Sustainable homes: Living better for less

Take a draughty, dark old home and turn it into something special – light, sustainable, warm, cheaper to run and embraced by a beautiful and productive garden. When some of Melbourne's most eco-friendly homes were opened to the public, there was inspiration for everyone.

By JINGJING FU

Practical advice on living in an eco-friendly way was the focus of two open days this month where more than 250 sustainable homes were open to the public.

An initiative of the Australian Solar Council, the 13-year-old event encourages Australians to lessen their impact on the environment.

Sustainable House Day event manager Jodie North says the day aims to display the benefits of sustainable living.

The house tours are a unique and speedy way to communicate sustainable living practices to the public, she says.

“We really want to promote the benefits of living more of a green existence, being able to reduce your footprint on the environment and living healthier,” Ms North says.

“Local community groups, councils and homes across Australia, they get involved. They open their homes allowing for the general public to go into the homes and provide a peer- to-peer education on what worked and what didn’t, providing practical advice and experience that someone can actually go home and use.”

Melbourne resident Helen Millicer, whose family has been living green since 2002,  is proud of her sustainable home.

“We have solar power, we also purchase green power, we offset greenhouse gas emissions from our gas, we have no air conditioner and we manage in summer quite fine. We have very low heating bills, obviously low electricity bills and reasonably low food bills because we also grow food here too,” she says.

This is the second time Ms Millicer has been involved in the national Sustainable House Day and she says she opened her house to the public to share her knowledge on eco-friendly practices.

“I think the event is magnificent,  there should be more of it,” she says.

But Ms Millicer says building an environmentally healthy home requires continuous improvements.

“When we came here, it was a dark house, we always needed the lights on. It was draughty and cold, and the garden was a jungle,” she says.

“I guess what’s so significant about what we have done here is that we have taken an existing house for little money, and over time we have made it into a very comfortable, sustainable home.”

The main improvements Ms Millicer, and her husband James Maude, have made to their house include installing water-efficient shower heads and appliances, blocking internal vents and gaps around doors, windows and pipes, and installing solar panels on their garage roof.

Ms Millicer says renovating their house has also helped them save money in the long run.

“We have cut 70 per cent electricity consumption from a typical household in this area, and 50 per cent water consumption compared to a typical house with a large garden,” she says.

The “greenest” feature of Ms Millicer’s home is a 15 sq m hydroponic (growing plants without soil) glasshouse where she and her husband grow vegetables and fruits for their daily needs.

Mr Maude says it's a more efficient use of space.

“Hydroponics can provide plants with exactly what they need. I can grow more plants per square metre so I can have a more efficient and productive growing space compared to a normal garden,” Mr Maude says.

Jim Kessel visited the couple’s house on one of the open days. He came to get some inspiration for his own eco-house venture. 

“(Her house) looks good, particularly the indoor lighting. I found it interesting,” he says.

“The blinds work terrific in summer to keep the sun out and in winter to store the heat transfer,” he says.

Mr Kessel says the house tour is an effective way to learn more about the sustainable housing industry and gain other eco-friendly tips.

“[It’s a] great idea. We can share the knowledge around in a friendly atmosphere,” he says.

 Ms North says growing numbers of Australians have realised the importance of protecting the environment.

“More and more people are getting passionate about the environment,” she says.

“People are understanding their responsibility to the environment and creating an environmentally friendly lifestyle.”

*For more information about sustainable houses, visit www.sustainablehouseday.com

To find out more about Helen Millicer and James Maude’s house, visit their website. They are happy to provide information about their eco-friendly house.