Kyneton Retrofit 2016

House Notes – Kyneton Retrofit

WELCOME, we’re Brian and Silvana, and we’ve always been interested in (and mostly employed in) sustainability related roles, and try to minimise our environmental footprint.

In May 2014, Silvana started working in Gisborne, which increased our environmental impact, because of the need to drive to work – over 100km per day. We’re interested in making a tree change (from Melbourne), so in early 2015 bought a 1960s weatherboard house in Kyneton. This means less car and more train.

Previous renovations undertaken to make the house “more attractive” (???) included:
– Removal of pelmets
– Removal of wall, to incorporate toilet into bathroom, allowing cold air in via louvre window
– No insulation!!!

To address these issues, we’ve started retrofitting the house to improve its environmental performance, and make life more comfortable. We installed ceiling and subfloor insulation, placed weather strips around back door, and installed a temporary window in toilet (two sheets of perspex) to reduce exposure to outdoor temperatures. We also installed an instantaneous gas hot water system, which is efficient but not perfect (e.g. note bucket in shower, and heat pump have might been better).

Through the program MASH, we installed a 1.5kW solar system, with inverter capacity of 3kW to allow for additional panels. We also installed awnings and blinds on north facing windows to improve retention of warmth and manage entry of light

Over time we will:
– Install double glazing on south facing windows
– Install rainwater tank for toilet flushing
– Install kitchen door to zone heating and cooling
– Grow vegies
– Insulate walls

Our motivation is to “do the right thing”, within budget, as it improves our quality of life and reduces our environmental footprint. Thanks for your interest in our journey towards sustainability-via-retrofit!