The additional thermal insulation provided by the refrigeration panels is great for energy efficiency.
A cleaner, greener construction method The cottage is considered an ecofriendly building as there was no brickwork involved. Stones for exterior cladding were sourced from the site and a combination of repurposed and new refrigeration panels and window frames were used.
In short, the structure is made up of refrigeration panels with a core of polystyrene foam resting on a wooden structure secured by a concrete and gum pole foundation.
James explains the process
• We started off with a foundation built from 150mm gum poles set 800mm apart in concrete. • A wooden floor structure rests on this foundation and the refrigeration panels are secured to it to form the exterior walls. These panels clip together, in a similar manner to tongue-and-groove panelling, and are secured to the floor with steel angle strips with an anti-rust coating. Each refrigeration panel comes readymade with its own frame, which means they’re so sturdy that no additional structural support is needed for the corners of the building. • Next, we cut out openings for windows and doors. • We reinforced the structure by securing steel strips to the interior and exterior refrigeration panels, both vertically and horizontally, and clad it with dry walls, leaving sufficient space for electrical conduits and plumbing behind them. • We screeded the dry walls with CreteStone on the interior; this is the standard finish for dry walls. • Stone mason Clemente Raimundo clad some of the exterior walls with rocks sourced from our property; the rock facing provides the structure with additional stability. The remaining exterior walls were clad with Nutec flat sheets (see far right). • The roof went up last. It consists of refrigeration panels with waterproof Chromadek roof sheeting on top. “The cottage is as waterproof as any cold room because the refrigeration panels come waterproofed by the manufacturer,” James explains.