Location: Waramanga ACT
Total Floor Area: 196m2
Year Completed: 2018
Architect: Architecture Republic
EER: 8 Stars

“Our new house build with 360 Building Solutions exceeded our every expectation. The build quality is outstanding, with even little details well thought through and beautifully executed. The hidden details that make a sustainable house – like wrapping, insulation and door seals – are testament to their commitment to quality. They went above and beyond to ensure that the end result delivered was not just a house, but a beautiful, comfortable and unique home.

From the start, Will and Dean were amazing, helping us work through our ideas for a unique and sustainable house. Alternative materials like rammed earth and recycled timber didn’t phase them, allowing us to create the home we wanted. They communicated throughout the process, involving us in everything from staircase and balustrade design to the plastering details, making sure that the end product was exactly was we wanted. Nothing was too much trouble for Will and we can’t recommend 360 Building Solutions highly enough.”

Location: Rivett ACT
Total Floor Area: 127m2 + 140m2 + 80m2
Year Completed: 2019
Architect: Light House Architecture & Science
EER: 8 stars

A great team project between architects, scientists, clients and builders to create a three home village where there was previously one home. This unique project challenges the narrative of the conventional home and is the ultimate sustainable approach to housing.

Photos by Ben Wrigley Photography.

Location: Hackett ACT
Total Floor Area: 167m2
Year Completed: 2017
Architect: Geoff Lovie Architects
EER: 7 stars

Client Brief

The scope for this project was to create an energy efficient, light filled and solar passive home that is comfortable all year round. The result is a spectacular modern home with the latest technology that stays cool in summer without the need for air conditioning and comfortable in the cold Canberra winter. The home also features timber reveals, plywood ceilings and unique custom joinery making this home feel warm and comfortable.

Sustainable Products & Features

• Sanden heat pump (extremely efficient and low-energy water heating system)
• In-slab electric heating offset with large solar array
• Haiku ceiling fans to living areas. Haikus have the top ENERGY STAR® rankings for ceiling fans
• Taubmans Low VOC paints
• Australian plantation hardwood (not imported, not old-growth)
• Weathertex cladding which uses some recycled and some non-recycled components, was used on most of the exterior walls.
• High levels of insulation (R2.5 bulk wall insulation to internal and external walls and R6 ceiling insulation) to reduce heat transfer between inside and outside and between internal zones of the home.
• ProClima Solitex vapour permeable membranes (fully taped at joins and penetrations to all external walls and under roof sheets) to ensure interstitial moisture control and minimise air movement past insulation.
• Ventis Sub-Flow system – in cooler months this takes hot air from the roof space (which gets really hot even in winter due to Canberra’s sunny days) and pumps it into the air void below the rear, southern, bedroom-end of the slab to provide extra heat under the floor.

“The brief we gave 360 was for a solar passive, cost effective and compact family home that would suit our changing needs over the next few decades. We moved in during December and the house stayed cool during the Jan/Feb heatwaves with just ceiling fans and no aircon. We expect it will perform equally well during the long Canberra winter. We chose small kid bedrooms to save cost and reduce their mess footprint. The eldest has her own flat that the others will use as they reach uni age and want independence. There is no garage – just a simple carport that will double as a second outdoor entertaining space. Savings went towards good size living spaces and finishes eg timber reveals, plywood ceilings and joinery. We love the reclaimed timber pergola (a 360 special). The house is really interesting and light filled with 3 north facing courtyards. Dean & crew were a pleasure to work with and we are incredibly happy with the result.”

2018 Master Builders Association ACT, Custom Built Home Less Than 250m2 –Winner

Location: Wright ACT
Total Floor Area: 150m2
Year Completed: 2017
Architect: Light House Architecture & Science
EER: 8 stars

Client Brief

The clients wanted a new home for a family of four, with two home-office spaces, and capacity for guests, all within a modest budget and on a small block. They also wanted a home that would be an exemplar of sustainable design and construction in a new suburb that was dominated by project homes. The home was intended to showcase smaller, smarter design to create a highly liveable, light-filled and light-footed home; a home that feels and functions like (or better than most of the surrounding larger homes.

Sustainable Products & Features

• Sanden heat pump (extremely efficient and low-energy water heating system)
• LUNOS e2 heat recovery ventilation systems
• LUNOS Silvento humidity sensing exhuast fans
• BioPCM phase change material in the ceilings to retain and release heat from thermal mass during heating and cooling periods
• Heat-On infrared heater panels
• Haiku ceiling fans to living areas. Haikus have the top ENERGY STAR® rankings for ceiling fans
• Taubmans Low VOC paints
• Australian plantation hardwood (not imported, not old-growth)
• Austral Bricks clay commons bricks – left raw
• Weathertex cladding which uses some recycled and some non-recycled components, was used on most of the exterior walls.
• Cupolex recycled plastic dome slab system. These structural domes create a network of air voids in the slab, substantially reducing the amount of concrete needed.
• High levels of insulation (R2.5 bulk wall insulation to internal and external walls and R6 ceiling insulation) to reduce heat transfer between inside and outside and between internal zones of the home.
• ProClima Solitex vapour permeable membranes (fully taped at joins and penetrations to all external walls and under roof sheets) to ensure interstitial moisture control and minimise air movement past insulation.
• Ventis Sub-Flow system – in cooler months this takes hot air from the roof space (which gets really hot even in winter due to Canberra’s sunny days) and pumps it into the air void below the rear, southern, bedroom-end of the slab to provide extra heat under the floor.
• Locally fabricated uPVC framed double glazing using Deceuninck profiles.
• Paperock, which is made of recycled paper and resin – the kitchen bench is made from Paperock.
• Impressive air tightness of just 3.6 airchanges per hour at 50Pa – 5 to 8 times better than most Canberra homes; achieved using standard construction methods ie. no special air barriers, just attention to detail and by minimising ceiling penetrations
• 15+ data loggers throughout the home and regular surface temperature measurements with a thermal camera.

Overall an excellent and well thought through design, Coupled with the latest technology in sustainable and efficient living make this home a standout. This home requires well under half the energy of typical new 6 star Canberra family home which makes it hard to dispute its sustainability credentials. We loved the challenge and we are very proud of the final product, which has been reassured with a number of awards including:

2018 HIA Australian GreenSmart Sustainable Home. – Winner

2017 Master Builders Association ACT, Custom Built Home Less Than 150m2 –Winner

2017 HIA/Southern NSW, Greensmart Energy Efficiency Home of the Year – Winner

Photos by Ben Wrigley Photography

Location: Watson ACT
Total Floor Area: 181m2
Year Completed: 2019
Architect: Light House Architecture & Science
EER: 8.3 Stars

“360 built us a beautiful, sustainable, liveable home. They were very easy to work with – upfront about costs and timeframes, professional, and focused on getting everything done to an extremely high standard. They choose contractors, suppliers and employees who care about the quality of the job. They were great at consulting with us and the architect with any queries. They also showed excellent judgment in terms of what would look and work best when thinking through some of the details of the build, and came up with smart and workable solutions. We really enjoyed working with them and couldn’t be happier with the end result.”

Photos by Ben Wrigley Photography

Location: Downer ACT
Total Floor Area: 160m2
Year Completed: 2014
Architect: The Mill Design
EER: 8 stars

This three bedroom ensuite home in Downer was a complete knock-down and rebuild project. The clients had strong environmental aspirations for the dwelling and the result, an 8 star passive design. The home is positioned on the block with a northerly orientation to capitalise best on the winter sun.

With only of living, the home still feels very spacious as the design utilises every available square metre of space by purposely avoiding hallways and needless doubling up of living areas. The home has a large open kitchen, family and meals area with raked ceilings plus a separate sitting area and features polished concrete flooring throughout. The clients’ dedication to environmental living extended to the garden with low water plants, a large vegetable garden and zero lawn.

Location: Harrison ACT
Total Floor Area: 305m2
Year Completed: 2014
Architect: TM Architects – Tomi Millin
EER: 6 stars

This Award Winning four bedroom home constructed by 360 Building Solutions, was designed using a mix of commercial materials, which enabled the house to unfold with a semi-industrial but sophisticated feel. With North to the rear, the two-storey home maximises North-facing living areas addressing a comfortably sized rear garden area. Whilst an abundance of natural light flows into the living areas, the glass also provides solar gain onto a well-insulated polished concrete slab. The thermal mass of the concrete in turn enables the temperature in the living areas to be regulated solar passively.