Girards Hill House 2016

Girards Hill House

I bought my WW2 era weatherboard cottage 15 years ago and am gradually renovating it to make it more comfortable and sustainable. It is now more liveable and I save about $3000 a year on power, water and gas after installing solar hot water (replacing gas), a 1.1kW solar pv system, smart glass windows, blinds, building a west facing covered deck and installing ceiling/roof insulation and a Heat Recovery Ventilation system.

I use recycled and sustainable products where possible e.g. recycled floor boards, Inex wall board, camphor laurel bench, e-paint and recently applied traditional Venetian plaster (lime based) to my bathroom walls. To minimize mains water use I installed rainwater tanks and a composting toilet, while outside I have fruit trees, herb and vegetable gardens and organic waste is composted. The garden also features a wood fired pizza oven which I use to roast and bake after pizza nights.