To build a home in the Aldinga Arts Eco-Village, the approval of the Community Corporation must first be obtained. This is facilitated through the Building Development Committee (BDC), which assesses each development proposal against the Scheme Description and By-Laws and Building Guidelines.
MAKING AN APPLICATION TO THE BDC
A formal application is required (similar to that made to council). It is highly recommended that this application is made and approved before you seek council development approval. The documents you require are available for browsing or downloading on the BDC Documents page - see Menu on right.
1. The process for making an application is described in Design Procedure 080303.pdf
2. Applications are sent to the BDC co-ordinator at least 7 days prior to the scheduled BDC meeting dates. The current BDC co-ordinator for 2009/2010 is Adrian Oakey, assisted by Michael Vawser. Applications can be sent by email, or posted or hand delivered to the village post boxes at the following address:
9 Dianella Walk
Aldinga Arts Eco Village
Aldinga 5173.
Direct any queries to Adrian by phone on 0409 132 032.
Meeting dates are included in the Village Calender http://www.aaev.net/calendar/index.html. Check the Calender for the date of the next meeting.
3. Applications are submitted on the provided application form. This form includes details of the information to be provided and checklists to be completed (which address the by-laws and energy efficiency requirements) by yourself or your building designer/architect.
The application form is located at: Application Form 091001.doc in word document format for those wishing to fill out electronically, and Application Form 091001.pdf in pdf format for those wishing to handwrite the response.
BUILDING GUIDELINES
The BDC has established a set of criteria under which it evaluates a design. When those criteria are exceeded, it may elect to refer the design to the community for feedback and decision at a general meeting. These criteria are set out in the following document: Design Guide 091001.pdf.
It is essential that you (and your building designer/architect) read and understand these criteria (as well as the relevant bylaws and scheme description) before commencing with a design to avoid the pitfalls of a rejected design.
The above document also provides background material on how the BDC interprets the bylaws and provides a useful checklist for you when considering your house design. It’s a lengthy read but then you are also investing a lot in your home as well – so well worth it.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
In the past, the BDC has required designs to be reviewed by Accredited Desingers. There have been shortfalls identified with this process and it has been temporarily discontinued. The BDC will evaluate the energy efficiency of the design until such time as a new process has been agreed on.
To aid this process, however, it is asked that when submitting your design, a 2nd-Generation Energy Rating is also provided. Make sure you ask for 2nd-Generation (Accurate, BERS, or FirstRate 5); this is also needed for Council as of May 2009. A list of accredited energy rating assessors can be found at the SA Planning web site:
http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectid=4FD1C341-F203-0D46-A56AD05ECD9F16AB&flushcache=1&showdraft=1 or the following directory path: www.planning.sa.gov.au Home / Building / Professional Information / House Energy Rating Assessors / HERA Register
Energy ratings can also be used as an effective tool for determining ways to improve the energy efficiency of your design and should be discussed with your house designer / architect. The expectation of the BDC is for star ratings to be at least 7 but looking for an even higher target being achieved of greater than 7.5. Information from these ratings will be used to assess whether a formal target will be put in place as mandatory (which will be presented in due course to the community). If the BDC has concerns about the energy efficiency of a building, the energy rating will be used as a method of resolution
PRELIMINARY CONSULTATIONS
A lot of time, effort and money can be spent on design, only to find that there is a fundamental flaw when making your application. The BDC highly recommend that you bring your preliminary concepts and sketches to the BDC and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available and to check that you are on the right path. And you can do this more than once as your design evolves.
Also, if you are considering the purchase of land for building; and have very specific requirements that are part of your decision to buy, it is recommended that you also consult with the BDC to ensure that those requirements are achievable.
For a preliminary consultation, please contact the BDC co-ordinator (see above for contact details) to get yourself on the agenda; preferably one week before a meeting. Bring your sketches and preliminary designs on the night – no need to submit prior to the meeting. We will do all we can to help you with this exciting process and make it as painless as possible.
Additional Supporting Materials to assist you include:
The document Water Systems 0704.pdf describes the design of AAEV water systems and is to assist you in understanding how to connect to our water system and integrate your own rainwater collection. Your designer and plumber should be provided with this document.
