Demonstration House

Related Healthy Living Practice:

9 Hl Ps 5Reducing the impacts of over-crowding

Also see BIG ISSUES - Over crowding

Project Summary

Demo House2This project was established to develop a range of designs to construct prototype houses that demonstrate best practice in all aspects of design, construction and detailing. Emphasis was placed on elements of the house that have the greatest impact on the health of occupants as defined by the National Indigenous Housing Guide ed 3.

Demo House1House designs specifically targeted the adoption of all the knowledge & detailing developed under the FHBH R&D projects including:

  • Prefabricated bathroom and laundry module
  • Prefabricated kitchen module (with Design Lab fit out)
  • Lighting 
  • Temperature Control
  • Yard Improvement

Demo House4The project also identified other elements of the house that impact on use and developed alternative design options for trial including:

  • Doors, frames, panels and locking
  • Windows – light, privacy, fire egress and ventilation issues
  • Air conditioning installation

A review was undertaken of projects that followed the first R&D project using prefabricated wet area modules in housing refurbishment programs. These included:

  1. Larrapinta Town Camp, Alice Springs NT – with continued monitoring of the original prototype unit;
  2. Alice Town Camps – 5 additional wet area units installed by Tangentyere Council, Alice Springs NT;
  3. Balgo, WA – 7 wet area units installed by the Western Australian Department of Housing and Works; 
  4. Angurugu – 10 wet area units installed (as part of the NT SIHIP works) for major rebuilds on Groote Eylandt, NT.

Demo House45jpgThis review confirmed both the practical application of the unit to a variety of houses and suitability for new houses and upgrading houses, established in original report. Comparative costs for in-situ built alternatives on Groote Eylandt also proved the economic advantage of ‘factory’ built units, even considering the high freight costs required to barge units to the Eylandt.

Demo House3Modular construction/delivery technology adopted for wet area and kitchen units was also investigated for application and cost effectiveness for the delivery of the whole of house. The designs prepared include various levels of this use of this delivery model including bathroom/laundry only through to wholly modular construction.

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