Since the first stages of development, Tate Construction has been working closely with Witchcliffe Eco Village and architects to create the most sustainable ecovillage possible. Each house and land package that is featured in Witchcliffe Eco Village must meet stringent requirements in terms of sustainable construction and must achieve a negative carbon production and rating.
Essentially, the primary aim of the ecovillage is to produce home designs that achieve a negative carbon rating, low emissions and to be sustainable. Consequently, the designs and materials are put through a Life Cycle Assessment to ensure the designs meet the stringent criteria put forth by Witchcliffe Eco Village. The use of sustainable materials is also a vital aspect of building sustainably as it is the foundation of the homes within the ecovillage.
Sustainable materials
To decide what is and what is not considered a sustainable material is not as easy as it sounds. Factors such as the insulation value (the thermal qualities), the embodied energy (how much energy is used to produce the material) and chemicals that are released when producing the material are all considered. As well as the recyclability of the material, its lifespan and how far its travelled to reach the construction site.
To ensure that the homes at Witchcliffe Eco Village are all being built sustainably, materials that we use – or plan to use – are put through a Life Cycle Assessment. This test is implemented to look at the energy used in the production, transportation, assembly and use of each material, guaranteeing that we are building sustainably.
Building sustainably using the Life Cycle Assessment
The Life Cycle Assessment is a great tool to guarantee the sustainable construction of each Witchcliffe Eco Village house and land package. It assists with finding the correct sustainable materials to be used as primary building materials. The Life Cycle Assessment quantifies the environmental impacts of a product over its life – from cradle-to-grave – to provide a better understanding of its sustainability.
The method is vital for measuring the environmental impact of a building, from the energy used to extract the raw materials all the way through to the energy required to recycle or dispose of it. Key factors that are examined to ensure a sustainable construction is being completed include:
- Window frame material
- Window glazing
- Wall and ceiling insulation
- Exterior cladding
- Hot water and heating systems
- Wall construction including hempcrete, straw bale, timber frame, reverse brick veneer and SIPs panels
Tate Construction is a professional construction company based in Margaret River, Western Australia. We have been working alongside the Witchcliffe Eco Village since its development stages with a keen focus on sustainable materials and building sustainably. Please contact our qualified team today to discuss your upcoming residential or commercial construction project on 0417 991 343 for Sunny or 0429 853 353 for Barry or to find out more about our house and land packages and finance options at the Witchcliffe Eco Village.