Do you know..?? A recent study by the Insulation Council of New Zealand and Australia reported that 40 per cent of Australian homes are without insulation. If we were to insulate these 2.7 million homes we could cut more than 90 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

What this tells me is that in the scramble to save the environment; our homes can make a massive difference. Below is a list of ways our houses can perform better and treat the environment right.
• Orientate the living areas for maximum solar design to help minimise airconditioners, heaters and energy costs
• Prior to buying a property have the heating or cooling accurately assessed to determine future energy bills or replacement costs
• Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
• Utilise overhanging eaves for shade and water collection purposes
• Install shade pergolas
• Use more natural light and less artificial light where possible. For instance, put your desk at home near a window to reduce the need to have the light on
• Install water efficient taps, showerheads and toilets
• Use low-embodied energy materials (materials that take the least amount of energy to make)
• Increase insulation and ventilation
• Simple things such as adding an extra layer of clothes and turning the heater down.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 11:46 am and is filed under Home Design. Tags: Australia, Contemporary Homes, design, energy, energy bills, energy costs, energy materials, energy-efficient light bulbs, greenhouse gas emissions, Home, House, Insulation Council of New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand, Other Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.