Recently, technology website BIT (www.bit.com.au) published an article about the growing use of technology here at RiverStone.
Our Operations Manager, Tim, describes the use of iPads, iPhones, 3D design software, and even social media to create a “virtual office” – keeping RiverStone staff and clients well informed at their desk, out in the field, or even at home.
Read the article in full here - http://www.bit.com.au/Guide/
Did you know that the way we build homes in WA today is based on the same techniques the Romans used more than 2,000 years ago?
The only thing the Roman builder wouldn’t understand is electricity. Everything else would be perfectly the same. Is this a good thing? Well, in a simple low-cost world it certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing. The construction methods are simple, they have obviously been tested over time and they require very low capital.
But the thing is, we no longer live in a simple low-cost world. We are operating in an increasingly high-tech world driven by changing technology. At the same time, we all seem to agree we need to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce our water consumption. Governments keep passing new legislation to improve sustainable outcomes, and this in turn adds cost and complexity to new homes. We also need to face up to the fact that fewer young people want to learn a trade and those who do want to be paid like their friends working up on the mines.
In various countries around the world, manufactured houses are starting to make up a large section of the housing market. Japan has been a world leader in this type of house building and Europe and the US are also now very active in the field Manufactured homes are built in modern factories using CAD/CAM (computer aided design/computer aided manufacture) equipment. The output is simply shipped to site and erected in a fraction of the time it takes to build a conventional home. Factory homes use less material, have little waste, have low labour inputs, can use recycled materials and have fewer mistakes that require re-work. What’s more they are not at the mercy of the weather.
We have seen the same sort of changes occur in the production of cars over the past 50 years. As factories become more computer-centric the quality goes up, the cost comes down and the time to build is reduced. In a relative sense, the cost of new cars has been falling since the 1960’s, yet the quality and level of equipment has risen exponentially. Housing must go down the same track.
There are other fundamental issues being studies across the globe that may change the whole concept of how a house is built. To continue the car analogy, MIT in the US for example, is looking at a concept to create a flexible house ‘chassis’ that forms the structural framework of the building. Clients then add their own unique sizing, finishes and colours that effectively become the “bodywork”. Other research is looking at walls that change colour simply with the click of your mouse. There are literally thousands of ideas out there.
After more than 2,000 years, our method of construction is finally about to change forever. Beyond that, predicting the future is not only difficult but it is also foolish. Innovation happens all the time and only a small number of new ideas make it through to become a part of our way of life.
So without attempting to predict what will work, we are going to run a number of stories over the next 12 months giving you an insight into some of the ideas being explored. Come back from time to time and see what is happening around the world.
We’re a family business here at RiverStone, and we love an opportunity to kick back and relax with our loved ones.
Easter is a great time to enjoy a long meal with family and friends, take on that DIY job that you’ve been meaning to do since Christmas, or just relax in front of the TV and watch a good game of footy (go Eagles)!
Here’s a delicious recipe you might like to try out this Easter:
GOOD FRIDAY SEAFOOD PAELLA
Ingredients:
4 cups fish stock
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons olive oil
250g firm fish fillets (such as blue eye), cut into 2cm pieces
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups arborio rice
2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, diced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
500g medium green king prawns, peeled, deveined
150g baby squid, cleaned, cut into 1cm-thick rings
12 mussels, scrubbed, debearded
2/3 cup frozen peas
Method:
From our family to yours – enjoy the break, have a safe and happy Easter.
WINDOWS. What are they good for? Windows are such a fundamental element of any modern house that we nearly always take them for granted. RiverStone understands the very basic functional importance of windows to the performance of the home in everyday use.
The benefits of windows are that they let in light, they let you see outside, they keep the weather out, and they keep sound both in and out. These are all good things of course, but the problem with the windows we’ve been using for the past 200 years or more is that they also do some not-so-good things, too. They let heat in during summer and they let it out in winter. They let in the noise of the traffic and they let out the noise of your son practising on his new drums. What’s more, most modern windows are relatively cheap single-glazed aluminium units that are fragile and susceptible to damage, both during the construction phase and once you’ve moved into your new home.
So how can we fix these issues? To some extent the problems are inherent in the function. After all, any penetration of the building fabric will reduce the performance of the building as a whole? Once you put a hole in any wall you have provided an easy access point for heat, moisture, wind and dust. But we can minimise the negative impact of windows by using a version called thermally broken double-glazed windows.
Thermally broken double-glazed windows are generally manufactured using stronger, more solid aluminium frames that make the whole product able to withstand high wind loads and impact damage. The frame is “broken” into two halves by the insertion of a non-heat-transmitting material that prevents heat transfer from inside to outside and vice versa. The glass itself is made as two sheets separated by a space that is fully sealed with a desiccant inside. Heat and noise transfer from one side of the glass to the other is substantially reduced. RiverStone uses windows manufactured by G2 Windows which are made to exacting specification.
These very strong window systems are installed using a sub-frame. The sub-frame is installed at the brickwork stage but the actual finished window is not installed until much later in the building process when it is securely attached to the sub-frame. Unlike most other builders systems for installing windows early, this process limits damage to the frames and glass.
The increased thermal efficiency of thermally broken double-glazed windows over normal windows is substantial and allows this type of window to make a significant contribution to achieving the 6-star energy rating standard required under the new Building Code of Australia requirements.
Large homes with views to the south will have significant problems achieving a 6-star rating because the big areas of glass become the source of significant heat loss in winter. This has been a big surprise for most designers as it is nearly always assumed that in Perth it would be keeping summer heat out that is the most important factor. We have discovered that this is generally not the case in home design here. It is the loss of heat through glass, or the lack of heat gain through north-facing glass, that generally presents the biggest challenge in home design today. Further the bigger the home, the bigger the problem.
Double-glazing on its own doesn’t necessarily solve these problems for us, but it certainly makes a big contribution to thermal efficiency in a modern home. The technology has been in use in Europe and the US for more than 50 years, but has not taken hold here because of our milder climate and the problem of cost.
Double-glazed windows have been very expensive in the past but the start up of 6-star rules will force many a residential building designer to add double-glazing to meet the standard. Fortunately, costs have been in relative decline for about 10 years. A significant number of new players have also come into the field and relatively cheap, good-quality imports from China have allowed the price to fall. As volumes build, so the price will fall further in a nice virtuous circle. Because of our commitment to the use of this product we have been able to obtain supply of high quality windows from G2 for reasonable cost so RiverStone have decided to include thermally broken double glazing as standard in display specification homes.
So if you plan to build soon, then do consider the use of double-glazed windows. Not only will they make your home quieter, but they will also make it cooler in summer and warmer in winter – all the while performing their historical functions of keeping the weather out and letting you take in the view.
RiverStone understand the importance of these windows to the proper functioning of passive solar design in your home. Because every home is an individual design we tailor every design to suit the block orientation and include a number of energy efficient fittings with our display specification. Quality luxury design is about much more than the look of the finishes. Quality must be in all aspects of construction in your new home and include your windows as they are one of the most important structural elements built into your new home.
