Alan’s House

Briar Hill,
VIC
This home will be open for in-person tours on the 17th May 2026

About this home

This house was a standard 1960’s era cream brick veneer. It’s now 10+ stars (carbon negative). Contains all the usual low energy adaptions, some less common features and some you wont see anywhere else!

Things you wont see anywhere else:
1/ solar space heating,
2/ ground source geothermal air con
3/ DIY phase change thermal mass

Less common features: portico west entrance, 2x sky walls, multiple seasonal shade options, honeycomb blinds, , electric car, electric bike, electric gardening, induction cooking, solar hot water with heat pump booster, hot water insulated room, bespoke insulated front door, grid interactive battery, double draft proofing, off grid PV and battery, self sufficient and off grid for all water, low energy granny flat, shower dome, Scandinavian style low thermal mass bathroom, heat recovery ventilation. Retrofit slab edge insulation, retrofit thermal mass. Retrofit double and triple glazing, quadruple glazed skylight. Double insulated internal slab.

Common features; super insulation, double glazing, oversized eaves, grid interactive solar PV, vege garden, low water garden, worm farm.

All described in detail in past editions of Renew magazine.

Photos by Ben Wrigley.

Q & A

What motivated you to build or retrofit sustainably?
Back to 2026 Homes
Type: Standalone house/townhouse
Project: Home retrofit
Size: 185m²
Bedrooms: 5+
Bathrooms: 3

Sustainability Features

Building Materials & Envelope

Draught-proofing/air sealing
High-performance insulation
Double or triple-glazed windows
Recycled or reused materials

Heating, Cooling and Ventilation

Passive heating/cooling (north-facing glazing, cross ventilation, thermal mass, shading, etc.)
Ceiling fans

Energy and Appliances

Rooftop solar PV
Efficient lighting (LED, daylighting, solar skylights)
Heat pump hot water
Electric cooktop - induction/ceramic
Other energy-efficient appliances

Water & Waste Systems

Water-efficient fixtures
Rainwater tanks
Greywater system

Landscape & Biodiversity

Native garden
Edible garden

Climate Resilience

Accessible & Flexible Design Features

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