5 sustainability successes in my new home

Monday

Though sustainable is as buzz as a word can get, not all building companies, including ours, are especially proactive on this front.

Times are changing however and there is more demand for new houses to offer water tanks, photovoltaic panels, solar hot water and grey water as part of the standard package rather than an exotic extravagance.

Having had a couple of months to take stock, it is interesting to see what is working for us and where we are saving energy...

1. Solar hot water
Over a month ago we decided to switch off our Rinnai Infinity back-up system to see how well our hot water solar panels could cope independently. I was sceptical, as they are West-facing so do not catch maximum sun. We have had oodles of hot water. Now we leave the back up off most of the time.

2. Photovoltaic panels
It 's pretty awesome to know that you are generating your own electricity… the concept alone gives me goose bumps. If you are on the renewable energy buyback scheme (REBS), you sell electricity that you are not using back to the grid, lowering or even eradicating your bills. Going on holiday, or away for the weekend takes on a whole new significance when you are notching up credit at the same time.

3. Vinyl planking
This was a big one. Wood lovers that we are, it didn't seem right to have wooden floorboards downstairs, preyed upon by the sun, sand, kids and animals. With a deep breath and a prayer we went for one of the vinyl flooring products that boasted a non-slip easy-clean finish as well as certain eco properties. We haven't looked back. This floor is bombproof and can be cleaned with water.

4. Miele oven
Initially wooed by the wow factor of a 90cm oven, I was deterred by some of the price tags. Accordingly, I went back to 60cm ovens and did more homework; encouraged by the fact that the 60cm uses less electricity by having a smaller area to heat. I ended up with a Miele and a function called 'Rapid Heat-Up'. Friends cooking pizza the other night told me to turn on the oven half an hour before required. It took exactly 5 minutes for my oven to reach 200 degrees. Test yours.

5. Electricity display device
This device enables you to see how much energy your household is using at any one time. By switching appliances on and off you can also monitor items individually. If you are on Smart Power you can switch your usage of electricity-munching appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers to a time when the tariff is 'off-peak' (from 9pm - 7am in WA), saving yourself a small fortune.

Posted By: Emma Friedman at 4.16PM

Add a comment
(5) Comments

H&G Tools: Send to friend; Print; del.icio.us; digg it

Posted 03 May 2010 by MiaMoon

It is amazing what one household can do or achieve by making some minor yet significant changes for the environment. Well done.
Posted 08 May 2010 by Linda

and don't forget the rainwater tanks, compost bins and grey water recycling. Not to mention a smart design to minimise the use of air conditioning and heating :-)
Posted 10 May 2010 by Emma

You're right Linda..there's so much more we could/still can do. In our initial plan we had two 7,000litre underground tanks..but without the input and support of the building company it was hard (and really expensive) to orchestrate from overseas. The house is North-facing and so far we have not used the evaporative cooler or the gas fire. We do what we can I guess, albeit bit by bit.
Posted 31 May 2010 by chris

Hi Emma Please tell me more about the vinyl planking? Who manufacturers it and supplies it in Perth? Costs per sq m? Cheers
Posted 05 Jun 2010 by Emma

Hi Chris, We used the Expona Scandinavian Country Plank by Polyflor. This a link that you can use for more info http://carpetmart.com.au/images/Expona_Vinyl_Brochure.pdf It has been fabulous! Emma