Many people are seeking ways to contribute to a greener planet, and right where you live is considered the best place to start. Do you dream of a home that provides a healthy environment with seasonal comfort, low ongoing energy and water costs, and a small environmental footprint?

Watershed Landcare is presenting a season of Sustainable Homes Tours which will showcase practical, real-life ideas, and provide inspiration and knowledge. Join members as they explore how to change actions, retrofit, renovate, extend or design with the aim of creating a sustainable home. Often relatively simple changes can have a big effect.

The Tours will cover a variety of case-studies across the Watershed Landcare region. Sustainable features may be anything that goes towards a sustainable lifestyle, energy saving and healthy home practices.

The Australian Technology Association suggests a sustainable home may have such features as recycled and reused materials (e.g. bricks, doors, paving, kitchen/bathroom cabinets); natural construction material (e.g. mudbrick, hempcrete); window and door treatments such as clerestory windows, closed pelmets, adjustable shading; passive heating and cooling (e.g. cross-ventilation, shading); active heating and cooling (e.g. hydronic, heat pump, ceiling fans); renewable energy (e.g. solar PV, wind, micro-hydro); energy efficiency (e.g. draught-proofing, smart home features); insulation; water harvesting and water saving; garden/outdoors (e.g. water wise plants, edible garden, medicinal garden, organic, permaculture, composting, green walls, green roofs, bee-keeping, chickens, aquaponics). Of course, it’s unlikely that any home would have all these features!

The Sustainable Homes Tours will be a chance for folk to chat together, look and learn, share ideas, and have an enjoyable afternoon. Members, non-members and visitors are welcome. Tour dates: 19^th September, 17^th October and 21^st November. All Tours will commence at 1.30pm.

Points of interest for the first Tour include: adaptive re-use of an old stone building, integration and design management; recycled materials; old buildings and effective temperature management; zone living; renewable energy. Come along and be inspired!

Registrations and enquiries to Rosemary Hadaway 0411 755 682 or rosemary.hadaway@gmail.com