Our new block is smaller than our previous home, but we have finished creating an urban Permaculture garden farm, and will be demonstrating this as well, to all who are interested.

Being constrained to a smaller footprint has meant using a ‘loft style’ plan and minimising waste space by combining bathroom/laundry and entry/stairwell, and reducing passageways.

We have incorporated higher-than-average insulation with a low-cost self-designed wall, sub-wall and roof system; plus high thermal mass, including a virtual ‘earth-coupled’ slab.

Our plan for ageing gracefully here includes low-maintenance cladding and top-quality fittings.

Though only gaining a medium NatHERS certified rating (7.7 stars), our passive design has already gone through 3 summers with little added cooling energy and we have not had to use much winter space heating either. We hope to display our power bills which indicate an actual rating nearer to 9+ stars! Our power bills over the last year with the benefit of our PV system which previously totalled $536.63 credit are now reduced to about $200 due to powering our new EV! We will demonstrate how switching the HW heat pump timer and running appliances including ‘pre-conditioning’ the house while the sun is shining, and changing other habits help sustainable living.

We firmly believe in helping people cope with the coming warmer climate and promoting ‘climate resilience’.

Watch the Renew video of the Footprint Garden Farm