With the freedom to take the design process into your own hands, you can create a sustainable home fit for the Territory environment.
As we know, all new houses and renovations to existing houses in the Northern Territory must achieve a 5-star energy rating. You also need to meet minimum state and Territory building energy efficiency requirements based on the National Construction Code.
Our 10-step guide will help bring you closer to your energy saving goals.
Solar is a great option to make your home more sustainable. Solar panels capture the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity that you can use in your home.
Another added benefit is that it’s a renewable energy source with zero harmful emissions.
Learn more about adding solar to your home.
In the Territory, we want as much shade for our home as possible. A great tip is to use plants to shade the building, especially windows.
It’s a good idea to cover outdoor living areas such as verandas and deep balconies to shade and cool incoming air.
When planning out the layout of your home, use doors to create ‘zones’. This will allow you to efficiently heat or cool rooms that you are using and close off areas that are not in use.
Every single detail counts when creating an energy efficient home. Something as simple as adding tint to the outside of your windows will help keep Ultraviolet (UV) rays at bay.
UV rays are what make our homes warmer and our aircons working harder to bring down the temperature indoors. Tinted windows will help cool your room, no matter what the temperature is outside.
Insulating your home is the key to creating an energy efficient home. It works as a barrier to reduce heat flow and will help keep your home cool. A well-insulated home not only provides comfort but will reduce the need to rely on aircon.
In the Territory, it’s recommended to install insulation to the ceiling and roof, and draught-proof your home by sealing doors and windows.
On average, hot water makes up around 23% of household energy use. It’s vital to choose the right system to meet your water needs and help you save money. We recommend installing a solar water heater or a 5-star rated water heater.
When it comes to lighting, LED lights are better value for money. LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen light bulbs and last 5 to 10 times longer. By replacing 10 halogen light bulbs with LEDs, an average household can expect to save around $650 over 10 years on their electricity bill.
It’s also beneficial to install sensors so that your lights turn off automatically when a room is not in use or when there is enough daylight.
Although fans do not cool a room, they do improve your own comfort level. They are inexpensive to buy, are a lot cheaper to run than aircons and have the lowest greenhouse impact. Plan to install fans in most of your rooms and outdoor entertaining areas for personal comfort.
In the Territory, we rely heavily on our aircon especially during the wet season and summer months. There are lots of different air conditioner units to choose from. It’s best to consult with an expert so that you can find the most efficient model and the correct size for your home and needs.
Aircons using inverter technology can show energy savings of up to 40% over standard units. You can also take a look on the Energy Rating website to research the most energy efficient models.
If you’re designing a home with a pool or adding a pool to your home, keep in mind that pool pumps can be one of the biggest energy consumers. This is usually because we tend to leave them left on longer than we need to. It’s best to buy a pool pump that can be run on different speeds as these tend to consume less electricity.
Building an energy efficient home is a great step towards a sustainable future and lowering your energy bills. To truly make sustainable living a way of life, we need to change not only the way our homes are built but the way we use energy in and around the home.