Greenwood Greenies 2019

House Notes – Greenwood Greenies

Our 1973 home on 600sq metres was a typical suburban northern suburbs Perth home when we bought it 24 years ago. One main feature we wanted was that it was north-facing so we knew we would have reduced heat from the east and west in summer, and plenty of warming northern light in winter.  It has good eaves which help shade walls in summer.

The house now has sky lights to save on electricity during the day. We installed solar hot water, solar panels for electricity, and  a 3000l water tank for the garden. We have renovated both bathrooms to install water saving plumbing and create a whole of life facility -eg large shower stall to enable supported shower if it ever becomes necessary. Our aim is to stay in the house during our aging process.  We have shade sails and window shade so that we don’t need air-conditioning.

In 2018 the kitchen was renovated and we swapped the gas cooking facilities for an induction cooktop and oven.

We grow fruit trees and vegetables. We have created trellises for growing food vertically. We have 5 kinds of citrus-grapefruit, Meyer lemon, Eureka lemon, tangelo, mandarin, lime and kaffir lime. We have a productive Kalamata olive tree, a pomegranate, quince, avocado, and weeping mulberry. We grow herbs.  We have three large raised garden beds-two are configured as wicking beds- for growing vegetables and also grow in old zucchini boxes set up as wicking beds. We are using recycled plastic barrels for herb and veggie growing.

We practice simple living including reduction of waste, composting, recycling, preserving food, baking bread and buying in bulk. We make tisanes from our herbs.

It has been a couple of years since our home was listed for Sustainable House Open Day: we would love you to come and see our place!

EXCITING NEWS: An electric vehicle will be parked at our house for Sustainable House Open Day 2019! A volunteer member of the Electric Vehicles Association will be present to answer your questions.

Chat to a member of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) about EV’s they will have their Hyundai Ioniq on display for SHD between 10am – 12pm. 

All donations taken on the day will go to Centre for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees (CARAD) Inc