“Electrify Everything” may be the latest catchphrase, but we can demonstrate that we planned and were able to achieve it with a minimum of fuss; plus using an EV, all-electric garden tools, and now even an excellent electric BBQ which completes the picture!
Following our Eco Home Stirling, SHD openings, this latest (and last?) build – Footprint Garden Farm is the fourth home we’ve built and incorporates all the latest sustainability features that we were able to find and afford.
Our new block is smaller than our previous one, but we’ve finished creating an urban Permaculture ‘garden farm’, which we can show to those interested in a sustainable carbon sequestering lifestyle.
A smaller footprint constraint meant using a ‘loft style’ house plan, minimising waste space. We incorporated higher-than-average insulation with a low-cost self-designed wall, sub-wall and roof system; plus, high thermal mass, including a virtual ‘earth-coupled’ slab.
Our plan for ageing gracefully here includes low-maintenance cladding and top-quality fittings.
We can demonstrate how simple actions like changing the HW heat pump timer and running appliances (including ‘pre-conditioning’) while the sun is shining, help sustainable living.
Though only gaining a medium NatHERS certified rating (7.7 stars) due, we think, to software constraints, our passive design has gone through 8 years using very little summer cooling energy and not much winter heating either.
We have graphed our power bills which indicate an actual rating nearer to 9+ stars with the benefit of our PV system. Now running at about $400 debit p.a. due partly to powering our EV, we’re still Carbon positive with power exports abating about 3.8 tCO2e pa!
RIP Susan Greenwood 1/2/1948 – 9/5/2024
