Efficient homes
Ditching the shower fan
By fitting a lid on the shower, exhaust fans are not needed when showering. John Rogers describes this simple retrofit, using both a commercial product and a great looking DIY version.
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Efficient homes
Building for a changing climate
Are we building homes for the future, or for the past? Rob McLeod investigates how climate change is impacting home energy ratings and the way we build our homes.
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All-electric
Direct PV solar hot water buyers guide
Solar hot water can dramatically reduce your water heating costs, but what if your house isn’t suitable for a conventional solar water heater? There is an alternative that can be used almost anywhere you have solar access, as Lance Turner explains.
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Community
Totally Renewable Yackandandah
Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY) is at the forefront of regional towns making the shift to renewable energy, as Matthew Charles-Jones described at a recent Renew branch meeting in Melbourne.
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All-electric
All-electric and hydronic: A model of efficiency
There's a lot to learn from this highly insulated and well-sealed renovation in Melbourne, not least how a heat pump is providing both hydronic heating and hot water. Cameron Munro explains the house's modelling-led upgrades and the tweaks made along the way.
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All-electric
Planning ahead: Three steps to all-electric
Thinking about going all-electric, but unsure what’s involved? Here we present an overview of the steps to going all-electric and where to find more information.
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All-electric
Gas days over: Money-saving results in Melbourne
This family of four saved around $250 last winter by heating their home with a reverse-cycle unit instead of their older gas ducted system. They went on to swap out the remaining gas appliances, disconnect gas from their property and save even more.
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All-electric
Sealed with a SIP
The energy costs for this four-person household were $560 for the year (basically just the daily charge), due to an airtight house design, a PV system well-matched to usage and a switch to all-electric. Kyle O'Farrell describes how they got there.
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Buyers guides
Hot water savings: Efficient hot water buyers guide
If your old hot water system has seen better days, maybe it’s time for an efficient replacement. We show you how solar and heat pump hot water systems work, what’s available and how to choose one to best suit your needs.
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Hot water
Questions for hot water system suppliers
It’s best to sound out an installer to check their reliability before buying a hot water system. Have they successfully installed this particular hot water system before? What happens if they go out of business? Here are some key questions to get you started.
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Hot water
Getting into hot water: water heating ways
Five reader stories and five different systems that illustrate there’s more than one way to get into hot water!
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