How a couple turned a close-to-collapse cottage into a hardy haven

There are simpler things to do than converting an uninsulated, close-to-collapse 1900s cottage in Sydney’s inner city into a haven for hotter times.

But for its owners, KC and Kirsty Kasturi, it was worth the effort to make their home climate resilient.

The Kasturis, who both have engineering backgrounds, renovated an existing inner-Sydney house into something climate-hardy.Credit: Janie Barrett

“We’ve always been focused on trying to live a sustainable life as much as possible,” said KC. “We wanted to ensure that the house was designed for the future.”

This comes as experts call for new homes to be built to a standard that will remain safe and comfortable during future rising temperatures. The government this week released a report warning of the risks of a warming planet if nothing is done to mitigate this, followed by a new 2035 emissions target with funding commitments to help decarbonise the economy.

Alexander Symes, whose sustainable architecture practice was engaged by the Kasturis to help find an appropriate site and design the updates, said many Australian homes, including double-brick ones, can withstand isolated very hot days, but would be likely to falter with concurrent days of high temperatures.

Loading

“The fact is that our climate is changing, and we need to make our housing stock more appropriate and adaptable to the changing climate scenario, especially within heatwaves,” he said.

The Kasturis, who both have engineering backgrounds and are in their 50s, decided to move from Singapore where they lived for 12 years, to Sydney, following their two university-age daughters.

A few years before their 2025 arrival, the couple made buying and renovating an existing inner-Sydney house into something climate-hardy their goal.

“So, by reusing something that’s already made, it’s reducing the impact on the environment,” said Kirsty.

The couple planned to prioritise using fewer building materials and considered both embodied energy and operational energy as part of reimagining the home.

The Kasturi’s multipurpose additional dwelling, which was added on as part of the renovation, has a lift for accessibility.Credit: Janie Barrett

The former is the total amount of energy needed to produce the materials that make up a building, while the latter refers to energy use within the building.

They also wanted to cut down their ongoing costs once the house was built. “So, by reducing the heating and cooling, solar panels, having a place to grow food, and collecting rainwater,” Kirsty said.

The Kasturis are not alone. In Symes’ practice, 80 per cent of its current projects are retrofits, while 20 per cent are new builds. He said people are looking at how much energy it takes to heat and cool their houses.

“They’re looking for sensible, practical solutions to create a healthy, comfortable, internal environment, while being respectful of resources.”

The cottage’s 1900s double-brick exterior was maintained as part of the climate-conscious renovation.Credit: Janie Barrett

The Kasturis in 2022 bought a double-brick Victorian in Forest Lodge, which had a more recent addition out the back. It had no insulation and single-pane glass throughout: the very opposite of climate-conscious design.

“On the inside, it looked OK. It looked liveable, but what the contractors told us when they started pulling the roof and everything down was that it was pretty close to collapse,” said KC.

Symes’ design for the near-airtight home included insulating the existing timber floor, removing the existing tiles and insulating the roof. The 1900s double-brick exterior was maintained, but the later addition was removed, with the bricks retained to reuse in a new structure.

“We added a new two-storey addition to the back of that cottage, and that structure was made out of carbon-neutral concrete and an insulated timber frame,” Symes said.

A new two-storey addition was added to the back of the cottage. It was made from carbon-neutral concrete and an insulated timber frame.Credit: Janie Barrett

The home has a smart membrane that manages moisture, he said, as well as a heat recovery ventilation system that maintains healthy air inside.

The existing timber-framed windows were upgraded with vacuum-insulated glass, which Symes said was very thin, but also “the equivalent of a triple-glazed window system.”

The home was renovated using the principles of the EnerPHit standard that guides for the use of much less energy to heat and cool. This is a “slightly relaxed criteria,” Symes said, for adapting existing buildings to the Passive House standard, which is for new buildings.

After a number of planning iterations with council, it took about a year for the home’s design and approvals to be completed. Symes said it took around 18 months to construct. The build was by Red Cedar Constructions, which specialises in Passive House building.

The quiet house is powered by solar, with no gas connection, and rainwater is collected for gardening.Credit: Janie Barrett

It would probably be easier and cheaper to build a new house, KC said. Recycled materials often cost more than new options which are more readily available.

The Kasturis moved into the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, with a multipurpose additional dwelling that has a lift for accessibility, a few months ago, and say they love it.

There are edible and native plants only, some of which will grow to envelop the house, helping it ward off heat. There is also a greenhouse to grow food.

Loading

The quiet house is powered by solar, with no gas connection, and rainwater is collected for gardening.

While the home is now climate resilient, it is also aesthetically pleasing, with Japanese design influences.

Native animals such as black cockatoos and ringtail possums visit. The kitchen, with its copper splashback, is a standout feature for the couple, who enjoy cooking, as well as the use of reclaimed wood throughout.

Most Viewed in Property

Loading