The choice of materials for your new home would have a major impact on the aesthetics of your home. However, it would also influence the thermal performance and the utility bills which you would incur on a yearly basis. It is crucial that the building design should correspond with the local climatic zone. (It is building zone 2 under the building code of Australia).
Any finish or material which you choose is supposed to be in accordance with the local climatic conditions. You also need to consider the solar orientation as well as the specifications which are a part of your site, for example whether you are building on a flat land or on a slope. This is why it is so very important to carefully select the materials and combine them in a way so that they can improve the comfort of your home as well as improve its energy efficiency. The fact that it also so does wonders for its aesthetics is an added bonus.
The key to achieving all of the above is to choose a mix of materials which would add that to the layering of the building instead of just relying on a single kind of material to make it look drab and boring.
Instead of using bricks which have a high thermal mass and retains heat it is better to choose materials which would keep your home cool. Also if you use bricks you may need to carry out proper ventilation so that the summer months do not turn too hot for you to handle. Instead of relying on air conditioning the focus should be on designing a ventilation system which allows for the easy flow of air into your home.
Maintaining the building
Choosing the right materials has an environmental point of view. The right materials can also help reduce the utility bills yet at the same time provide beauty and grace to your building. You may even consider reusing or recycling material. This is especially useful if you are big on conserving and saving resources.
The building material that you choose is related with the structural system of your home. If you are building on a slope you may need to consider that the structural system is well suited to the sloping nature of the site. This would help reduce the cost of construction. You would be able to save up on expensive excavations and retaining walls.
There are also some materials which are considered to be maintenance free. Make sure you have a detailed talk with your builder or contractor to know what kind of materials would be well suited for your future home. There are different materials which you could choose from including concrete and a mixture of brick and mortar. Through mixing and matching different materials you would be able to build a home which is exactly the way you had planned it to be like.