Core filled concrete blocks

Vanessa Laddrak’s home, 25 Panorama Drive, Alligator Creek
This concrete block home has been pushed and pulled into shape until it works for its owner. Vanessa has been renovating her home over the last four years and is just clearing away the building materials from the newly finished additional rooms.   This is one of six homes NQ Dry Tropics will open to the public on Sustainable House Day Sunday September 11   While building a large patio Vanessa filled the wall’s block bricks with cement to double the thermal mass, even lifting the roof on other walls to pour cement.   This north facing home has high ceilings, insulation and a 2 kilowatt grid fed solar system. Vanessa hasn’t had an electricity bill for three years and gets about $600 back from Ergon Energy each year. A heat pump heats the water and there are low water use appliances throughout the home.   All lights have been replaced with wattage lights and skylights reduce the need for artificial lights during the day. A 104,000 litre rain water tank collects water from it’s and the home’s roof.   Vanessa says, “'By completing the houses transformation over an extended period I've really been able to notice how even small changes can have huge impacts in reducing energy consumption and increasing the comfort and utility of the property.”   Vanessa’s property is part of NQ Dry Tropics’ Healthy Habitat initiative which encourages residents in Alligator Creek to look after wildlife habitat. The 1.13 hectare (1331.1m2) block is set up into three horse paddocks, the house and garden area and an integrated nature corridor linking Slippery Rocks Creek with the National Park. It has mature bush and rare fruit trees and shrubs. A native bee hive helps to pollinate plants.