Harmonic Design get's a great wrap from our Thermal Performance Accessor on Undercover Architect
Harmonic Design get's a great wrap from our Thermal Performance Accessor on Undercover Architect
During 2022 Harmonic Design partnered with Sustainability Certified for our competition entry in the True Zero Carbon Challenge, run by Design Matters National.
The competition called for designers and Thermal Performance Assessors (TPA’s) to come together and produce a design that would demonstrate how Net Zero could truly be achieved via evaluation of both embodied energy and operational energy in a new home.
Ultimately our combined efforts saw us take home the NSW state award for our design and we’ve been fostering that partnership for the benefit of our client’s ever since.
Due to Melanie’s attention to detail and keen determination to facilitate low energy, high performance buildings, we’re proud to say that Sustainability Certified are our preferred TPA.
Prior to the announcement of our winning entry, Melanie was interviewed by the popular podcaster Amelia from Undercover Architect. You can listen to part 2 of that informative discussion at this link in which Melanie also discusses our collaborative efforts, including praise for Harmonic Design’s expertise in this area of specilisation.
Our 10 Star NatHERS rating , truly Net Zero by 2040!
Thank again to Mel & Kel of Sustainability Certified. It’s a pleasure working with you both!
Harmonic Design's director in the news .... (again :-)
Lachie is a warm and knowledgeable building designer who started his own company – Harmonic Design – in 2019, from the studio space at his Japandi (Japanese/Scadanavian) inspired home in Normanville.
Born in 1979, the son of a language teacher and a journalist, he had a family that fostered his creativity and love of technology and design from a young age.
It was a pleasure to be interviewed by the Victor Harbor Times featuring news about local people in the Fleurieu.
by Emma Heidenreich, Victor Harbor Times
07/02/2023
Lachie is a warm and knowledgeable building designer who started his own company – Harmonic Design – in 2019, from the studio space at his Japandi (Japanese/Scadanavian) inspired home in Normanville.
Born in 1979, the son of a language teacher and a journalist, he had a family that fostered his creativity and love of technology and design from a young age.
“I loved black and white photography, I picked up Dad’s old film camera and I think my parents thought I was heading for a career in photography,” Lachie said.
“I was also a bit of a computer geek, I loved playing around on Photoshop and all the different design software that was coming out.”
Raised in Mount Pleasant, his family would holiday in Myponga – some of his earliest and most treasured memories are of the Fleurieu coastline.
“To this day, it is still my favourite landscape in South Australia, I love the way the hills meet the sea,” he said.
It is this landscape in particular from which Lachie draws much of his design inspiration.
“I love the Australiana style, some of the rural homesteads in the region, even the shearing sheds in the hills and their use of galvanised iron are so interesting to me,” he said.
“This aspect has come to define my style a lot. I enjoy the twist of a modern urban style transposed within a regional landscape and often it’s the juxtaposition of different forms interacting with one another that makes each composition sing.”Lachie moved to Melbourne when he was 21 to study Building Design at RMIT University.
“Adelaide has come a lot further since I studied, but at the turn of the millennium Melbourne really was the centre of design culture in Australia,” he said.
He studied for two years, learning the ins and outs of design, including hand-drafting on drafting boards. This skill remains relevant in his ongoing practice.
“I am heavily weighted towards technology in my work and it is amazing, it makes so much possible, but I still conceive of design ideas with paper and pencil,” he said.
For the next 16 years, Lachie worked in Melbourne, inspired by the aforementioned juxtaposition between Australia’s architecture royalty – names like Nonda Katsalidis and Glenn Murcutt, prize-winning architects who sit at either end of the classic-modern spectrum.
“I worked for a range of large and small architecture firms, but by far the job I enjoyed most was my last job in Melbourne with Ashton Raggatt McDougal (ARM),” he said.
“ARM has a really interesting culture and approach to design, they put meaning into their designs, weaving stories and conceptual ideas in a very literal way,” he said.
Locally in Victor Harbor, ARM has been engaged to undertake Victor Harbor’s Arts & Culture Centre.
“Harmonic Design is yet to be tasked with a design or project that allows me to fully apply everything I learned with ARM, but running a business is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Lachie said.
In 2019, Lachie returned to South Australia.
[ We’ve done a lot in the last few years. “We got married, built the house in Normanville and started Harmonic Design,” he said. ]
The Scandi style that Lachie has utilised in the design of his home is distinctly juxtaposed with a light and airy interior – it aims to celebrate its coastal situation, with a beach house format that’s focused on views outward.
“Our home has big windows to let in the natural sunlight and heat the home passively in winter, big windows facing the sea and a roof overhang which helps to keep the internal climate cool in summer,” Lachie said.
On running his own business, Lachie said he was lucky to have had the experiences he’s been afforded that have shaped his design and business approach.
“I was always motivated to work for myself, I love the creative autonomy and empowerment it gives me – thankfully, I’ve occupied two homes that I’ve designed already, which allowed me to learn important lessons in preparation for designing for other people.”
Harmonic Design currently has several projects in the pipeline, including a hotel in Port Elliot, which Lachie was excited to see come to fruition.
His daughter, Rheia, is growing up quickly and while he juggles work and family life, Lachie said he is grateful for the peace and calm of the ocean waves and the coastal aspect that their Fleurieu lifestyle affords.
“I think we’ll stay in the Fleurieu for a while yet,” he said.
Original article here online: Lachie McEwen on family, business and his Normanville Japandi home
Normanville home achieves excellent airtightness result (April 2023)
Blower Door Test by Living Building Solutions
The method of airtight building wrap in this case is to wrap the layer on the outside face only, using the exterior face as both the weathertight and airtight layer.
The internal face of stud work can be seen bare without linings during the testing.
We’ve been working with our fantastic client Clare on her home in Normanville since September 2021.
Clare’s brief was for a comfortable, medium sized family home that would take advantage of solar passive design principles to achieve excellent year-round, thermal performance. Focusing on that brief and pairing the design with a mixture of climate responsive materials within a domestic allotment near the sea, initially we’d hoped to achieve a NatHERS rating of close to 7.5 stars. Ultimately with several tweaks during the design & documentation process the home achieved a rating of 7.8 Stars.
As a client who came to the process well researched about high performance homes, rather than just talking about it in a nominal sense, Clare was prepared to meet the challenges of obtaining tangible high performance outcomes. One of the aims was to build a home with good airtightness, hoping to achieve a building envelope that would sustain between 4-6 Air Changes per hour or ACH.
Note: 4-6 ACH is considered to be somewhat ‘easily obtainable’ with some attention to the constructed detail.
Having been briefed on the requirements and the need for attention to detail, 35 South Building Company had the framing and Proclima airtight wraps installed and ready to test by the beginning of April.
Living Building Solutions then undertook testing via the Blower Door Test. 35 South’s crew did a few last minute tweaks, taping joints and blocking up conduits; the atmosphere on site (and the air inside) was thick with anticipation. Whilst the fans spun at high speed, we waited for the results.
Thankfully, the Blower Door Test was a resounding success. At an air leakage rate of just 0.668 ACH it was only a fraction above the PassiveHaus benchmark of 0.6 ACH.
The builders, client and designer all rejoiced with the extremely high level of airtightness achieved and Clare was super happy that the mechanical contractor had convinced her to install a fully ducted Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation system instead of the previously quoted, smaller decentralised ones.
The inclusion of ducted MHRV is an absolute requirement in buildings this tight so that decision was serendipitous.
This method of achieving a thermally efficient building envelope is becoming increasingly popular as a way of lowering energy consumption by reducing heat loss during winter and heat gain in summer. In truth, the design contains many elements of a PassiveHaus including high performance windows and thermal insulation including slab edge insulation so it would likely get close to PassiveHaus certification.
35 South can be congratulated for their application of skill in achieving this excellent result.
With the bespoke galvanised roofing, recycled brick, polished concrete and combination of Weathertex and Fine Texture Cladding, we’re looking forward to seeing the finished form reveal itself rather soon!
You can use the form below if you’d like to know more about how we can help you to achieve your high performance home.
A feel good interior for Lifewise Network Care
The nature of commercial interior fitout projects are typically fast paced. This one was certainly short and sweet making it all the more joyful!
During the middle of 2022 our client Ben, the owner of Lifewise Network Care, was considering moving his chiropractic business to a new space in Carrington Street Adelaide so he requested Harmonic Design to undertake a feasibility study for the new premises.
Working closely with Ben to decipher the most spatially appropriate arrangement for his practice, we came up with a preliminary design layout that was spatially ergonomic and strategically effective for his business. Once Ben was confident that this ground floor tenancy was an appropriate location for his consulting room we set about the task of documenting the design for Development Approval and construction.
The design brief called for a warm and comfortable space containing a sense of homely aesthetic appeal and ergonomic functionality; including new reception joinery, shelving, fixed desking, new waiting room furniture and a new ‘ambulent’ toilet for clients.
Our Fitout Plan showing furniture, joinery & finishes.
We assisted Ben in undertaking the fitout of the new interior by provision of design, documentation, tender and some basic construction admin’ such as defects liability. The whole process from design through to construction was delivered over a six month timeframe and Ben was happily open for business in January 2023.
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed assisting Lifewise to comfortably relocate their business. Perhaps more importantly, we get to share in our client’s success as we enjoy our visits to Lifewise for regular mindful adjustments.
We send our heartful gratitude to Ben for his faith in our skills as well as his ongoing support for our family via Network Chiropractic Care.
Furniture & Fabric selections.
We’ve inserted some quick pic’s we took on our phone but we hope to have some better images coming online in the near future.
Some projects are truly a pleasure to be a part of.
This was one of them!
The entry foyer.
New furniture, joinery, flooring and lighting within a newly shaped space.
Fitout by Bradley Trade Services (Mike Jolly)
Carpet & LVT by @millikenfloorsanz and @millikenlifewith_siobhan
Furniture and fabrics selected by Harmonic Design and supplied by @zenithinteriors_ Adelaide and @estilo.furniture.adl
Lighting design by Harmonic Design and supplied by @insight_lighting_solutions / @_inlite_ / @ismobjects
You can review the project on the website here
Harmonic Design declaration of sustainability + our mission statement
Harmonic Design has formally committed to sustainable development goals via our partnering with SDG Align and Building Designer’s Association of Australia.
You can read about SDG Align’s work here and review Link to our declaration here. We’re using their Ready Reckoner toolkit to track our business’ progress.
This is an opportune time to clarify our missions statement:
Harmonic Design Mission Statement
At Harmonic we design buildings which aspire foremost to be sculptural, functional and energy efficient. At every step of the process, Harmonic Design considers deeply the choices of materials, methods, volume and proportion, colours, outlook, ergonomics and comfort that will ultimately be realised within any project. We are inspired by good aesthetics but highly motivated to actualise these with sustainable solutions.
We attempt to lead projects in a fashion that facilitates a full team of people who are similarly motivated with a passion for the built and natural environment. In that way, we aim to collaborate with builders since our combined efforts produce the ultimate outcomes.
Energy Ratings (such as NatHERS) provide a minimum benchmark by which performance requirements should be met, however the ratings themselves are theoretical and require a robust process of site-auditing to ensure that buildings are constructed as specified. ‘High’ energy ratings aren't so hard to achieve but truly low-energy buildings are a complex puzzle to resolve.
We're determined to help you wade through the greenwash!
Positive action on energy consumption within new homes. How we can help you verify thermal performance.
Action is occurring on climate change at many grass-roots levels. We’re seeing many facets of public scrutiny that’s bringing about review and action.
With increasing thermal performance requirements forming part of the updated National Construction Code (Circa Sept’ 2022), the industry of the built-environs seem to be in a better position to tackle our #GWP (global warming potential) than one might have expected with the apparent watering down of the NCC 2022. Improvements within #ThermalPerformanceAssessemt certificates have equipped us with teeth, so that we’re ready to capitalise on the perceivable value-shift that’s occurring in relation to energy efficiency.
Not only will new homes be required to be a minimum of 7 Stars but the inclusion of new Whole of Home (WoH) criteria, means all new equipment has to be listed and rated so that fixed home appliances (like hot water, ovens, A/C etc) can be understood in terms of their potential energy savings - or their true NetZeroPotential (#NZP).
The missing link is still the legislative requirements to mandate compliance (via building certifiers and audits), however there are actually inclusions for verification within the updated NatHERS reports – which means NatHERS understands how important it is to put key checking criteria front and centre of key compliance docs.
There’s no government mandated requirement for PROOF of work prior to occupancy (yet) but I think it’s quite exciting and helpful that we have a governing framework to assist us to design for efficiency, then to verify each component has been built as specified.
A page from the the future NatHERS certificate (Adoption within SA, and some other states is delayed or date TBC)
This additional new compliance list can be discussed early in the piece with Harmonic Design and with potential builders, to set expectations of built outcomes in relation to thermal performance and occupational resilience.
Also, thanks to Melanie Lupis from @Sustainability_Certified for showing me some excellent links available through Sustainability Victoria which contain helpful recommendations and verifications frameworks:
Thanks again also to Melanie Lupis from @Sustainability_Certified for collaborating with Harmonic Design on this award-winning project:
#NZP #NetZeroPotential ……
Sustainability Certified and Harmonic Design are keen to share our knowledge and expertise in sustainable design through a variety of upcoming workshops. More news on this in the New Year!
Costs have risen but cost estimating has never been easy. Select your builder wisely!
Pricing is a complex and moving feast, made harder by recent pandemic-pricing. In the custom homes sector it's a question of “How long is a piece of string, what’s it made of and who's managing the production”.
In the initial stages, a client's appetite for understanding the implications of their brief (gold taps?) will set the tone for the project. That's somewhat beyond our control as a designer but to mitigate risk of budget blowout I suggest clients add a 10% contingency to their budget, then work backwards by shaving 10% off their desired building. You can imagine; that goes down like a lead balloon!
Once you're ready to garner a Preliminary Budget Estimate (PBE) the selection of the 'type' of builder will have cost implications. Different builders have different approaches to how they’ll price a project and this 'style' tend to flow through to the way they operate as a managing contractor.
Broadly speaking, there are two main 'styles' of builders (somewhat true for commercial but definitely the case for residential):
Design & Construct / Trade-aligned builders (usually carpenters) who apply their trade directly on the project and then co-ordinate all other trades for the build. These builders spread their time between being on site with a small team and working in the office maybe 1 day a week to manage their projects, materials ordering etc.
Pros & Cons of this style: These builders are usually highly skilled at their trade, hard working problem solvers and have constant visibility on site which brings some live accountability. However they also tend to be short on time to do the managing. This can lead to poor management since they can be swamped by information, potentially loosing track of important info. Scheduling of work tends to be a bit adhoc and they’re less inclined to 'stick to the programme' or honour the details of the construction documentation, contract etc. They’re less inclined to resolve defects and this leads to the reputation for not 'finishing' a job.
All that being said, trade-aligned builders may be more affordable because they're more attuned to working in the Design-Bid-Build style (Design & Construct contracts). Ie, you design, they cost the job, then depending who’s leading the build process, the detail therein may vary wildly.
Designers often find that we’re sidelined once our documents are handed over. That’s because good design-intent often gives way to ‘value-management’ and decisions are made on the fly without further consultation or proper representation.Design, Project Manage & Construct. True Managing contractors tend to spend less time on site (between 2-5%?) but they take their role as "managers" very seriously. These builders are more like facilitators who have a background in a trade but prefer to co-ordinate other trades simultaneously instead of spending their time on site "on the tools". They're almost the opposite of ‘trade-aligned’ builders. These ‘higher tier’ builders also come at a higher cost. Generally you'll pay a premium for any higher level of service and you'll get what you pay for. You'll get better communication, better cost management and hopefully fewer cost variations as well as open communication and an open-book or at least an itemised approach to costing / estimating and charging variations.
Another term or type is “Volume Builders”. These are generally not interested in bespoke homes since they focus on mass production however some will take on your project. Be aware that ‘volume’ can translate to a lack of quality control so if you elect to use a volume builder for a custom design then discussion and written agreement about the details is important.
Quality of workmanship depends upon each and every trade, where the whole is the sum of it’s parts; so neither style of builder represents a singular guarantee of quality. The major variation seems to be that trade based builders who spend their time on site have more flexibility in their pricing because they have a higher stake in the work, including their trade (typically carpentry). This allows them flexibility in their costs and ability to cut corners, ultimately giving their profits a wider range. ie. they have plenty of scope to "sharpen their pencil".
Sometimes this represents a saving to the client or a builder who’s willing to be a creative problem solver. Other times it equates to additional profit for the builder but it’s hard to foresee which aspects of the project are at risk. I always say to clients there’s three aspects of any project to get right and you should never compromise on more than 1 of the 3:
Cost
Time
Completeness (The detail)
So whilst ‘trade-aligned’ builders present a higher level of risk, they may present a more affordable opportunity (albeit more rough-and ready). A Managing Contractor who focusses their time managing contracts will often include more time for co-ordination in the initial stages (engineering, selection schedules & general co-ordination) and this will help things progress smoothly so you'll get a consistent level of service within a more controlled time frame. Such builders may also be working to a higher level of risk/reward. They could be charging 15%, 20% or perhaps even 30% as a profit margin (common during COVID) but they're going to work hard for every cent since their business model is unlikely to benefit from taking short cuts.
So you can see there's basically a big difference in where the accountability lies but in my experience if a client can afford a builder who prioritises project management, they'll bring more ‘sanity’ to a project which is good for all and avoid blow-outs of cost and time.
Paid Preliminary Cost Estimates: It’s now common to find builders charging for their time to undertake detailed pricing so even trade-based builders are diverging into two camps. The older generation of builders are more likely to submit an approximate price to win a client and then invoice price increases as variations when they arise, even if there’s supposed to be a fixed price agreement. These practices are reasonably common but ideally best to avoid. If you’ve taken care to design and document what you want then ultimately you want a builder who cares about the contractual and and design detail and who’s willing to communicate any onsite solutions when they arise so that the design intent is carried through. Worst case scenario, builders may not build aspects of the design ‘as specified’ in order to save money. They might argue this is a saving passed to a client, but it’s just as likely to be profit margin that’s maintained and pocketed by the builder.
Eg. Energy Ratings are a key part of the specification commonly overlooked by builders who think that they’re just red-tape. Instead of recognising the long terms saving which arise from constructing the design correctly / as specified, some will choose to disregard things like the correct glazing type or thermal insulation type which will reduce a building’s thermal performance.
And crucially; what do client's expect in terms of fees and their ownership of the design (like paying fees for planning and building approvals and other consultants). Some clients want to pay one fee for design and expect that the builder will include the cost of all engineering and permits within their total build cost, in which case, the builder become 'king' and the designer is left with little influence over the end result once the plans are handed over.
If clients can afford to pay for the individual services of each engineer, permit etc, their ownership brings added benefits including tendering to an open market. Testing the market once all the information is at hand can expose huge differences in individual trade pricing - that gives opportunity for review and consolidation and if necessary, compromise prior to commencement of building works (instead of shocks whilst building).
Finally, regardless of a builder’s methods, shopping around for builders can also be bad. Try to avoid wasting people’s time. To gain a collaborative environment and garner critical feedback find a builder early on in the process that you can trust. Each project and client is different.
There’s no singular pathway to success so the best outcome in any project is determined by a respectful balance between all three parties. Realistically, the client, designer and builder are equally responsible for a project’s success so communication becomes the most valuable tool in the box.
For further info search for "Types of Construction Contracts in Australia" to clarify terminology like "Design-Construct" etc.
Window Framing: our ultimate search for quality, performance and aesthetics....
We’ll keep this one short. Here’s a list of windows and brands we’ve compiled by material category.
Timber framing:
There’s numerous manufacturers of timber windows ranging from Stegbar and Dowell to custom made local timber joinery. Timber is economical, carbon friendly with low thermal conductivity (insulating).
Often in South Australia we need to look interstate for specific products. Commonly people import their windows from Europe so ordering from the east coast of Australia where you can select high quality Australian manufactured products seems like a reasonable alternative. As such, many of the window companies we’ve listed here are based in the state of Victoria:
Composite
(Alu-clad timber) framing:
These tend to be the most expensive category of framing but result in a good combination of performance, longevity and aesthetics. Stegbar even have a cost effective range called Siteline although they’re limited in style/ range. Other companies (including some that are imported from Europe) include these below:
Thermally Broken Aluminium:
As we’ve discussed in a previous blog, when projects require aluminium instead of timber for aesthetics or practical purposes such as maintenance issues, installing aluminium windows in any facade will potentially create a huge thermal bridge. ‘Thermally Broken’ is the only way to go if you’re specifying pure aluminium frames (instead of composite). Without a thermal break you’ll notice a constant heat exchange between inside and out (they feel hot or cold to touch) .
Thermeco (manufactured by various suppliers) https://www.thermeco.com.au/products/
Suppliers who may delivery to SA include:
EuroWindow https://www.eurowindow.com.au/products and
Merri Windows https://www.merrialuminium.com.au/
Rylock: https://www.rylock.com.au/product-series/thermally-broken/
Capral: https://www.capral.com.au/architectural-building-solutions/our-brands/futureline/
Alspec: https://www.alspec.com.au/thermaframe/
For more information, ask us about our hot-tip for how to select your main front entry door……
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Lachie is a warm and knowledgeable building designer who started his own company – Harmonic Design – in 2019, from the studio space at his Japandi (Japanese/Scadanavian) inspired home in Normanville.
Born in 1979, the son of a language teacher and a journalist, he had a family that fostered his creativity and love of technology and design from a young age.