Autonomous House

On 100 acres of eucalypt forest at top of 60 m cliffs, 430 m above sea level. Spectacular views over the Hunter Valley wine region. No public services. Extreme bushfire danger. Electricity from photovoltaic solar array. Water from roof to corrugated steel tanks. Water heating from solar panels. ‘Brown’ water to septic tank. ‘Grey’ water irrigates a walled ‘Permaculture’ garden. Wood stoves for heating and baking. Mobile phone and fax. Three buildings – house, garages, stables. House parallel to the cliffs faces 33˚ east of solar north – winter morning sun, cooling summer sea breezes. Walled garden orientated on the points of the compass. Thus generated the courtyard. House, corrugated steel ‘fly roof’ on standard steel agricultural shed frames – large low cost area for rainwater and shade. Beneath are two habitable modules with curved steel sub-roofs either side of an open breezeway with retained existing recycled brick fireplace. Concrete block walls for thermal mass insulated and clad on outside with mini-orb steel and eucalypt planks. Eaves exclude summer sun, winter sun admitted to thermal mass of concrete floors and yellow curved thermal wall. Perforated mini-orb steel shutters for bushfire protection and sun shade. Standard steel shed frames to garages and stables with roof and walls of corrugated steel. Bloodlines from Australian rural sheds. Low cost. Owner built. En 100 acres de bosque de eucaliptos en lo alto de acantilados de 60 m, a 430 m sobre el nivel del mar. Vistas espectaculares sobre la región vinícola de Hunter Valley. Sin servicios públicos. Peligro extremo de incendio forestal. Electricidad procedente de paneles solares fotovoltaicos. Agua del tejado a depósitos de acero corrugado. Calentamiento de agua mediante paneles solares. Las aguas fecales van a la fosa séptica. Las aguas grises riegan un jardín amurallado de permacultura. Estufas de leña para calentar y hornear. Teléfono móvil y fax.