Carol and Ken’s home in Leura takes advantage of, and protects, the natural landscape. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Story by Linda Moon
Ken and Carol’s home in Leura offers insights into sustainable building design we can all take inspiration from.
Key Points:
- Most Blue Mountains homes aren’t built for the local environment.
- Sustainable housing is more than solar panels and water tanks.
- By understanding and working with nature we can reduce energy costs and help the environment.
Perched on the hillside, a slate-coloured building blends into the landscape. There are no signs of a concrete drive, garage or fencing: those Aussie architectural mainstays. Instead, a mulched path meanders through conifer trees.
This isn’t your average property. Designed by architects Ken Yeh and Carol Marra (the multi-awarded Marra + Yeh), it has a lot to teach us about how to design alongside nature, for the planet and ourselves. It’s a journey so many of us are interested in.
Building with the environment in mind
The duo studied architecture at the University of Texas (where they met).
Ken:
Ken grew up around the tropical jungles of Malaysia and is both tutor and guest critic at the University of Sydney and UNSW. “I have a benchmark in my head of how things should be in a mature and stable eco-system. It’s a feeling. You go into a pristine place; all your senses can tell you. You can hear it; you can feel it.” His goal in designing is to try to discover what a place was originally like, then how to enhance it.
Carol:
Carol, who is originally from Argentina, also has a deep understanding of place. She also tutors and is a guest critic at the University of Sydney and UNSW. Carol says sustainable, ecological design (which the pair specialise in) starts with considering everything outside your piece of land and thinking holistically. “Across the street from us is a creek. We understand what happens here affects the waterway and the animals that drink it. So, it’s big picture thinking,” she says.
It’s also about making buildings that can survive the changing climate conditions, plus respond to the energy crisis.
Two windows promote cross ventilation and natural sunlight while storage is a must. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
The house that Ken and Carol built
Elevated above a hanging swamp, the home’s design allows water to seep unimpeded down into the creek.
Caring for the land flows both ways. By not blocking the water’s path they avoid flooding and dampness, Carol says. Another perk: the relaxing sound of running water.
Inside, things are equally interesting. In the ‘mud-room’, as they call their entry, there’s a bench, washing machine, clothing rack and fridge. Here, dirty and wet clothing are discarded and shoes exchanged for slippers. It turns out the freezer is located here to reduce energy use: it’s the coldest zone of the house.
Sustainable architects Ken Yeh and Carol Marra at home. (Photo: Linda Moon)
Beyond solar panels and tanks
“Sustainable design is not just about adding on; it’s not just about buying solar panels,” Carol emphasises.
Our starting point should be to make use of everything nature gives us for free, Ken says. This includes sunshine (warmth), breezes (which cool), soil (for creating gardens) and water.
Every part of the building is planned consciously. Bedrooms are located on the south (least sunny side) of the building. “Sleeping in a cold room is better for you,” Carol says. And, being further from the road, it’s also quieter.
The bathroom is designed for multiple use with separate compartments for hand-basin, toilet and showering. The latter includes an adjustable-size wooden Japanese bathtub (designed by the pair) and an expansive window that looks out onto 3D art courtesy of nature: trees, occasional wallabies and birds.
Bathing with the window open allows airflow to remove humidity and condensation.
“You need to identify the gifts [of nature] and accept them humbly.” – Ken Yeh.
Large north-facing, double-glazed windows harness the sun’s heat and light. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Passive design
Designing with your local climate in mind is known as ‘passive design’. Some understanding around science, like wind direction and the sun’s angle, helps here, Carol adds.
To capture free heat from the sun, the main living zones are situated in the north. Large, double-glazed, north facing windows allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the rooms. On sunny days these don’t require artificial heating, which equals lower energy costs and CO2 emissions.
When it’s hot they open the windows to the breeze or use blinds to block the sun. “It’s a way of calibrating your building to what’s happening outside,” Ken says.
The rooms are also designed to be compartmentalised to keep the heat in. “In winter you create smaller spaces; in summer bigger spaces,” Carol says. “You live in nature.”
The living area opens up to an outdoor space with a kitchen and insect-proof screens that allow them to take advantage of any cooling breezes on hot summer nights.
In the mountains most winds come from the west. Thus, the house has few windows facing west.
“Look at nature first. The water flows under, the wind flows over.” – Ken Yeh.
Space for a wok BBQ. The indoors and outdoors blend seamlessly thanks to clever use of glass and almost invisible insect screens. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Designing for flexibility and change
Other important features of the home include built-in storage cupboards and enormous doors between several rooms. This allows for flexibility. Rooms can be opened up to become bigger or used for a different purpose.
It’s about designing alongside time, Ken says. How we work and study, for instance, has changed; the composition of families changes, Carol says. The ability to enable change without too much pain adds value to a building.
Large doors allow spaces to be merged, enlarged and compartmentalised. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Challenges for mountains homes
Unfortunately, few buildings in the Blue Mountains (or beyond) are designed sustainably.
“It’s a very extreme climate and we don’t make people design for this in our policies,” Carol says. The result is that many of us suffer in cold homes inappropriate for the climate with the knock-on of high heating bills. It’s a housing legacy we continue to pass onto the next generation, Carol says.
Other big challenges facing our housing (and thus our wellbeing) are affordability and lack of suitability. “The marketplace tends to cater for two types of homes: low-density, single-family dwellings and high-density apartments,” Carol says.
Housing, like nature, needs to be biodiverse. This means having housing styles that cater to extended families, older people and others.
Retrofitting your home
Integrating where we live with nature is something we can all do, Carol says. “We have a lot of opportunities to change things and do things better.”
As a starting point, they recommend focusing on the skin of your building with insulation, sealing and draught proofing. Improve the performance of any poor-quality windows. If you can, create an enlarged, double-glazed window in the north of your home.
This way you won’t need as many solar panels. “It’s like putting a jacket on before you blast the heater,” Carol says.
“You can do something at any scale that’s positive and impactful” – Carol Marra.
Harmonious exterior of the home office. Minimal impact upon and maximum gain from the environment. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Take Action:
- Make your home more water and energy efficient.
- Protect and enhance the landscape around you.
- Integrate nature’s gifts into your home.
Share this article:
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
More from around the region
Thank you to everyone who participated in our second Planetary Health Day last Saturday at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. It was an inspiring and very enjoyable community event and you can see some of the highlights in this short video. A lot of our research and previous presentations can be found in the videos on our YouTube channel (link in profile). Please subscribe and share! Our next Community Day will be the Interfaith Gathering at 2pm on Sunday 30 March. #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #planetaryhealthparkland #communityday #katoomba #bluemountains
Thank you to all the participants at Planetary Health Day on Saturday and to everyone who tied a ribbon around the Peace Pole and struck the gong for Peace. And particularly to @tinamariepizel for creating the space for this to happen! #peace #peacepole #peacegong #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #notowar #community #love
Feeling the heat? Planetary Health Day will be cool!!!! As well as a program of inspiring speakers, an exhibition of the Frogs of the Blue Mountains and workshops (all in air conditioned comfort!), there will be live music and Plant Based Food stalls on Saturday 1 March. We’ll also have a wide variety of stallholders in our beautiful parkland: Earthrising Mushroom Farm with mushroom grow kits; Michael Trickett with his mobile saw mill; Clifftop Harvest with fresh local produce; Permaculture Matters with info about permaculture, upcoming courses and a chance to win Rowe Morrow’s book: Earth Restorers Guide to Permaculture; Blackheath Community Farm with garlic and seeds; Fire Halo with their bushfire prevention invention that featured on Shark Tank; Katoomba RFS with their fire truck; Vegan NSW with cookbooks; WIRES with information on how to care for our wildlife; Bushcare with how to regenerate our bushland to increase habitat; Blue Mountains Conservation Society and Wildplant Rescue with plants and info; The Repair Network; Boomerang Bags and Lacebrook Stitchery. We’ll also have a Bushcare session on site at 1.30pm and outdoor chess, games and activities for children courtesy of Sarah from Kindlehill School. View the full program and register here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains #familyday #planetaryhealthday @clifftopharvest @permaculturematters @kindlehill_school @Lacebrookstitchery
@blue_mts_conservation_society @wildplant.community.nursery @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @vegannsw @firehalo.au @earthrisingau
Physicist Hans Coster will be giving a presentation at our Planetary Health Day event this Saturday on Life, Energy and the Biosphere, including what he`s chosen to do at his property Middle Earth with nickel iron batteries. Reserve your place via the link in our profile. #nickelironbatteries #energy #life #biosphere #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #community
So much to see and do on Planetary Health Day this Saturday! The Planetary Health Precinct & Parkland is looking stunning with the first hint of Autumn. Here`s the Speaker Program and Music Schedule to help you plan your visit. There are also workshops, demos, games, stalls, coffee and plant based foods, and a Peace Pole and Peace Gong to remind us that we are all connected and Peace is essential for a healthy planet. You can register for the day here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#planetaryhealth #peace #program #katoomba #speakers #bluemountains #community #familyday
Fill this Saturday 1 March (Planetary Health Day) with art, music, food, fun, community and getting lots of boxes ticked: native plants, fresh produce, garlic for planting, and mushroom grow kits purchased; plant based cheese tasted and tips for making it picked up; clothes upcycled and repaired and Repair Network joined; Boomerang Bag made; mobile saw mill, fire halo to reduce ember attack, nickel iron batteries, passive house and natural building, and the best bushfire sprinklers investigated; FrogID app tried and frog calls of the Blue Mountains matched to photos; Bushcare experienced; the knowledge of a leading physicist addressing the question ‘where to from here’ in relation to our biosphere absorbed; and information gathered on how to do a Permaculture Course, how to help our wildlife (WIRES), and how to protect our vulnerable World Heritage area (RFS, Blue Mountains Conservation Society and Blue Mountains Wildplant Rescue Service & Nursery). Thank you to Blue Mountains Folk for this great musical line-up. View our full program and register here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#livemusic #planetaryhealth #community #art #freshproduce #permaculture #worldheritage #learn #beinspired #greatfood #nativeplants #nickelironbatteries #firehalo #plantbased #katoomba #bluemountains #planetaryhealthday
On Sunday the @rotary_club_lower_blue_mtns enjoyed a Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre. They had the first glimpse of the Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition opening this Saturday 1 March. They also toured the Centre`s Water Demonstration site and thoroughly enjoyed the plant based cheese making demo and tasting. Planetary Health Day will be another great Family Day. Check out the program and register to attend at the link in our profile. #familyday #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains
Check out this stunning photo by @cam__candy in our Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition, opening on Saturday 1 March at Planetary Health Day. Do you know what type of frog it is, or what the other 20 or so known frogs of the Blue Mountains are called? Did you know that the Blue Mountains is home to Whistling, Screaming and Laughing Tree frogs? We’re thrilled that Britt Mitchell from the @australianmuseum will officially launch our exhibition with her presentation on FrogID: People-powered Frog Conservation. She’ll explain how we can all become citizen scientists to help protect these extraordinary amphibians. Britt will also talk about her PhD on the impact of urbanisation and climate change on frogs and how FrogID helped with that research. Come and see what every frog in the Blue Mountains looks like, and listen to their calls.
You can read about our other Planetary Health Day events and reserve your spot for Britt’s presentation here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4gQkju5
#planetaryhealth #frogs #bluemountainsfrogs #planetaryhealthday #citizenscience #frogID #biodiversity #frogcalls
We are in for such a treat on Planetary Health Day next Saturday 1 March! We`ve partnered with Vegan NSW and local providers to showcase the most delicious plant based food. Come for coffee and breakfast, stay for morning tea, invite your friends for a lunch meet-up and then stock up with delicious meals and local produce for the week, including mushroom grow kits to keep you going into the future! Try out the Little hm caravan for coffee, treat yourself to the amazing cakes and pastries from Secret Creek Cafe and Morley`s Recipes, and give your tastebuds a hit with the delicious snacks and meals from Bibi`s Kitchen and the Thai Street Food of Plant Based Eatery! PlantInspired will be doing one of their fabulous plant based cheesemaking demos and tastings, Clifftop Harvest will be sharing fresh local produce, Earthrising Mushroom Farm will be selling Mushroom grow kits and Vegan NSW will have a Vegan Info Hub and Refreshing Lemonade Stall! Don`t forget to let us know you`re coming by registering for the day here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
@vegannsw @plantbasedeatery @secretcreeklithgow @bibis_kitchen_au @morleysrecipes @earthrisingau @clifftopharvest @little_hm_caravan @plantinspired99 #vegan #plantbased #vegetarian #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthdiet #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains #delicious
Read about the steps to create a green roof in this week`s Planetary Health newsletter (link in profile). Mark Liebman will be speaking about how to manage water to reduce impacts of fire, flood and heatwave at Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba ( link in profile) #greenroof #planetaryhealth #viking #longhouse
Dismayed by the global news? Check out our latest inspiring local stories by local people in this week’s Planetary Health newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/41o7kvf
1. A Green Roof on a Mini Viking Long House in Blackheath
2. Life & Energy, Middle Earth & Nickel Iron Batteries
3. The Next Generation of RFS Volunteers Encourages Others to Join
4. Birds of Australia at the Springwood Hub and the Frogs of the Blue Mountains at Planetary Health Day
5. Plant Based Cooking Classes Inspiring Katoomba Locals, a Plant Based Cheese Demo and Tasting, and a Plant Based Market
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#greenroof #vikinglonghouse #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #energy #biosphere #volunteer #birdsofaustralia #solutionsmedia #hyperlocalnews #goodnews #frogs #plantbased #vegan #bluemountains #katoomba #springwood #blackheath #lithgow #wentworthfalls
@wentworthfalls_rfb @blue.mountains.theatre @bluemountainscitycouncil @plantinspired99
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