Sustainable House Day, Lyneham, ACT

Existing 1960’s house retrofitted to provide significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through reduced energy use.

Our goal has been to reduce our carbon emissions. Over the last two years of making changes to our house, our net carbon emissions for household energy use have been reduced from 19 tonne per year to zero.

New or Retro: Retrofitted by owners

Unique Sustainable Elements featured in this home

Water Harvesting
A 14,000L Rain water tank collects from the entire roof via rain heads and first flush devices. Rain water is utilised in toilets, laundry and hot water system. Mains water is used for cold water taps and as a backup to the rain tank in prolonged dry patches.
Grey water is collected from the shower/bath and basins and is distributed via a DIY distribution system (220L barrel and sump pump) to the garden.
Black water goes to the sewer as normal.
Town water usage has been reduced from 300kL to 35kL per year.

External walls
Existing double brick walls have been insulated with blow in Rockwool filling the cavity. After a blower door pressure test we filled more gaps reducing air flow to the outside.

Internal walls
Internal walls are the existing rendered brick walls.

Roof
Concrete roof tiles with no sarking. Whirly birds have been added. The existing wool insulation has been topped up with R4.0 batts

Floor
Existing timber floor has been insulted with R2.0 batts fixed underneath with a nylon mesh stapled to the joists.

Window treatments
70% of windows have been double glazed by replacing the original glass. The double glazed units are only costing $121 per sqm!  The remaining windows have been covered with ClearComfort (plastic film) to provide the same benefit as double glassing. Unfortunately it is easily damaged by our cat’s claws. Block-out curtains have been added with DIY blind pelmets made from foamcore.
Exterior pull down blinds are used on all North and West windows in summer.
Removable shade sail protects the North facing deck are in summer and is remove in winter.

Solar PV - Electricity Generation
Grid connected 4kW Solar PV system provides nearly double the electricity that we use.

Heating
The primary heater is a slow combustion fire for night heating. The fire place also doubles as an oven and stove top.
The office is heated during the day with a solar air heater made from beer cans. The solar heater is DIY construction based on a Hungarian design.
Our central gas heating is now rarely used.

Cooling
Ceiling fans in living and bedrooms. Ducted evaporative cooling system rarely required.

Water Heating
Flat panel solar hot water system with electric booster. Electric boosting is required in winter and we boost for 30 minutes as required.

Appliances
All appliances have been assessed with an energy monitor. The high usage appliances have been discontinued or replaced. For example our water bed (with heater) is has been replaced with a standard mattress. The electric oven has been replaced by gas. The file sever has been replaced by a network attached storage device. Electric kettle has been replaced by gas top kettle. Our old dishwasher has been replaced with a very efficient ASKO machine. Our tumble dryer has been removed for 2 years now and washing is air dried.

Garden
Grassed areas have been converted to vegetable garden beds, fitted with drip-irrigation that supplements the household food supply.
A chicken coop houses 3 chickens who provide eggs and fertiliser.
A three bin compost system produces compost for the garden beds from on-site kitchen and garden waste.