Themeda House 2025

Themeda House

Sustainability is very important to us and informs most decisions we make on our 64 hectare property in the Murrumbidgee River corridor. Our home is an off-grid, north-facing, passive solar building, constructed with Thermacell blocks on an insulated slab. We call it a giant esky!

Our main goal was to create a comfortable, liveable space that largely heated and cooled itself. The greatest temperature range is approximately 12 degrees. In the depths of winter, we use no active heating if the days are clear and sunny, with a 4m long, double-glazed, northern-facing sunspace contributing additional heat. Active heating consumes less than 1 tonne of wood in overcast weather. In summer, we open doors and skylights to create cross breeze and thermal stacks. Elements such as a light-coloured roof, electric shutters and triple roof insulation also contribute to lower internal heat.

This house tour is supported by SEE Change, a Canberra grass-roots sustainability organisation: www.seechange.org.au