Making your home sustainable

This new book, self-published in May 2004, was written and fully illustrated to help those members of the community who are concerned about the state of the environment and who wish to take remedial action in their own home.

The book was started following several requests from visitors to our retrofitted house in Mawson ACT during Solar House Tours organised by the ANZ Solar Energy Society in 2002 and 2003.

Our house has been modifed in a number of ways since 1991 and now
includes several new solar devices designed to optimise use of the sun’s beneficial powers and to improve summer heat control by way of vertical naturally induced ventilation rather than the customary horizontal which relies on wind to have any effect.

Aerobically treated grey water from the kitchen sink can now be used effectively on the garden outside , as can the effluent from the clothes washing machine - by means of subsoil storage / distribution piping.

Several other devices are detailed which are not difficult to make but can change the livability of the house interior with cheerful sunshine in southern rooms, warmth in winter and coolth in summer without any need for airconditioning.

Cumulatively, these devices and techniques create a win-win-win situation - not only from the joy, cheerfulness and warmth in what used to be cold, cheerless southern rooms, but in the ongoing reduced power bills, reduced pollution from greenhouse gases and the wam inner glow that comes from knowing that you are doing the right thing for the environment - and eventually contributing to a cleaner world.

“Making your home sustainable” is the first step in promoting retrofitting - a guide to those who are interested in helping the environment, but don’t quite know where to start. Hopefully, it will lead to further articles on this website - from other contributors as well as myself - to exchange ideas on how and how not to improve our homes and - most importantly - make the world a better place for our grandchildren.

Every little bit counts if everybody does something.
The ordering details are shown on page 4 of this website.