sists of three concentric tubes, the inner and outer being of rubber, elastic and Hexible, and the centre tube of nylon which is flexible but inextensible. In use, air pressure is applied to the inner tube which expands to the limit set by the centre tube and the whole apparatus ex- pands and becomes hard and unyielding. Concrete is poured and when this has set, the air pressure is released and the outer tube (which was expanded when pressure was applied) contracts to a much reduced diameter leaving extremely smooth duct formed in the concrete. Drag wires are attached to the free end of the "New Duct unit and it is easily withdrawn in spite of the fact that it might have been previously set in multiple bends. The drag wire is left in position for drawing in electric cables later.
an
Major Chauvin is an expert in the design and application of air-conditioning. It is not surprising, therefore, that all the main rooms have air-conditioning while others benefit from an extensive ventilation sys- tem installed in addition to the good natural ventilation mentioned above.
It is very necessary to keep heat gain down to a minimum during the summer, and heat losses down to a minimum during the winter if temperature control is to be achieved at moderate cost. Consequently the construction of the house embodies
(Left) Section showing the different levels
SECTION
GALLA
(Left) Upper
JAYING
ground floor plan. (Right) First floor
AĔ0
AOOM
plan; various
changes have
been made
Ma 171
350
FLAT
AOOF
Above) Site plan
BATH
DRESSING
since and
these are
brought out
BED
ROOM
CARDRY
LIVING
in the text.
TERRACE
DINING
ROOM
5
= 4
OPEN
SV
57
LAY.
WORKING
VERANDAH
FLAT
ROOF
water. The hot air is discharged through intake is assured by a 250 c.f.m. exhaust a large window in the machine room at fan blowing into the kitchen from the some special features. Floors and ceilings low speed and does not, therefore, make living room; this also provides partial are formed of large hollow concrete blocks
noticeable noise. any with
Air for cooling is cooling for the kitchen. concrete beams supporting drawn narrow
in through four windows in the and separating them, the whole being
garage. covered with a layer of concrete reinforced by BRC welded wire mesh. The roof has, in addition, concrete tiles finished in white "Snowcem''. All relevant doors are flush Masonite panelled on wooden frames and insulated with Fibreglass; all relevant windows are of 1" thick plate glass.
a
All control is remote from a master panel combined with a cooling coil and located in the master bedroom. This lat ter coil serves both bedrooms on the top floor, distribution between rooms being supplemented by an additional fan mount ed in the dividing wall between them.
For winter air-conditioning, a Coleman oil-fired heater in the drying room gives off hot air which is drawn in by the same fan as that used for the cooling coil and discharged into the living room; the same circumstances obtaining to return air and fresh air intake apply. A 1-3 KW electric fire is also installed in the living room largely for appearances as mostly only one bar is used.
Summer air-conditioning is completely automatically controlled as both sets are started and stopped by time switches and when in operation temperature is controll- ed by thermostats. The "drying room"
The air-conditioning plant for summer use is located as follows. The compres-
Air-conditioning for both summer and sors, driving motors, condensers and re-
winter for the living room is effected by ceivers are all mounted in the garage on machinery installed in the "drying room", block of concrete about three tons in For summer, a cooling coil and fan receive weight; this is on separate foundations and refrigerant from the 24 h.p. condensing does not transmit any noise or vibration unit below and blow cooled air into the to the house proper. The two separate living room through a duct. This opera has sufficient capacity for all little used condensing units are rated at 2 h.p. (for tion reduces the air pressure in this room, stores and luggage and as it too is auto- the living room) and 1 3/4 h.p. (for the so that air is drawn back from the living matically fully air-conditioned both sum- bedrooms upstairs). Both condensing units room and also from the fresh air intake mer and winter, everything stored is kept are completely air-cooled and require no in the wall. Positive control of fresh air in perfect condition.
The house from the south, overlooking the new quarry road
Both main bathrooms have large exhaust fans controlled by door-operated switches: these keep the temperature perfectly ac- ceptable even on the hottest days. An extra large exhaust fan (with automatic shutters) is installed in the kitchen im mediately above the cookers so that all heat is removed before the room as a whole is heated.
The client is keenly interested in music, so that the living room had also to be designed for good acoustics. Two "Klip- shorn" speakers are located one at each corner of the north-west wall of the living room. The one next to the kitchen wall is fed from a Hammond Organ located diagonally opposite and about halfway along the north-east wall. Room charac- teristics are not noticeable a particular-
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