to detail in these areas can boost homes from a five or six Homestar rating to a seven or eight, while complementing the aesthetics of the home. It’s no longer enough to have excellent orientation and insulation; we need to be looking at absolutely every facet of the house.”

Nicholas Dalton agrees “This home is finished to the highest standard on every level – architecturally, environmentally and efficiency-wise. It’s a leading example for what high-density housing could be in Auckland; visually stunning and designed with residents’ comfort in mind.

About Homestar
Homestar is a comprehensive, national, voluntary residential rating tool that evaluates the environmental attributes of New Zealand’s stand-alone, attached homes and apartments. The Homestar rating framework provides an independent benchmark of sustainability at both the design and built phase and is applicable to new and existing homes. A national service of qualified Homestar professionals are available to provide expertise and independent advice to homeowners and the building industry.

Homeowners and tenants can also self-assess their own home using the free online test gaining a provisional rating out of ten, along with a Recommendations Report with suggestions on how to make the home healthier and more comfortable to live in. Some suggestions may involve simple actions that involve little or no cost, while others may involve investments that will pay for themselves through lower running costs or other benefits to the household.

To gain a formal Homestar Design or Certified Rating on their property, a homeowner can engage a Homestar Practitioner who will complete a comprehensive, in-depth audit assessment on the property. A certified Homestar rating can be obtained upon completion of the renovation or build and provides potential purchases, a valuable independent indicator of building standard and home performance.

Homestar will shortly launch to market a more product directed journey of home improvement and maintenance service, called myHomestar, which will be a $15 paid annual membership service.

For more information visit www.homestar.org.nz.

ENDS

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