At 58 million petajoules per year, it’s approximately 10,000 times larger than our total energy consumption¹. Which is why for most Australians, using the abundant sunshine to power your home and heat your water makes so much sense².

But despite the growing popularity of solar (2.66 million smart Australian households already have solar panels or collectors on their rooftops!), there’s one question we’re often asked; “Will my solar system still work if the sun isn’t shining?”

The short answer is yes. In this article, we will explore how solar still works to reduce your energy consumption and carbon emissions even on cloudy or rainy days. Let’s start with solar hot water before we move to solar power.

Does solar hot water work on cloudy or rainy days?

A solar water heater will still deliver hot water on cloudy and wet days.

Anyone who has ever been sunburnt on an overcast day knows that it takes more than a few clouds to block out the sun. While clouds may filter out some of the brightness, the majority of sunlight still gets through. So if you have solar hot water collectors on your rooftop, rest assured, they’re still working to produce hot water even on those wet and cloudy days.

However, continuous days of cloudy weather can sometimes reduce the efficiency of your solar water heater. Fortunately, Solahart Solar Hot Water systems have a backup available to ensure you can still enjoy instant hot water when the sun isn’t shining.

All Solahart Solar Water Heaters come with an inbuilt electric booster. This means that as soon as the water temperature drops below a certain level, the booster element kicks in and heats the water to the correct temperature.

Solahart also has an optional gas-boosted model available where boosting only occurs when hot water is being used.

When a hot water tap is opened, solar hot water flows from the solar water heater through a solar-compatible continuous flow gas water heater. Temperature sensors within this gas heater measure the incoming water temperature, and if the water temperature is less than a pre-set minimum, the gas heater ignites and immediately brings it up to the set level.

The choice of which booster is right for you will ultimately depend on key factors such as your solar hot water system, the climate where you live and your roof inclination.

Will my solar power panels work on cloudy or rainy days?

Like solar hot water collectors, solar power panels still work on cloudy days. According to The Environment and Energy Study Institute in the USA³, even in partly cloudy weather, solar cells could still operate at 80% of their maximum output. Because solar panels can use direct and indirect sunlight to generate power they will still work when the light is reflected or partially blocked by clouds.

Meanwhile, rainy weather can also help to keep your panels operating efficiently by washing away any dust or dirt⁴. However, if it’s consistently cloudy for several days, the efficiency of the solar panels may be reduced as there are less particles of light available to create a high flow of electricity.

Many Australians are also choosing to add a home battery to their solar power and store the energy they’ve generated throughout the day, for use later on. It’s a smart way to offset your electricity costs and maximise your solar energy usage.

For more information

Solahart

The post Will Solar Power Still Work on Cloudy or Rainy Days? appeared first on Completehome.

As a result, the industry saw a massive shift in the way we were inhabiting buildings and homes, and even how people moved within these spaces. Since then, sustainable design has emerged as a significant trend, with new habits, technologies, construction dilemmas, hygiene standards and even new ideas influencing our physical spaces and functionality of our homes.

GOING GREEN SYDNEY BY BIG ASS FANS

The Going Green Event by Big Ass Fans held in Sydney last month explored these changes and reconnected with Architects to discover how design is now fundamentally shifting towards new sustainable standards.

It was great to see such a turn out for an in-person event, to reconnect over flowing drinks, good food and even greater discussions with the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The event was Led by The Block Judge and Style & Design expert Neil Whittaker, and joined by a panel consisting of Janice Williams of Grand Designs, Chris Freeburn from Ironbark Architecture, and Branko Miletic of Architecture & Design Magazine. Each offered expert insight into  how spaces are now incorporating  ‘vertical forests’ as a creative and contemporary way to create green buildings.

It was also great to learn and understand the importance of sourcing sustainable materials, where supply chains are now an issue for builders.  A different view of methodologies to how we can source low carbon materials highlighted that sourcing local may be the way to go.

FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN SUSTAINABILITY

Gone are the days of creating buildings and homes as sealed up boxes with air-conditioning all year round!

Chris Freeburn from Ironbark Architecture spoke to how sustainability goes down to the core of the design.

“The emphasis on natural ventilation, fresh air and connection to outdoor spaces is leading sustainable design trends, not only in our own home but across commercial projects.” – Chris Freeburn

FINAL THOUGHTS

The goal of architects and designers is shifting to addressing a carbon neutral future, from materials used, green spaces and even to how a building or home faces the sun.

Sustainability from the ground up is becoming the leading shift in sustainable design.

For more information

Big Ass Fans

The post Going Green Sydney 2022 | Event Recap appeared first on Completehome.

Why is this the case? Australia has more sunshine per square metre than any other continent in the world¹, which makes going solar too good an opportunity to pass up. Discover how much you save with solar power in Australia.

Your potential savings with solar power

Australia has the 16th highest cost of living in the world (as of September 2020), with countries such as the USA in 21st place, and the UK in 33rd.² So, it’s no surprise that millions have already made the switch to solar power as using electricity from the grid can be quite costly compared to generating power free from Australia’s abundant sunshine.

According to the Solahart Solar Index Report, a typical family, with a 6kW solar power system,  could enjoy savings of up to $1,500 on their annual energy bills. Also, they can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by up to seven tonnes per year, making a significant difference to the planet.³

In addition, research by Solar Citizens found that on average, households with solar power have bills that are approximately 20 per cent lower than households without.⁴

Discover how you can save even more with battery storage

In many Australian homes, a lot of the energy produced by solar power panels is sent back to the grid because it’s generated when you’re not using it, for example in the middle of the day when you’re not using much power.

Adding home battery storage to a solar power system makes sense, as it stores electricity generated by solar panels for use later on. You can use excess solar power when the sun isn’t shining instead of sending it back to the grid, including at night or when utility rates are more expensive.

Solahart PowerStore, Australia’s first solar-smart electric water heater also falls into this category, as it converts excess solar power into hot water. According to the Solahart Solar Index Report, if you replace an electric water heater on an off-peak tariff with PowerStore, the combined solar power and Solahart PowerStore systems could save you up to $1,760 per year on your energy bills.

Find out more about batteries here.

To find out how much you could save, Solahart offers a free home assessment that helps us better understand your needs and to provide you with a bespoke solution for your home and budget.

Solar power is a proven way to help you minimise your reliance on the grid, reduce your energy bills and do your bit for the environment. Solahart has installed over 600,000 solar power panels in Australia, and more than 1 million solar water heaters worldwide. To join the other 3 million Australian households in going solar, contact Solahart today.

For more information

Solahart

The post How Much you Could Save With Solar Power in Australia appeared first on Completehome.

One House to Save Many

One House to Save Many is a prototype house created to withstand a variety of extreme weather events. The house was produced by Suncorp and designed in collaboration with James Cook University’s Cyclone Testing Station, Room11 Architects, and CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.  Learn more

What led you to your current role at CSIRO?

A mix of interest and circumstances. I was heading towards a career in the automotive industry but as I graduated from university with a mechanical engineering degree, I was not particularly impressed by its level of innovation. I lucked upon a job ad in the university careers office for a CSIRO Fire Technician and got the position. It was a great opportunity to learn and be mentored by scientists who were leaders in building fire safety and bushfires. They effectively mentored me into the position of leading the bushfire work.

What interested you about the role?

I was looking for something that was both interesting and challenging. Bushfire research ticked the box for being a complex problem that was part social science, materials science, systems thinking and thermodynamics.

What exactly does your role entail?

In a nutshell, I study how bushfires interact with structures and how people perceive risk. I’ve been burning things at the Mogo Bushfire Burnover Facility in southern NSW for more than 18 years. My team and I use fire simulation to test a structure’s resilience. This includes how well it copes with heat, radiation and flames. Using heat sensors, we can track the levels at which different aspects fail.

My role involves setup and delivering a diverse range of projects for the community, industry and government. Each project is quite different and is like starting a new job each time. What is similar between each project is its focus towards becoming adapted to bushfire in the long term. This means that we are selective about who we work with and how we frame and solve that client’s needs.

What’s a burnover?

A burnover is when a fire moves through an area covering everything in its path. Burnover simulations can involve infrastructure such as buildings, cars, fire trucks, fences, power poles and water tanks.

Why do you think this kind of research is important?

Throughout Australia’s colonial history, bushfire has been quite disruptive to people’s lives and the economy. Climate forecasts do not paint a pretty picture of the future frequency and severity of disruptive bushfires, so adapting to this reality will ensure a less painful transition.

What are some recent interesting discoveries you have made?

That nature is always more interesting and complex than my imagination. 2019/20 taught us about a new type of fire season, where weather conditions do not moderate enough
to allow fires to be suppressed in the landscape until the end of the fire season. This meant that fires would run whenever the winds picked up and were technically impossible to put out until the fire season ended. This realisation could help us find new ways to define how future climate can shape bushfire risk.

What are some of the main issues with Australian houses when it comes to fire resilience?

Australian houses are typically built with materials that burn. The materials may be external, inside the building cavities (like framing), or in the interior. People would find it fairly challenging to fitout their homes with non-combustible furniture, so it is up to the building itself to prevent embers, flame and radiant heat from reaching the interior. Typical Australian houses allow:

• Embers to reach the interior
• Ignition of external materials that burn through to the interior
• Ignition of the combustible building cavities such as roof, walls and sub-floors that burn through to the interior.

What was your role in One House to Save Many?

I was part of the design team for developing the design concept and bushfire prototype. I also set up the bushfire burnover experiment that helped to validate the design.

Why do you think this is an important initiative?

The concept of “best practice” design is very important. Many people do not realise that bushfire building regulations are “minimum standards” that may not necessarily meet their expectations. The One House initiative was important in being able to demonstrate that it is relatively easy to build a functional and aesthetic home to “best practice” for bushfire, flood and cyclone all at the same time! For this it has become an important driver of change.

What have you concluded from embarking on this research and how can it be applied to the building/architecture industry?

That effective and functional design solutions can draw on conventional building materials, skills and techniques. Also, there is an important role for helping builders and architects to better understand bushfire and using this knowledge to achieve best practice.

When do you think we will be able to start implementing these strategies in residential buildings on a regular basis?

I see isolated examples of really effective designs and builds occurring now and for these to become more common or even mainstream, we need a major shift in community understanding and willingness to adapt to bushfire. By about 2050, the regularity and severity of bushfire for many parts of Australia will make it very obvious to those communities that they need to build to best practice.

What are some simple things that a homeowner, builder or architect can do to make their new build or renovation more fire resilient?

The build will be as strong as its weakest link, so attention to detail and materials used in all aspects of the house are important. Think beyond skin deep. The building cavities are just as important as the exterior materials. Think about design redundancy; assume that an external facade may be modified before a fire or damaged in a fire and allow flames or embers to pass into the building cavities.

For more information

Suncorp

The post We Chat to Justin Leonard about Bushfire Research and the “One House to Save Many” Initiative appeared first on Completehome.

Our great southern land is changing. Extreme weather events are rapidly increasing in both duration and frequency, and our communities are taking the hit. Australian homes are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to the effects of climate change, and with each wild event devastating towns and cities, it is also impacting the health and wellbeing of its residents. Nowhere is this more evident than in Queensland.

Queensland couple John and Drucia know all too well how it feels when faced with a major flood. “It just kept raining and raining,” said John and Drucia, who were impacted by the 2019 Townsville floods. “We kept watching every day — it kept getting heavier and heavier. There were no breaks. It just was a continued belt of rain.”

Tash and Vince thought they were right during the 2011 Brisbane floods, but they didn’t realise the impact it was going to have. “We started to see the water rising at the back, and it just kept rising,” says Tash. “By this time, I had four phone calls from my boss saying get out of your house and I was like ‘no, she’ll be right’ — but no, we weren’t.”

By the end of the flood, Tash and Vince found the tide mark was at least 40cm from the floor, on the second storey of their home. “For all the lower houses it was at roof level,” remembers
the couple. “You lose irreplaceable memories; it puts massive stress on your pets and yourselves. It’s not just a house, it never was for us. It has always been a really special place and it’s our home.”

Since Cyclone Tracy back in 1974, building standards and codes were formed to address the life safety of residents. However, to this day, current building codes and standards don’t always cover a building’s resilience to the increasing threat of extreme weather.

“What we’ve seen after so many damage surveys now, after say Cyclone Larry and Cyclone Yasi, is that you’ve got a lot of rain coming into buildings, being driven in through our windows and everything else, so we can’t live in our houses afterwards,” says David Henderson, chief research engineer of the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University. “Yes, we have our building
codes and a lot of work has gone into our building codes and standards. And for a life safety-type issue it should be ok, but that’s the bare minimum.”

“There’s an assumption that current building codes will fully protect you,” says Paige Vincent from Suncorp Insurance. “While they do protect life, they don’t necessarily support building resilience. And depending on when you built your home, will depend on how the code responded at that point in time.”

With each year, seeing more and more homes lost and communities torn apart, a team of experts worked to better understand the problem residents are faced with during wild weather events.

One House To Save Many

Suncorp, along with Australia’s leading experts in building resilience from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and The Cyclone Testing Station, worked to reduce the effects of harsh weather events on housing. By combining all their knowledge, research and expertise, the “One House to Save Many” project was born.

Inspired by the laid-back Queenslander, the expert team, along with Room11 Architects, completely redesigned this classic building style to include weather-resilient features to help withstand storms, floods, cyclones and fire. The result? A steadfast, three-bedroom prototype that can better protect its residents and maintain its structure and function after an event, without compromising on beautiful design aesthetic.

“Anybody can build a concrete and steel bunker that’s pretty resilient, but nobody wants to live in that,” says Kate Phillips, associate director of Room11 Architects. “So we’re trying to go above and beyond that to not only protect life, but lifestyle, too.”

By using existing standard building materials and technology, the expert One House team was able to keep the project cost effective, with the overall home worth the same as a standard architectural new home build. Each of these inclusions were successfully resilience-tested by CSIRO and James Cook University against three main perils: flood, cyclone and fire conditions. This was shown in Suncorp’s One House to Save Many documentary available on YouTube.
“Researchers collaboratively chose materials and design principles that would enable a house to survive each of these extreme events. This hasn’t been attempted before,” says Justin Leonard, research leader of Bushfire Adaptation at CSIRO.

Resilience to cyclones and severe wind

The team at James Cook University extensively tested One House’s cyclone and severe wind resistance at their Cyclone Testing Station. Its purpose is to improve the safety of those who experience cyclones or severe wind events, and minimise their loss and suffering. The JCU team carried out a wind-driven debris and a roof section pressure demonstration, simulating
the effects of cyclonic wind.

“In the cyclic pressure test we did in the air chamber, we applied dynamic loading as the wind hits the roofing. It’s all that suction pressure trying to pick up the whole house by its roof cladding, so you need the pin screws holding the roof down to the battens, the battens down to the rafters, the rafters down to the top lay — each of those connections has to be right to make sure a house sticks around,” explains David. “All these tests are really just to try to help get a more resilient design and structure and then combine all of them to give us a better resilience product overall.”

The results of this collaboration, research and testing enabled the team to qualify specific design principles and demonstrate how clever use of design and material selection can dramatically increase the resilience of a home.

Flood and cyclone proof features

Each of One House’s included features are well thought out and ready to face the elements. The prototype’s clever use of design and material selection dramatically increases its level of resilience, from its electrical wiring housed in the roof to its glazed doors.

Electrical

Electrical wiring is traditionally run low in the wall cavity and in the floor — but in One House it’s smartly installed in the roof. Power points and switches are also installed at least 1m above floor level to try to reduce the risk of electrical issues during flooding.
The two levels of the home run on separate circuits, so if either one takes on damage, occupants should still have power in one section and, if possible and safe to do so, stay there following an extreme weather event. It also features a solar array on the roof that can be used for general electricity where the mains supply may have been compromised or cut off. All household appliances are freestanding rather than integrated into the building, which can allow the occupants to remove or raise appliances off the floor prior to an expected inundation event, preventing the appliances from being damaged.

Construction

To help avoid timber framing and plasterboard wall linings swelling or rotting during extreme weather, One House utilises a steel stud framing system on a 100mm concrete upstand. Internal wall linings are a fibre-cement sheet system with vertical battens covering the joints. As the fibre-cement sheets are water-resistant and removable, occupants can unscrew them after a severe weather event to inspect damage, remove debris and dry out the wall cavity, then re-assemble and continue to live in the home.

All glazed doors are fitted using a top-hung track system and flush threshold — a 50mm set-down from interior to exterior. This allows water to escape through the building openings and limits the possibility of doors becoming jammed by debris following an inundation event.
The floors of One House are either burnished concrete, tiles or pavers. These materials are waterproof, easy to clean and far less likely to be damaged than carpet and timber during an extreme weather event. They also should not need replacing following an inundation event.
While most of the ceiling in the upper level is raked, the area above the powder room and store is flat. This is the zone for the air-conditioning unit, hot-water cylinder and battery store for the solar array. Storing these systems here means they won’t be affected by an inundation event and can be easily inspected for damage.

One House is protected from flying debris penetrating the building fabric, breaking glass and damaging external cladding via fixed and operable mesh screens wrapping the verandah, protecting the external skin of the building from this debris.

Roofing

Cyclone-rated screws and washers are featured on the One House roof. They are stronger than standard fixings and can be inspected and adjusted throughout the season. The roof frame also utilises a tie-down system to the concrete slab that reduces the risk of “flying roof” during a severe wind event. The home’s design and layout also allow pressure to escape and high winds to pass around and through the structure, which can help to maintain the building’s integrity during a severe storm or cyclone.

Exterior features include reinforced materials such as core-filled block and mesh screens on the verandah. Core-filled block was selected as it is stronger than some traditional materials such as weatherboard, while the mesh protects the structure from flying debris and direct contact from wind-driven water during a storm or cyclone. These materials also allow the home to passively cool itself during hot weather as they facilitate air flow and provide shade.

In high-wind weather events, anything around a home can become flying debris. To combat this, the home’s design features an outdoor storage area with core-filled block perimeter walls. This allows occupants to secure items around their home prior to a high-wind event to minimise flying debris.

“If every Australian had the features of One House in their own house, we would have a lot less stress and the community could get on and do what it does,” says David. “Not being newsworthy is what we’re looking for.”

John Doolan, director of The Cyclone Testing Station, says “What One House can really do is to ignite a change of mindset in the community from one of ‘someone else is looking after it’ to ‘I need to be aware of my own situation’. That additive across the community or across a city or across a state — that’s when you get change.”

How to protect your home

As the frequency of natural disasters increases, money spent rebuilding communities after every disaster also increases and this includes insurance. Suncorp’s commitment to resilience not only sparked the “One House to Save Many” project, it extends this commitment to its insurance products and inclusions.

“There is no way we can stop these storms or cyclones or floods from happening. But if we can reduce the amount of damage that weather causes to properties, and therefore lower the cost to actually repair the homes, then we can actually afford to start lowering the premiums,” says Paige Vincent, head of Consumer Portfolio at Suncorp Insurance.

Suncorp’s goal is to address the issue at the onset and make communities stronger
by encouraging them to improve the resilience of their homes. “Build It Back Better”*, an Australian home insurance first, will help customers with homes that are substantially damaged (more than $50,000 or 10 per cent of the sum insured) rebuild their home stronger with additional recommended resilience options designed to help withstand severe weather.

Suncorp Insurance is also looking at further ways to build resilience in the future by rewarding homeowners with reduced premiums on home insurance for investment and preparation. Researchers at James Cook University, in partnership with Suncorp, are conducting innovative research analysing insurers’ policy and claims data. This data is being used, in combination with CTS findings on damage investigations and full-scale house testing, to highlight mitigation options to reduce the risk of damage from cyclones.

Suncorp, along with other insurers, is incorporating these learnings to actively promote mitigation/retrofitting strategies to reduce damage from cyclones as well as reward homeowners with reductions on their insurance premium for mitigation work undertaken. The benefits are not only for older “pre-code” housing, they can also improve the performance of new construction, especially by reducing the damage from wind-driven rainwater ingress.
After surviving Cyclone Yasi, Michael Cacciola says, “If you live in fear of the next storm season, the next bushfire season, are you really living life?”

For more information

Suncorp

The post Can we build a Home that is Resilient to Floods and Cyclones? appeared first on Completehome.

One House to Save Many is a prototype house created to withstand a variety of extreme weather events. The house was produced by Suncorp and designed in collaboration with James Cook University’s Cyclone Testing Station, Room11 Architects and the CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Learn more

What does your role entail?

Along with the CTS team, I test everything to do with severe wind event damage, from broken screws to complete houses. Specifically, we undertake “damage surveys” following severe weather (such as cyclones, tornados, thunderstorms and hail) so that we can determine the good and bad features of traditional homes and the materials used to make them. We conduct tests in the lab to develop appropriate codes and standards for designers, builders and manufacturers. The CTS team deploys anemometers in the path of cyclones crossing the coast to measure the wind impacting homes and to understand the forces homes need
to withstand.

Why do you think this type of research is important?

Severe wind events damage and devastate communities in Australia and worldwide.
We investigate wind events and conduct research so that buildings can be designed to resist severe wind loads and driving rain.

What are some recent findings you have made? 

Despite being built to resist wind loads, a lot of the damage to the interiors of contemporary buildings is due to wind-driven rain. However, this is assuming that these buildings can resist wind loads if a window or door fails, causing a sudden opening in the building envelope, allowing the wind pressure inside and greatly increasing the load the house has to resist. The test is to identify if the structure can remain intact and protect the occupants. Houses in Wind Region B have not typically been designed for this, as highlighted by the recent impacts from Tropical Cyclone Seroja that damaged homes and buildings. We found that these houses were not designed to resist the large loads that occur when the building is pressurised from an opening on a windward wall.

What could these discoveries result in?

Improvements in design and construction for homes and other buildings.

What are some of the main problems with Australian houses when it comes to being cyclone-resilient?

Contemporary houses built to current standards are generally designed and constructed with
the minimum requirement for strength. They are usually not designed to keep wind-driven rain out, which results in damages to interiors such as collapsed ceilings, wall and floor linings and contents. Most doors are not wind-rated and there is little protection for windows from wind-driven debris.

Our houses are complex systems that have many components. They need to be maintained so they can keep people safe and remain functional during severe storms. Just like our cars, buildings need regular checks and maintenance. Inspections of the building’s structure and cladding, along with pest inspections, should be undertaken before its purchased or leased. Then inspections should occur at regular internals every few years.

What was your role in One House to Save Many?

Along with the The Cyclone Testing Station, my role was to provide guidance on the design for mitigating damage from severe wind loads, wind-driven debris and wind-driven rain, based on the CTS’s research during many years. The CTS conducted various tests to demonstrate the issues of dynamic wind pressure load cycles to roof cladding, wind-driven debris impacts to walls, and the amount of rain water that can be driven into homes. The mitigation measures such as wider and secure flashings, debris screens and robust doors that were used in One
House to Save Many, can be used on existing homes today.

Why do you think this is an important initiative?

It’s important to raise awareness about the damage that can be caused to homes and buildings as the result of severe cyclones and storms. This message is important for everyone from homeowners, builders and designers to regulators and manufacturers. It is an excellent platform for engaging with people to raise awareness of improving the resilience of their homes.

What have you concluded from embarking on this research and how can it be applied to the building/architecture industry?

The aspects for mitigating damage from wind load, wind-driven debris and wind-driven rain are all existing techniques and methods that can be applied to buildings now.

When do you think we will be able to start implementing these strategies in residential buildings on a regular basis?

The design strategy of protecting the building envelope can be used now in existing homes and new builds.

What are some simple things that a homeowner, builder or architect can do to make their new build or renovation more cyclone-resilient?

Look beyond the minimum requirements in the building code and employ additional strategies to make your house more resilient. Protect the building envelope — for example, use robust, cyclone-rated window shutters or screens. Lastly, undertake regular maintenance of
your home.

For more information

Suncorp

The post Mitigating Damage from Severe Winds appeared first on Completehome.

Whilst you need to follow rules, your pool fence doesn’t have to be boring.

A steel pole fence for simplicity

Recently, Inside Out Magazine featured us in its September 2021 issue where our boss lady CEO Remonda shared her knowledge in the latest trends in pool design and technology alongside other experts in the same field in the article entitled “Swimming in Style”’. This included her thoughts on the latest in pool fencing. “We’re seeing an emerging trend for steel pole fencing, which is nothing like what we’re used to around pools – it can be curved, shaped and coloured,” Remonda said.  

If you would like a minimalist design for your pool fence whilst ensuring a safe plunge in the water, then this is a great option to consider.

Modernise your pool with a glass pool fence

If you don’t want the view of your backyard to be impeded at all, a glass fence is your best option. A tempered glass fence is durable and impact-resistant and has a climb-proof design. Since the glass panels are made of modern toughened safety glass, it gives the entire fence a sleek, sophisticated look without compromising its durability and security purpose.  Be prepared for some foggy mornings when you won’t be able to see the pool and invest in a good cleaning solution to keep the glass barely noticeable.  Choose the right grade of glass fencing to avoid being rejected with your final O.C. because inferior glass panels can actually explode so the council brought in a new rule to provide a Glazing Certificate to confirm the fence is the right grade to suit Australian Standards.

Metal fence for a traditional look

Want a pool fence that can give you a timeless appeal whilst ensuring your safety? Metal pool fence is one of your best resorts if you’re prioritising aesthetics, cost and maintenance. The versatile nature of this material, coupled with high safety standards and low maintenance cost, makes it in demand amongst pool owners. Easy to keep clean, sturdy if it cops a soccer ball bashing, variety of colours and styling.

Laser-cut screen fence for a new and distinct design

Technology empowers us in several ways with the ability to customise the print of your pool fence as an epitome of this. A laser-cut screen is a great choice if you want to give your pool a stylish and unique look. It can also be manufactured to almost any design and to suit the requirement of Australian Pool Safety Standards (AS1926.1 – 2012).  This is also a really fabulous way to extend your boundary fence if it’s under the 1.8m height requirement when using it as a pool barrier.

Hardwood posts creating a reformed look

For a completely different approach to pool fencing, you can add a natural finish to Jarrah sleepers, a type of Australian tropical hardwood, and install them at slightly varying heights. This creates privacy and brings a nature-oriented look that your family and visitors will love. Its neutral colours also make it suitable for a wide array of pool lights and water features.

Classic black metal pool fence

With the simple design of this pool fence, you can maintain and decorate much easier whilst enjoying a complete view of your backyard. You can either use steel or aluminium as the material for this type of fence. The former is tough and can stand up well against elements whilst aluminium is lightweight and impervious to corrosion.

Blue Haven has spent close to 50 years building pools for families across Sydney with over 100 years of combined experience and 350 industry design awards under our name.  We guarantee excellence in every aspect of pool construction, from innovation and design to quality and functionality. You deserve the right builder by your side, helping you make the best choices from day one.

For more information on our package deals, Click here 

The post Create Pool Safety in Style with these Pool Fence Designs appeared first on Completehome.

Born out of a passion for making concrete aesthetically beautiful and functionally practical, Blend Concrete Design creates custom concrete furniture pieces and offers a stunning selection of handcrafted pieces available for purchase online.

Blend Concrete Design’s custom creations allow for clients to make their vision a concrete reality. From custom wall panels to tables, Blend Concrete Design collaborates with clients to produce concrete creations that enhance any space. Their online store allows customers to browse and purchase a selection of handcrafted concrete piece.

What works best for you? Is it creating a custom piece or choosing from Blend’s range of products? To help you make this decision, here are some key benefits of both options.

Shop

The concrete pieces on Blend Concrete Design’s online store form part of the ‘Classic Collection’ product range. New collections will be added to the online shop seasonally.

The pieces in the current collection have stunning clean lines and smooth finishes, perfect for any space. See for yourself!

The Umbria Dining Table highlights the striking beauty of concrete. The rounded edges create an elegant table design which is bound to be a feature piece in any space.

Experiment with the colours you’re considering in our online shop by clicking on any of the colour options. Viewing the range in any one of Blend Concrete Design’s colours means that selecting the right colour and design for your space couldn’t be easier.  We know how hard it can be to choose the right colour for your space. If you’re feeling unsure about colour choice, order colour samples on Blend’s website.

The Tuscan Dining Table is another bold contemporary piece available for purchase at Blend Concrete Design’s online shop. The product pages contain all the information you need to know about the pieces. Each of the available pieces have a specification sheet which outlines its dimensions, material, weight and finish.

It will take 4 – 6 weeks to produce your beautiful handcrafted piece. You will be notified once the piece is ready to be shipped to your door.

Each individual piece is handcrafted and made to order. Blend Concrete Design uses high-end sealants which enhance the durability of each concrete piece, decreasing the chance of the piece becoming stained or scratched. The sealants are food safe ensuring Blend Concrete Design’s collection is a great fit for dining, entertainment and bathroom spaces.

If cared for properly, your concrete piece can last a lifetime! To help you best care for your piece, Blend Concrete Design provides a care and maintenance guide.

Custom Creations

Blend Concrete Design offers the ability to explore endless design possibilities. With a team of industrial designers and a passion for innovative design, Blend Concrete Design can partner with your or your team to create a one-of-a-kind custom concrete piece.

Blend Concrete Design creates a wide variety of concrete furniture and other stylish pieces for the home and outdoors. For some inspiration, have a look at a list of popular choices.

• Tables (indoor and outdoor)
• Bathroom vanity tops
• Kitchen benchtops
• BBQ benchtops
• Seating
• Stairs (internal and external)
• Benchtops for hospitality (bar and cafe)
• Benchtops for retail stores
• Commercial Point of sale
• Arches
• Basins
• Teppanyaki tables
• Fireplace plinths
• Wall panels (internal and external)

Creating a custom piece is an exciting process. The journey involves:

• Initial design development – refining the brief, gathering inspiration images and preliminary sketches
• Finalisation of the design including approval of the final renders and plans
• Blend’s skilled team creates your beautiful custom piece
• Blend delivers and installs your concrete piece

This process allows you to customise the dimensions, colour, surface finishes and thickness of your concrete piece. Blend’s design team will help you make sure that your piece achieves the aesthetic look and feel you’ve envisioned and the functionality you’re after. Seeing the product come to life is incredible and will definitely be a statement piece with a story.

This integrated basin is a beautiful example of one of Blend Concrete Design’s custom creations. This piece was designed to accommodate the functionality, storage and design preferences of the client.  The end product – a chic and contemporary seamless countertop and integrated basin.

Whether you’re choosing from Blend Concrete Designs’ range of products available on the online store or creating a custom piece, you will have chosen handcrafted concrete piece, perfect for you or your client. If you would like more help choosing what’s right for you, reach out to the helpful team at Blend Concrete Design.

For more information

Blend Concrete Design

The post Concrete Furniture: What are the Options? appeared first on Completehome.

Although there may be no ‘perfect’ material out there, concrete is sure hard to beat. From commercial to residential spaces, concrete offers beautiful aesthetics along with functional practicality. The team at Blend Concrete Design is passionate about the unique features concrete offers, and know that you will be too.

There is a long list of benefits of using concrete in interior and exterior spaces. Here are three main reasons why concrete should be on your radar:

1. Endless design possibilities
2. Versatility; and
3. Long-term durability

Design

There are numerous ways to enhance residential and commercial spaces with concrete pieces. From pieces that blend cohesively with any existing design, to unique feature pieces, the possibilities are endless.

What does this mean for Blend Concrete Design’s industry and residential clients? The creative freedom to explore stunning design possibilities, tailored to their needs and creative vision.

Unique Aesthetic

One of the most unique features of concrete is its ability to be formed into complex shapes and multi-axis curves. Concrete can be poured to create unique forms, shapes and finishes. Blend’s casting methods open the door to the creation of truly custom pieces to complement any space.

The natural and raw texture and tonal qualities of concrete form part of its unique aesthetic. Features such as air pockets, slight colour variation and natural patina enhance the character  and distinctive beauty of concrete pieces.

Colour

Colour, arguably one of the most important components of any design, is one of the areas in which the unique features of concrete allow for styling options different from any other material.

Blend Concrete Design uses coloured oxides to create a broad spectrum of colours and hues. This allows for countless options to complement colour schemes and to colour match pieces to existing furniture and design.

Unique Texture

A range of surface finishes and textures are available, including:

• Matte concrete finish
• Polished concrete finish
• Exposed terrazzo finish
• Custom detailing
  • visual texture (colour variation)
  • ferrules
  • letter/ logo embossing
  • brushed finish

Blend Concrete Design also specialises in terrazzo designs. By combining high quality GFRC concrete with a stunning range of decorative aggregate, a mosaic-like appearance can be achieved. A terrazzo piece can have either a polished or matte finish.

Versatility

Next on the list is the versatility of concrete. Technological developments have enabled stronger, lighter and more versatile concrete mixes for use in interior and exterior spaces.

Blend Concrete Design uses glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC). By adding glass fibres into the concrete mix, the strength of the concrete is increased which eliminates the need for steel reinforcement. This increased strength allows us to pour GFRC far thinner than traditional concrete making pieces lighter and easier to transport.

Blend Concrete Design handcrafts custom furniture pieces with GFRC, such as:

• Tables (indoor and outdoor)
• Bathroom vanity tops
• Kitchen benchtops
• BBQ benchtops
• Seating
• Stairs (internal and external)
• Benchtops for hospitality (bar and cafe)
• Benchtops for retail stores
• Commercial point of sale
• Arches
• Basins
• Teppanyaki tables
• Fireplace plinths
• Wall panels (internal and external)

Blend Concrete Design also has a collection of concrete furniture available for purchase on its website here.

Commercial and Residential

Concrete’s versatility in style, design and surface finish makes it a great material for residential and commercial spaces.

From high-end retail, hospitality, health and wellness facilities to office fitouts, Blend Concrete Design has got you covered. We enjoy collaborating with industry partners and residential clients.

Exterior Spaces

Blend’s concrete pieces are bound to be a feature in any outdoor space. Decorative wall panels, stair treads and seating are perfect ways of adding a splash of concrete.

Blend Concrete Design specialises in creating functional and aesthetic outdoor entertainment spaces, with anything from integrated BBQ countertops to seating and tables.

Interior Spaces

Kitchen benchtops, dining tables, seating, basins and vanities are some of the ways you can infuse your design with concrete pieces.

Blend Concrete Design offers a stunning range of handcrafted concrete pieces available for purchase on its online shop.

Durability

Blend’s custom creations and online collection are handcrafted by our concrete artisans. Each piece is poured, cured and sealed individually to ensure exceptional quality and attention to detail.

Sealant

The key to long-term durability of concrete pieces is in part due to the high-quality sealant used at Blend Concrete Design.

The sealant allows all concrete pieces to withstand natural elements due to its non-combustible and erosion-resistant qualities. You can rest easy knowing that Blend Concrete design offers a sealant ideal for outdoor and indoor applications. Outdoor furniture can be high pressure hosed to get rid of the leaves and bird droppings that tend to be around these spaces.

Ease of maintenance and care

The combination of Blend’s high-quality sealants and the natural qualities of concrete mean your pieces need minimal care and maintenance. Blend’s Care and Maintenance guide provides all the information you need to best care for your concrete piece.

Blend Concrete Design excels in skillfully crafting concrete pieces for residential and commercial spaces. With its unparalleled design, strength, resilience, versatility and durability, concrete caters to numerous aesthetics and functional needs.

For more information

Blend Concrete Design

The post Three Main Reasons why Concrete Should be on Your Radar appeared first on Completehome.

Built on a culture that fosters creativity, individuality and pride in their products, along with a unique customer approach, GT&B is a mecca for architects and home renovators alike.

Housing Geelong’s largest selection of tiles, tapware and timber under one roof, GT&B stock products for all types of customers and projects. From exclusive ranges to everyday builder and trade products, their collections are designed to cater for all styles and budgets. The team loves pushing the boundaries of design and travel locally and abroad to source the newest and best products for their customers. Some notable brands include the exclusive Valentino range by Ceramiche Piemme, Faucet Strommen, Brodware, Nood Co, and architecturally designed tiles by Sarah Ellison and Jason Grant.

The design team at GT&B thrive on the challenge of creating unique and functional spaces for their customers, and promise an inspiring and positive experience as soon as they enter the showroom. Customers love the atmosphere in the showroom and the positive vibe among the team. This often sees many of them return time and again to view the ever-evolving product range and pick the brains of the knowledgeable team for design advice.

GT&B also offer a free in-house design service to their customers. In as little as two hours, the team of qualified designers will take you through the entire design process for your home, providing you with valuable design and technical expertise to make your dream a reality. No matter the project, GT&B will assist you in selecting tiles, bathware or timber to create functional and beautiful spaces to last a lifetime.

As a proud house of brands, GT&B creates affordable luxury while always bringing the best service, products and passion to their customers. Prepare to be inspired as you enter GT&B, THE destination for tiles, bathware and timber.

For more information: Geelong Tiles & Bathware

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