Page 318 - Week 01 - Thursday, 18 February 1993

MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION NUMBER 485

Housing Trust - Energy Efficient Houses

MS SZUTY- asked the Minister for Housing and Community Services - In relation to energy efficient houses -

(1) What was the cost of constructing the two energy efficient houses in

Gungahlin which the Minister recently handed over to ACT Housing

Trust tenants.

(2) What is the cost of constructing a conventional three bedroom

Housing Trust house in a similar location as the energy efficient houses

referred to in (1).

(3) The Minister has announced there will be an evaluation of the two

energy efficient homes before any commitment is made to

constructing more such dwellings. What is the time frame in which the

evaluation will take place.

(4) What instructions will the Housing Trust be giving developers about solar

orientation and insulation requirements in Housing Trust properties to be

constructed in the interim period before the evaluation is finalised.

MR CONNOLLY- The answer to the above question is:

(1) The costs of constructing the Gungahlin houses were:

$107 887 for the 3 bedroom house (Excluding land acquisition); $114 698 for the 4 bedroom house (Excluding land acquisition).

(2) The cost (excluding land acquisition) of acquiring, through a house/land

package, a conventional 3 bedroom Housing Trust property in Palmerston

was $82 362. This is $25 525, or 24%, less than the energy efficient

properties.

(3) Electronic monitoring of thermal performance will be maintained for 2

years and then evaluated.

(4) The Housing Trust seeks to ensure that dwellings constructed are designed

for good solar orientation and winter sun penetration, and above average

thermal efficiency. Developers building for the Trust are instructed to

comply as closely as practical with the Trusts Public Housing Standards,

which address energy conservation and thermal comfort by requiring that:

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