While this website shows the more interesting projects, most are quite modest and simple like this one, which concentrates on getting the sun in during winter and keeping cool in summer, and enjoying good daylight all year round.

 

Even with simple designs there is often an obstacle to be overcome. Here it was the height of the original house, which is on the north side of the new work. The solution is a row of windows at a high level, which was a costly item, but which allowed this to be a lovely sun-filled living area throughout autumn, winter and spring. Also spending extra on a recycled Jarrah floor and energy-efficient windows ensured that this inexpensive extension has a solid feeling of quality.

 

The floor level was high, so a concrete slab for thermal mass was not possible. But combining photovoltaic collectors with a small air conditioner, the owner provided a sustainable solution to the hottest summer weather. East and west windows have removable or adjustable shading.

 

Strong paint colours only cost a little more, and choosing a secondhand kitchen from Ebay with timber benchtops saved a lot. In fact it was the key to making this extension possible!