West Brunswick Sustainable House
This house is not opening in person, but you can explore the profile and ask the homeowner a question below.
House Notes – West Brunswick Sustainable House
The West Brunswick Sustainable House was Victoria’s first grid connected solar powered house. In 2017 the house is celebrating 21 consecutive years of generating a surplus of solar electricity. The home owners last paid for electricity in 1996! The house is a 1929 Californian bungalow style weatherboard, which has been retrofitted for sustainability.
As well as solar electricity, the house features;
- Solar hot water
- Rainwater tanks
- Greywater treatment
- Double glazed windows
- Roof windows, insulation
- Shading
- Permaculture style garden
- Chooks
- Worm farms
- Composting
$328 raised in donations on the day will go to Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service
Listen to Stuart’s story on 774 ABC Radio published on 5th September 2017.
Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency:
- Efficient lighting
Draught proofing
Efficient appliances
- Passive heating cooling:
- Shading
- Passive heating cooling:
- Openable roof windows
- Active heating cooling:
- Heat exchange ventilation system
Heat pump
Ceiling fans
- Water heating:
- Solar hot water (evacuated tube)
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Above ground storage
Greywater system
Low flow shower heads
Low flow taps
Drip irrigation
Storage connected to
- Above ground rainwater storage Type:
- 20.000L rainwater
- Above ground rainwater storage Size
- 11,000L treated greywater
- Storage connected to
- Garden
Toilet
Laundry
Whole house
- Sustainable materials:
- Cypress Macrocarpa timber
- Recycled and reused materials:
- Bricks
Paving
- Insulation Type:
- Ceiling
- Ceiling Type:
- Cellulose, foil, polyester, foilboard
- Ceiling Rating:
- R4.0
- Floor Rating:
- R2.0
- Other Insulation Methods:
- Some external walls and floors have insulation
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- $75,000 over 25 years
- Estimate of annual savings:
- 21 years of surplus solar electricity generates a modest income
- House Size
- 165 m2, and 30m2 bungalow office
- Window and Door Types
- Double glazing
Low-e, films
- Number of bedrooms
- 4
- Number of bathrooms
- 2
- Garden / Outdoors
- Drip irrigation
Water wise plants
Edible garden
Organic
Permaculture
Composting
Native plants
Chickens
- Healthy home features
- Low voc paint
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- Retrofit
Continual Improvement
Ask questions about this house
Load More Comments