General questions
Organised by Renew, Sustainable House Day provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most unique and inspiring homes. With a community of over 40,000 people, this major annual event is a trusted source of expert advice, insight, and peer-to-peer education about building, retrofitting or renovating sustainably. Find out more on our About page.
Households generate at least one fifth of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The products, technologies and knowledge to make our homes and personal transport greener already exist, so reducing the carbon emissions from Australian households is a key opportunity to reaching our goal of achieving a net-zero emissions world. Reducing the carbon intensity of our houses also has the extra benefits of saving residents’ money and creating homes that are healthier and more comfortable to live in.
Many Australians are overwhelmed by the amount of information on what actions they can take in their home or rental properties, and need guidance sifting through sources and opinions. Sustainable House Day provides important advice and resources that help Australians put their desire to live more sustainably into action.
Renew is a national, not-for-profit organisation that inspires, enables and advocates for people to live sustainably in their homes and communities. Renew engages with more than 250,000 people each year around Australia and beyond. We work with more than 10,000 members and a network of 14 active members’ branches throughout the country. Our community of climate change action includes readers of our two market-leading sustainability magazines Renew and Sanctuary, attendees of our Speed Date a Sustainability Expert event series and Sustainable House Day, users of our online resources and calculators, people contacting our advice service, and our research and advocacy partners.
Renew advocates in government and industry arenas for policies that promote renewable energy and cut emissions, make our homes healthier, more affordable and climate resilient, and protect consumer rights in our rapidly changing energy markets through our Climate Resilient Homes campaign. Renew also provides consultancy services based on our technical expertise in energy, water and communications. Our Green Rebuilt Toolkit provides resources and advice to homeowners who are rebuilding after being impacted by bushfire.
Renew has been the sole organiser of Sustainable House Day since 2017.
The next Sustainable House Day will take place on Sunday, 4 May 2025.
Tickets will go on sale on in March 2025.
Sustainable House Day is a hybrid event with online house profiles and in-person open home experiences.
- Attend an in-person open house session or plan a day of it and visit several houses.
- Share our events, house profiles and video tours in your networks or on social media.
- Sign up for our email list to get updates and announcements in the lead up to the event.
- Encourage your friends and family to attend our online and in-person events.
- Watch and share our house tour videos and browse our open houses.
- Donate to Renew to support Sustainable House Day and our wider mission to inspire, enable and advocate for people to live sustainably in their homes and communities.
Renew, Sustainable House Day’s organiser, provides advice on sustainable building and design to its members, through its magazines Renew and Sanctuary and through consults with its energy experts. Learn about becoming a member here.
Your Home, produced by the Australian government, is another fantastic resource for those interested in building or renovating their home sustainably.
Homeowner questions
Find the answers to some additional questions about Open House Tours in the Homeowner Dashboard.
You should have received an automated confirmation once you submitted your application. Check your junk or spam folder. Make sure you submitted and not saved and continued your application.
If you still can’t find any communication, then contact us at SHD@renew.org.au make the subject line, Help find my application and include the house name so that we can have a look at our end before getting back to you.
If you have never opened your home for Sustainable House Day, you can create an account by registering here. You will then have access to our detailed house application form. The form can be saved and edited again later, so it does not need to be completed in one sitting.
If you have previously opened your home for a past Sustainable House Day, you will need to submit a short application form for 2025. Simply fill out this form to indicate your interest in this year’s event. You will always be able to log in to the homeowner dashboard and edit your existing house profile at any time.
Homeowner applications close Sunday 23 February 2025.
This year we continue with the hybrid of both in person open homes and online profiles. Both components are wonderful ways for the community to learn from you and as this is an Australia wide event the online component offers those in other states to virtually visit and continue that virtual visit after the day.
All applicants will be required to create a profile detailing your homes sustainability credentials, along with a short video house tour (unless you made one last year).
If you choose to open your home in person you must be available on Sunday 4 May 2025, Sustainable House Day and have at least two people (minimum) at the home to guide tours, check in attendees and assist throughout the day.
We will be offering support throughout the preparation process, via zooms, Q and A’s and providing detailed documented resources and guides.
Some homeowners may be invited to participate in online events hosted throughout the month post Sustainable House Day. We will get in touch if we believe your home would be a good fit for these events.
Community groups will hold in person events on Sustainable House Day. See our Community Partners page to find out how to get in touch with partners in your area — or, if you’d like to organise an event yourself.
No, you will not need to resubmit your house profile. Simply fill out this application form to indicate your interest in this year’s event. You will always be able to log in to the homeowner dashboard and edit your existing house profile at any time.
All applications will be reviewed by a selection panel and you will be notified of the outcome by Monday 10 March 2025.
You can edit your house profile at any time by logging in the Sustainable House Day website using your username and password. Click on “My Profile” and your house profile will appear under “My Listings”. Click on the house profile, and then click the “Edit House” button under the place where your house image will appear.
Our Video Resource Guide is available here. If you need further assistance, email shd@renew.org.au with “Video assistance” in the subject line.
After all house profiles are approved, Sustainable House Day will go through a process of matching homeowners to our online events and will be in touch if we think your house is a good fit. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, not all homeowners will be able to participate in these events. However, all homeowners will be given a time slot on Sustainable House Day to answer comments live on your house profile. Sustainable House Day will be in touch with your time slot and more information in August.
No, you don’t need to make a new video. However, if you would like to add a video update on improvements to your house in the past year, you are welcome to do so.
You can send us your house tour video through WeTransfer at this link.
No, your address will not appear on our website. Only your suburb/postcode and state will appear on your profile.
Your address will be provided privately to people who purchase tickets for your Open House Tours.
While tickets are on sale, you can check sales by going to your house profile and click on the “Click here for tickets” button. This will open a Humanitix window with your tour times. Click on each tour time to see how many tickets are left for that session.
Ticket sales will close at midday Friday 2 May AEST. After this time and before Sunday 4 May, you need to go to the Homeowner Dashboard and find “Download your attendance list”. Your house title should be filled automatically. Click on “Download PDF” for a printable list and/or “Download XLS” for an editable spreadsheet. You will need this list of ticket sales to check-in attendees on Sunday 4 May.
How to get involved
Find out how to become a Community Partner here.
Find out how to become a Council Partner by emailing shd@renew.org.au.
To obtain a copy of our Community Partner prospectus for Sustainable House Day, you can email shd@renew.org.au.
Find out how to become a sponsor here or email advertising@renew.org.au for more information.
Thanks for your interest! Please send an email to shd@renew.org.au with your area of expertise and “Expert” in the subject line and we will look at how you might be able to support the event.