This house was built by my parents during the 1940s and our family has lived in it since then. It was a three bedroom double brink construction. Over the years we have added a granny flat at the rear and enclosed the front veranda. One of the first things my wife and I did when we moved in to assist my aging mother was the put on solar hot water. We later added solar panels and a water tank. We put in a skylight in the dining area because the extension for the granny flay cut off natural light and in the living area because the encloed veranda cut off natural light. Over the last fourty years of our occupancy we have upgraded the solar panels three times and added a small battery. The first paels cost around $16k, but prices have fallen dramatically since then. We have owned three hybrids in that time, but now have a fully electric car (Atto 3) powered by our solar panels. Initially we had gas installed in the mistaken idea it was more environmentally sustainable, but switched to all electric when the evidence became clear that was not the case. We now have an induction cooktop. All major applicances are chosen on the basis of energy efficiency. LED lights are used throughout apart from two flourescent light fittings. The kichen cupboards are all original, over 70 years old; similarly the original bathtub and bathroom floor titles are still in place. We compost kitchen scraps and lawn clippings, grass is cut with an electric mower. We had roof insulation with a paper/borax slurry installed by my brother-in-law. we installed a passive heating/cooling system which uses the roof cavity (Ventis) supplemented by energy efficient air-conditioning units in the kitchen, living room and two bed rooms. We have a small veggie garden, mainly so our grandchildren can taste fresh produce. Since taking occupancy of the family home my wife and I have done whatever we can think of to make the home more sustainable and energy efficient. Currently our 6kw solar system exports 10-15 times more than we draw from the grid, saving money and reducing our carbin footprint significantly. This includes dual residence with the granny flat.
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