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    Light & Verandahs

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    Natural light - wonderful stuff; but the advantage of natural light to the home is only part of the story regarding verandahed housing and correct positioning.

    That "eco" word that everyone is hanging their hats on, applies much more realistically with a properly proportioned verandahed house.

    Take for example the opposite - eaves free, glass riddled boxes they call modern house today (I still remember them in the 50's!) - these so called contemporary minimalist whatevers claim to be eco friendly; but here's the question, how can having huge glass windows pointing almost directly at the sun with no protection whatsoever, be eco friendly? Quick turn on the air con and let's burn some more brown coal.....

    A house with functional verandahs offers the true eco friendly option. Being shaded from the sun, it is naturally cool in summer requiring minimal use of the air conditioning and exterior walls protected by the verandahs do not relay heat to the inside of the home therefore not requiring the massive amounts of insulation desperately needed elsewhere etc etc.

      By Andy O'Shea [2011-04-12]

    Comments


    jimmy
     i think this house needs a bit more details
    Hi Jimmy & thanks for your comment. Hopefully you have requested one of our Information Packs - they are quite comprehensive and provide you with most details you will need to know. But if after reading through it and you still have any queries, please call us on our Freecall 1800 806 416 and one of consultants will be happy to answer any questions you have.
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

    Odille Esmonde-Morgan
     I love the pictures of the houses but would like to see some plans on the blog - almost more important to me than pretty pictures
    Hi Odille and thanks for your comments. We'd like to disagree with you - we think the outsides of our beautiful homes are magnificent!! However, we do also know that floorplans are important - we have in excess of 40 flexible floorplans within our ranges and our web constraints means that we cannot put them on display on our website. Please feel free to contact us by email (info@harkawayhomes.com.au)  or on our Freecall 1800 806 416 & we'll be happy to either email or post out required plans. Please keep in mind that we make our floorplans completely flexible (just stay within the outside walls) and there's no charge to alter them!
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

    Anthony
     I have been told that you have smaller homes. I'm looking to build a smaller home suitable for 1 person.
    Hi Anthony and thanks for your comment. Our homes tend to commence at about 16 squares, but we do make the floorplans flexible, so maybe you can alter one to suit your needs. Ring our Freecall 1800 806 416 and one of our consultants can point you in the right direction.
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

    Sarah
     Verandas are fantastic in the summer and for aesthetics but what about winter sun getting in. The north veranda has to be either very tall or not wide to let full sun in when you need it.
    Hi Sarah and thanks for your comments. Excellent question! You have hit on one of the major reasons our homes and the originals they are based on, have high external walls. As you noted, aesthetics are very important and having a high wall enables our verandahs to have the necessary fall that enables them to position beautifully to the home (try that on other modern homes!). You will observe however, that whilst the verandah profiles perfectly because of the fall, the bottom of the verandah fascia lines up with the head (or top) of the home's windows. This allows plenty of light in the home in summer when the sun sits high in the sky, as well as giving the house plenty of protection from the heat. Alternatively, in the winter months, where it's essential to note that the sun does sit lower in the sky, the home is not deprived of natural light. We often get clients telling us how pleasantly surprised they are with how much light they actually get in their homes!
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

    Ben Wright
     Apart from the "eco" advantages mentioned within your blog, also comes the advantages of having the "extra" rooms during summer for the family to get together, eat, read, play etc. whilst being protected from the elements but still being partly in the elements.
    Hi Ben and thanks for your comments.Yours thoughts are spot on! We love living outdoors, but not necessarily in the elements and this is where verandahs come into their own. And yes, they are very family friendly - even when it's raining outside and the kids are bored - a verandah provides a great outlet for both children and parents!
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

    Luke Potter
     I'd just like to add to Andy's post above and emphasise that a well positioned verandah is one of the most effective elements in cutting energy consumption.  This is one of the reasons we chose a Harkaway Home of the Pavilion Courtyard type.  

We have found that wide verandahs help reduce radiant heat and provide a buffer of cooler air around all sides of our home.  The roof pitched at 30 degrees and the roof cavity being freely vented near each apex helps lower the temperature under the corrugated tin roof.  Local clay pavers skirting the house under the verandah conduct heat through to the slab in winter and can be hosed down with water in summer to provide a natural evaporative cooling effect as the breeze rolls over it and into our home.  This is an idea borrowed from the late Edna Walling (the internationally renowned Australian landscape designer and a pioneer in sustainable living).  

Describing life in summer, Edna wrote that “to be able to walk out on cool paving which has just been hosed down and to spread a cloth on a long low table under vines for a late evening meal is not a luxury:  it is essential!”

You can find out more about this Harkaway Home called Budgeree House at www.budgereehouse.com

    Thanks for your comments Luke. It's been our belief that Verandahs have always had a practical purpose as well as being aesthetically pleasing on a home. Credit must go to our forefathers for coming up with the idea and also to our clients for continuing the usage.
    By - Steve Cahill, General Manager

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