How MNC residents are making their homes more sustainable, from simple changes to big ticket items

Now that two takeaway coffees can cost more than $12, utility prices are rising, and interest rates are going up, Mid North Coast households are looking for ways to spend less and save.

For some, that has meant looking at the literal house they live in: how it's designed, how it's built, and what can be done to reduce energy, cut costs, and reduce emissions.

It’s a growing movement taking place across the country, going by the shorthand of “sustainable homes”. 

With Sustainable House Day on the horizon, the Mid North Coaster spoke to Coffs Harbour’s Chris Oakes, a Home Energy Assessor, about how people can make their living spaces more sustainable – from simple things like sealing gaps to bigger investments like installing solar panels.

What is a sustainable home: A sustainable home is designed for energy efficiency to make a home more affordable to live in and reduce the occupant’s carbon footprint. 

• These homes are also focused on sustainable building practices, electrification of homes, and climate-ready housing.

• There is a focus on building homes that are more resilient to floods, fires, and storms, and homes designed for rising global temperatures.

Any home, regardless of size: Sustainable homes can be any type of dwelling, from a house, to an apartment, or community housing. 

There are some basic things most people already do intuitively – like using blinds to cool a home, lessening hot water use, or moving away from gas. Oakes said it’s best to split these as “low-cost, high impact improvements” alongside “big-ticket upgrades”.

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First steps: Oakes says energy efficiency is the “low hanging fruit”. These are the cheapest and quickest way to reduce energy bills and improve comfort.

1. Look at improving insulation in your home, including the ceiling. Even sealing gaps around doors with weather seals and draught strips can make a difference.

2. Avoid using expensive heating and cooling by controlling the sun’s impact on your windows with external shades, awnings or even using vegetation to block out the sun. 

3. Upgrade window coverings with heavy drapes or honeycomb blinds – in particular east and west facing windows – to avoid overheating in the morning and evening.

4. When it comes to cooling your home, Oakes says direct current ceiling fans are a “very energy efficient” way to cool your home. 

5. Reverse Cycle air conditioners are the cheapest way to mechanically heat and cool your home, says Oakes, “especially when coupled with solar [panels]”.

6. Use the dry mode on your air conditioner in hot humid conditions, “it's more energy efficient and cheaper than cool mode,” Oakes said.

7. Upgrade shower heads to 3 star Wels (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) rating. According to the Australian Government water rating systems, a 3-star shower that flows at 9-litres per minute will save a family of four 70,000 litres of water per year and $210 each year on water bills.

“Tackling some of these achievable energy efficient upgrades may not have the same appeal as some of the big ticket items but these are the upgrades that can make an immediate impact while you plan for the bigger upgrades,” Oakes told the Mid North Coaster.

What’s a big ticket, anyway?: Oakes said big ticket items are things like solar panels and battery storage. It could also include investing in disconnecting from gas, installing heat pump water systems, transitioning to induction cooking, or using high-efficiency air conditioning.

• “In terms of sustainability, lower running costs, and healthier homes, one of the most impactful upgrades a homeowner can make is to electrify your home and power your homes with renewable energy,” Oakes said.

Depending on budget, existing systems, and personal priorities the order in which these upgrades can differ for every homeowner.

Oakes recommends looking at lower cost but high impact upgrades first.

Learning from neighbours: Oakes said another “very valuable” step is to visit sustainable homes and discuss the lived experience with the homeowner.

• “When you are exploring building or renovating a high performing home it's very reassuring to speak to someone who has done it all already, their experience of building, the pros and cons and the experience of actually living in it,” Oakes said.  

“As a region and a community it is so important that we embrace the energy transition, our homes will play a large role, where the benefits are huge in terms of savings, our health and the environment.”

Thumbnail: https://sustainablehouseday.com/