Sustainable House Day, Koroit, Victoria

Lou and Mick have always been passionate about the environment, so when they built their home 15 years ago they incorporated many aspects of sustainability into the house and garden. The whole property is two thirds of an acre.

Build: Purpose designed and built by the owners.

Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home

Water Harvesting Systems
Lou and Mick have a 5,600 gallon tank. By law, black water must go out into the urban sewer.

Special garden features
Lou and Mick’s garden is a combination of endemic plants and plants for food with 30 different fruit trees as well as a vegetable garden,  the soil has improved so much that they don’t need to water the garden. The only water being when it rains.  The ‘integrated pest control service’ is delivered by the geese, ducks and chickens which also provide eggs to the household. The garden also provides habitat for many native species in the area. There is a wood lot for a slow combustion stove which also runs the hot water service, and many plants have been selected for their fire retardant properties.

External Walls
Hebel which is an aerated concrete which is energy intensive to produce, but maintains a constant temperature so removes the need for heating and cooling the house.

Interior Walls
Hebel and Plantation Radiata pine, all doors are recycled and almost all timber used in the house is plantation,

Roof
Galvanised corrugated iron roof with insulation batts (rating 4.5), and pine internal ceiling with no cavity.

Floor
Cement slab on the first floor with cypress pine on the mezzanines.

Window treatments
Double glazing in North facing windows upstairs and the timber frames are redwood. The downstairs bedroom has window coverings for privacy, and landscaping is used to act as seasonal shading for the house.

Power Generation
4kW rated solar panels connected to the grid, installed last year.

Heating and Cooling
The house is solar passive in design, the Hebel maintains a constant 22 degrees and the garden design with the sheoak trees planted on the south to protect the house from the wind and act as an air conditioner, and Kiwi fruit and Grape vines planted on the north side of the house, so there is no need for a heating or cooling unit.

Water Heating
Water is heated using a slow combustion stove that uses timber from the property and other wood that would otherwise be sent to landfill.