Buyers guides
Finding efficiency and quality: An appliance buying guide
When an appliance goes bang we often rush to buy a replacement. But there are important steps to take before you impulse buy. Lance Turner explains what to consider when looking for a new appliance.
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Efficient homes
Considerations when buying and using appliances
Energy efficient expert Alan Pears on what you need to think about to minimise energy use when buying and operating appliances.
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DIY
DIY: Insulating aluminium windows
Many Australian houses feature aluminium-framed windows, which perform poorly thermally. But performance can be greatly improved with a simple DIY project. Glenn Newman explains how his friend Lisa Rime came up with an easy system for DIY double glazing.
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Sustainable tech
A mania for monitoring: Beyond the smart meter
When you build a high-performance house, you want to know that it’s performing as expected. Cameron Munro has monitoring in place to do that—and he’s producing some lovely graphs in the process!
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Efficient homes
Emissions intensity of household electricity vs gas
Switching from gas to electricity for heating, hot water and cooking can favour your hip pocket. But what about emissions?
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Sustainable tech
Going electric with hydronic heating
One year after converting from gas to heat pump hydronic heating, Peter Hormann gives us a full account of the upgrades at his family’s Melbourne home and how they are staying comfy and zero carbon.
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Efficient homes
A winning formula: high-performance house plus EV
Despite the upfront cost premium, opting for a highly efficient, all-electric home with an EV can offer significant economic and environmental benefits. We analyse one example.
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Buyers guides
MVHR buyers guide
As homes become more airtight, the need for mechanical ventilation grows. Heat recovery systems bring in fresh air with minimal heat loss. Joel Seagren explains how they work and what to look for.
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Energy monitoring
Small loads that add up
In our hyper-connected world, we rely on a range of devices that are always on, like internet modems and routers, and NBN boxes. But how much of a problem is that for energy usage?
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Efficient homes
Unravelling home energy use across Australia
If asked what’s the biggest energy user in Australia, many people would likely say ‘air conditioning in summer’. But they’d be wrong. Paul Ryan and Alan Pears dig deeper into energy use averages and trends.
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Efficient homes
Condensation management
It’s important to consider both ventilation and moisture control in order to avoid condensation problems. Jenny Edwards recommends a holistic approach.
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