The Glenbrook Healthy House is a beautiful architecturally designed home that sits in harmony with the streetscape and the natural surrounds. It is a robustly detailed home that celebrates its Blue Mountains setting.

Sustainability and flexibility was the key brief in all aspects for this home, which has the flexibility to allow the owners to grow old and their home to be easily accessible. Ecologically sensitive design allows maximum solar opportunities and cross ventilation to all internal spaces. Flexible spaces allow adaptation for different uses throughout the year as seasons change, while also being sensitive to the ongoing health and wellbeing needs of the owners.

Due to the owner’s high sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, and a large number of chemicals and moulds, all products that went into this house had to first go through a building biologist and medical practitioner to determine their suitability for use. MSDSs were obtained for every product in the house and approved prior to use. Care was also taken to encase all electrical wiring to ensure the owners were protected from excessive electromagnetic radiation. All products, once approved, had to be constructed and/or installed in such a way as to prevent mould from forming in the future. This included the storage of materials prior to being used, where they needed to be protected from moisture that could encourage mould. 

This is a full electric home with solar panels to offset power use, including air conditioning for peaks in summer/winter. Hot water is from a heat pump. There is a 40,000-litre underground water storage tank for house and garden needs, with Sydney Water backup.

Passive solar design is used with main living areas facing north. Rooms on the southern side are exposed to northern light using north-facing highlight windows. Extensive insulation is used throughout in the external walls, roof and ceilings. Double-glazed windows throughout increase insulation. Ceiling fans improve comfort in summer/winter. All wet areas have exhaust fans through ducts to the exterior and have internal seals when not in use. 

Any excavated materials were re-used on the site, with rocks being used also for the building and landscaping.

With the health sensitivities of the owners, for chemical and electromagnetic radiation, this project posed environmental challenges that the builder was able to resolve. The finished home is a bright and comfortable home with a low environmental impact. It is a worthy winner of the Excellence in Environmental Management award for 2019.