Clever Homes

Living sustainably creates homes that are safer, healthier and more affordable.

➔ Teachers and students can follow the Future Now learning journey to learn about positive solutions for the impacts of climate change.

A house can be made warm in winter and cool in summer if it is oriented to the sun, with well-designed shade structures, insulation and air flow. ‘Passive house’ design gives a stable temperature with little need for air conditioning.

Excellent inventions are letting us turn troublesome waste into good things. TheGreen Ceramic^® kitchen tiles in the Future Now Clever Homes model are made from fabric scraps and broken glass!

➔ Learn about revolutionary Green Ceramics^®, Green Steel^® and more at the UNSW SMaRT Centre.

Keeping windows shaded in summer with eaves, awnings and curtains keeps out the worst of the heat. A trellis with leafy vines gives shade and lets warmth through in winter when the vines are bare.

Solar roof tiles blend into a roof, create power and heat up water.

➔ Did you know that Tasmania and the ACT are now running on 100% renewable energy. South Australia will soon be 100%. NSW is expected to reach 84% renewables by 2030.

Birds, bats and possums like fruit too. To avoid hurting or killing them, use white nets that are very fine – so you can’t put your little finger through.

Electricity from wind, solar, hydropower and other clean sources is rapidly growing in Australia. Renewables are providing more jobs and cheaper electricity, supporting people, planet and prosperity.

➔ Join a community solar or wind project, look up grants to help you or your landlord install solar panels, or ask your electricity provider to supply you with renewable power.

Collecting rain means more water for people and gardens. It also saves on water bills.

Electric heat-pump air conditioners and heat-pump water heaters are excellent replacements for gas units. More efficient and between 3 to 10 times cheaper to run, heat-pumps also give us healthier air to breathe, indoors and out.

Cats in Australia eat around 1.8 billion native animals every year, driving many species to the brink of extinction. Keeping cats safely inside protects our biodiversity.

SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels) with built-in insulation are great for building quickly and easily. Their materials are recyclable and resistant to fire.

Tired of having a hot house in summer and an ice box in winter? Insulating your roof, walls and windows helps keep you comfortable, without using electricity.

➔ Double-glazed windows provide excellent insulation. You can even DIY with cheap, removeable double-glazing film!

Sustainable materials are good for creating beautiful, strong, low-emissions buildings. Building with bamboo, timber and recycled materials makes the most of precious resources.

➔ Check out government support for installing panels - like the nationwide ‘Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme’.

Australian engineers are world leaders in solar technologies. Solar is now the cheapest way to produce electricity. A battery gives reliable power even when the sun isn’t shining.

We know the climate is getting wilder. More people are upgrading their houses to better cope with floods, storms, heat and fire.

➔ See AdaptNSW and insurance companies for guides on making your house a good shelter from extreme weather and fires.

LED bulbs use less energy than old-style bulbs. They are just as bright and last up to 20 years.

Your recycling bin lets you give waste new life. This makes the most of the resources and energy already used. Keeping recyclables out of landfill sites also reduces pollution. Buying less and avoiding plastic packaging helps too.

Many people in Australia are now charging their cars and e-bikes using free energy from the sun - thanks to rooftop and community solar systems.

➔ In many areas soft plastics can be taken to supermarkets for recycling. You can also find recycling stations for electronics.

We need to switch quickly to clean electrical power at home, at work and on the road. Transitioning from coal, oil and gas to renewables is crucial to bringing our climate back into a safe balance. Clean, renewable electricity protects our health and is creating jobs growth and energy exports.

Indigenous fruits, herbs and vegetables are delicious. Letting these important plants grow boosts our health and supports land, native insects and animals.

➔ Try native fig, bush tomato, lemon myrtle, native mint and more. Learn more at indigigrow.com.au

With a ‘chicken tractor’, you can have fresh eggs and a trimmed, fertilised lawn.

You can help your health and your planet’s health by eating less meat and more veggie-based meals each week. Big-scale meat farming causes extensive environmental impact.

➔ A food co-op (like BoxDivvy) brings fresh food direct from farms. This supports farmers and often costs less than supermarkets.

You can attract and nurture any of Australia’s 1700 native bee species with native flowers and a water source.

➔ You can build a ‘bee hotel’ by drilling holes into a piece of timber. Or buy one at your local nursery.

Throwing food out into landfill creates a huge amount of greenhouse gas as it rots. Composting food instead returns carbon and nutrients to the soil. Healthy soil builds healthy food.

➔ Many local councils offer compost and worm farm workshops as well as discounted kit to get you started.