West Brunswick Sustainable House 2017

House Notes – West Brunswick Sustainable House

The West Brunswick Sustainable House was Victoria’s first grid connected solar powered house. In 2017 the house is celebrating 21 consecutive years of generating a surplus of solar electricity. The home owners last paid for electricity in 1996! The house is a 1929 Californian bungalow style weatherboard, which has been retrofitted for sustainability.

As well as solar electricity, the house features;

  • Solar hot water
  • Rainwater tanks
  • Greywater treatment
  • Double glazed windows
  • Roof windows, insulation
  • Shading
  • Permaculture style garden
  • Chooks
  • Worm farms
  • Composting

$328 raised in donations on the day will go to Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service

Listen to Stuart’s story on 774 ABC Radio published on 5th September 2017.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2017
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Efficient lighting
      Draught proofing
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Shading

    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Openable roof windows
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Heat exchange ventilation system
      Heat pump
      Ceiling fans
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Above ground storage
      Greywater system
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
      Drip irrigation
      Storage connected to
    • Above ground rainwater storage Type:
    • 20.000L rainwater
    • Above ground rainwater storage Size
    • 11,000L treated greywater
    • Storage connected to
    • Garden
      Toilet
      Laundry
      Whole house
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Cypress Macrocarpa timber
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Bricks
      Paving
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Ceiling

    • Ceiling Type:
    • Cellulose, foil, polyester, foilboard
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • R4.0
    • Floor Rating:
    • R2.0
    • Other Insulation Methods:
    • Some external walls and floors have insulation
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $75,000 over 25 years
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • 21 years of surplus solar electricity generates a modest income
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 165 m2, and 30m2 bungalow office
    • Window and Door Types
    • Double glazing
      Low-e, films
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 4
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Drip irrigation
      Water wise plants
      Edible garden
      Organic
      Permaculture
      Composting
      Native plants
      Chickens
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Low voc paint
Location
Brunswick West VIC 3055
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • Retrofit
      Continual Improvement

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