Location

The coastal zone south of Mackay

Description

This zone is characterised by warm humid summers and mild winters.

Average January mean temperature¹

29.4^oC

Average July mean temperature¹

20.4^oC

Passive design features²

The design’s main aim is to cool the interior of the home for summer, and provide some warmth for winter. The main passive design features that can be used to achieve this are:

• northern orientation for living room, with low-use rooms facing west eg. garages, bathroom and laundry
• minimise east and west facing walls and windows
• allow for good ventilation - windows and doorways able to catch breezes
• ceiling fans and high ceilings
• wide eaves and awnings to shade eastern and western side of house in summer, but also allows winter sun inside
• ensure roof space is well-insulated and ventilated e.g. whirlybirds and eave vents
• insulate walls
• lighter building materials - such as timber and metal; with some denser materials for winter warmth - such as concrete and bricks
• high performance glazing for windows that are exposed directly to the sun e.g. low-e or tinted glazing on eastern & western aspects
• when using air-conditioning, ensure room is well-insulated and sealed
• a light coloured roof.

For further information on 6-star housing design, refer to the Design guide for 6-star energy equivalence housing.

^1. As per the Bureau of Meteorology (Brisbane).

^2. The specific performance requirement P1 of the Queensland Development Code 4.1–Sustainable buildings would have to be met for the building shell - roofs, walls, windows and floors.