Forest Lodge ECO House: A Marvel of Sustainable Design

Chris Knierim's Award-Winning ECO House Sets New Standards in Sustainable Living

Chris Knierim's inspiration for the Forest Lodge ECO House stemmed from the opportunity to design a contemporary ECO house on one of the last remaining vacant land sites in Sydney. With a width of just 4.9 meters and a total land area of only 89m2, the project presented a unique challenge. The finished building stands as a testament to current design, complementing the neighbouring terraces and placing it in the urban history of the city of Sydney.

The Forest Lodge ECO House is unique in its design and execution. Every facet of the project, from the external facade, green roof, vertical gardens, interiors, fittings, and furnishing, was designed by Knierim to ensure that the philosophy of the design flowed seamlessly throughout every element of the project. This approach showcases the best of contemporary design ideas.

Knierim employed eco-design principles to create intelligent, innovative design. Many of the systems were custom designed and built specifically for this house, providing innovation not seen in Australia. Examples include solar tubes that store heat in the underground heat storage cell below the house, and water pipes connected to the steel reinforcement mesh of the concrete slab that are heated by solar, allowing warm air to rise and create free heating on demand.

The house has received an 8.5plus Star rating based on its energy efficiency and thermal performance, one of the highest in Australia. Contributing factors include double glazed LowE windows, roof and vertical gardens, LED lighting throughout, solar heating of house and hot water tank, internal and external solar blinds, and water features for evaporative cooling. The air conditioning has not been used due to the house being so well insulated.

The project started in July 2012 and was completed at the end of August 2013 in Forest Lodge in the heart of Sydney Australia's heritage precinct. The project was featured on the television series Grand Designs Australia in November 2013. The Forest Lodge ECO house is the result of years of research, with Knierim having lived and worked in Europe and America for 5 years, where he expanded his awareness and knowledge and learned the benefits of sustainable design.

The Forest Lodge ECO House was awarded the Golden A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award in 2014. This prestigious award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.