Keith and Emma’s house 2015

Keith and Emma’s house

We have progressively retrofitted a weatherboard house with sustainable and low energy features, substantially reducing our energy and water consumption and bills as a result. In the garden we have introduced a waterwise native garden with many natives. While we use solar ovens to reduce our electric cooking.

Key changes include:

– 3.2kW of west facing SunPower solar panels
– a north facing solar hot water system
– low wattage Aeratron ceiling fans
– seals on the doors to prevent draughts
– replacement of halogen downlights by LED downlights with downlight hoods
– ceiling insulation
– retractable external awnings to west and east facing windows
– use of ‘green screening’ to the west of the house to reduce the impact of the sun on very hot days
– 4000L water tank plumbed into the washing machine and lavatory
– ‘retrofit’ double glazing on some windows