Sustainable House Day 2024
Renew’s annual Sustainable House Day (SHD) provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most unique and inspiring homes, and learn from the people who designed them, built them, and live in them.
This year on Sunday 21 April, Renew Hunter Region Branch members were at two of the Sustainable House Day open homes and what a great day it was! The rain stopped just in time and the open homes in Glendale and Valentine were ready and waiting for the enthusiastic crowd of over 80 visitors who started arriving from 9.30am.
A perfectly matched collaboration between Steele Olney of Studio Dot Architecture and Evan Graham Master Builder has resulted in this stunning prefabricated studio home that incorporates Passive House and building biology principles. It provides occupants with a healthy, low impact living solution and incorporates low toxic finishes, fresh filtered air, acoustic ceilings and Australian made products.
There was a focus on minimal waste during construction. Small is certainly beautiful as well as practical in so many ways. The Studio is situated at the rear of the owner’s property and will be featured in the next issue of Sanctuary Magazine. Subscribe here: https://renewportal.org.au/join-renew
More pics and specs of the Studio here.
Passive Prefab Studio
Valentine Funky House
Meantime, Gayle’s Funky House in Valentine, Lake Macquarie certainly lived up to its name. This was the third time that Gayle, a longtime Renew member, had opened her home for SHD – and each time it was a different house in a different State!
We experienced Gayle’s home tours which were a revelation of the creative and resourceful ways she deals with the challenges that her quirky 1950s brick home presents her with. From solar whiz to productive garden, an EV on trickle charge, solar array, battery and hot water heat pump – Gayle had plenty to show and tell!
Gayle leads by example and shows you what is achievable – no excuses! For those visitors who had never heard of Renew, our members were at hand to fill them in – and show them our magazines! Special thanks to Gayle whose energy and enthusiasm no doubt motivated many visitors to begin their renovations and start living more sustainably.
More pics and specs about the Funky House here.
Sustainable Living Festival – Sat 18 May, 9am to 2pm at the Medowie Community Centre & Lions Park.
A festival celebrating all things sustainable, eco-friendly and local.
As Part of the Sustainable House Day Community Partner Program, you can join Renew Hunter Region Branch at the Sustainable Living Festival, 18 May.
We will have several EV owners who can share their experiences and show you their EVs. We can advise you on sustainable retrofits with our specially constructed Green House model home!
Along with Renew, you can meet other Sustainability groups and businesses to find out more about how we can improve our lifestyle, while reducing our impact on the planet – and our wallet!
Renew’s Hunter Region Branch was launched at the Sustainable Futures Festival in 2022 in Port Stephens. Since then we have organised and attended a variety of events including Travelling Electric, the Lake Mac Living Smart Festival and Behind the Scenes at Resourceful Living. In this our second year, we will be part of the Sustainable Living Festival showcasing various Renew projects, magazines and of course Sustainable Houses with an electric vehicle on display. We will be sharing our experience and expertise on sustainable living, electric vehicles, saving money on energy bills, and the importance of creating new connections and networking opportunities to create positive change in our neighbourhoods.
Also at the festival, Join Jess from Resourceful Living and find out how to Transform Trash into Treasure: Join Our Workshop and Master the Art of Recycling Plastic!
Discover the Power of Repurposing: Dive into Hands-On Plastic Recycling!
- Explore the Relationship Between Plastic and Our Planet
- Understand the Environmental Impacts of Plastic Production
- Learn to Shape a Sustainable Future by Repurposing Plastic Waste
- Unlock the Secrets of Plastic Transformation and get Practical Insights on Moulding Plastic into Innovative Products.
Join us for an exciting day which will include environmental workshops, activities, live music, local community groups, speakers, a farmers market, kids zone, pre-loved stalls, and more – all featuring a host of sustainable initiatives!
Sustainable House Day Extension Sessions
Following a day of open-home tours around the country on 21st April 2024, a month of online Extension Sessions offer a deep dive into a range of sustainability topics. Australia’s best architects, designers, tradespeople and experts will offer guidance, and homeowners will offer first hand experience. If you’re considering a sustainable build or renovation, this series is for you, with lots of time for Q&A.
You can book for sessions individually, or grab an Extension Session Pass that gives you access to all sessions at a discounted price. Members of Renew receive a further discount on Extension Session passes. Feel free to take out a membership or subscription to Renew or Sanctuary magazine before you book to access the discount! Join up here.
You can find out more about Sustainable House Day 2024 and Extension webinars here.