No Gas, No Worries | Navigating the Electrical Evolution
“From 1 January 2024, planning permits for new homes and residential subdivisions will only connect to all electric networks, with houses taking advantage of more efficient, cheaper and cleaner electric appliances.”
– New Victorian Homes To Go All Electric From 2024, New Victorian Homes To Go All Electric From 2024 | Premier of Victoria
What electric options do you have for cooktops and domestic hot water systems and how do they stack up?
Cooktops!
I know what you might be thinking, you had an electric cooktop growing up and it was terrible. Your dinner was either a little bit burnt, or a lot burnt. Well, I agree with you and thank goodness the technology has advanced.
From now on, when you think electric cooktop, please think induction! Rather than generating heat, induction cooktops use copper coils to create a magnetic field just above the glass surface and conduct heat evenly and efficiently with the induction cookware (Yes, you might need to upgrade your pots and pans, but that’s nothing a good homewares retailer sale can’t fix). Induction cooktops don’t only perform well, they look good too. Cleaning is a dream, no more lifting grates, a few quick wipes here and there and you’re done.
Project feature: Wattle Valley House.
Domestic Hot Water Systems!
Again, I know what you might be thinking and don’t worry the Electric Storage Hot Water System that you had growing up which heated water directly via an element or coil is not your only option. At DX Architects we recommend two ways to supply hot water to your new home. If space is at a premium or frequency of usage is minimal, then we might suggest an Instantaneous Electric Hot Water System (Stiebel Eltron for example). If you want the most energy efficient option on the market, then we might suggest a Hot Water Heat Pump System. In some cases, your project might call for a combination of both options and we can help you with that too.
Project feature: Chisel House
Energy Efficiency?
On the topic of Energy Efficiency, a Hot Water Heat Pump System operates by extracting heat energy from ambient outside air and transferring it into the water used in your home. The energy efficiency of a heat pump is measured by its Coefficient of Performance (COP), an expression of the relationship between power supplied to the heat pump and power output of the heat pump as heating or cooling. A HWHP has the ability to operate at above 100% efficiency, with 100% efficiency represented as COP of 1, and 400% efficiency represented as COP of 4. The higher the COP, the more efficient and cheaper the system is to run. The Sanden Eco Plus Hot Water Heat Pump System has a COP of 5.96 which is super-efficient.
In summary, with up-to-date information, knowledge and experience we can workshop options with you to help make informed decisions for your new home!
