Buyers guides
Not just window dressing: High-performance curtains and blinds
Internal window coverings can protect privacy and dramatically improve the thermal function of a house, and if you choose with care, they can help keep you comfortable for years, writes Anna Cumming.
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Heating
Beyond solar PV: Renewable heat and why we need it
There’s more to renewable energy than just electricity. Renewable heat is an important alternative to gas for Australian homes and industry, writes Tim Forcey.
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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
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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Efficient homes
Comfortably ahead: A tale of two heaters
Turn on your air conditioner—and knock hundreds of dollars off your heating bill. Tim Forcey describes the learnings (and savings) gained from his experiment with reverse-cycle electric heating.
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Efficient homes
It’s in the Stars: The importance of efficiency ratings
With household appliances the main contributors to a home's energy use, it makes sense to 'buy smart' and 'use smart'. Eva Matthews investigates how to achieve savings and help save the planet.
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Efficient homes
Fresh air without the heat loss (or gain)
Clare Parry explains what mechanical ventilation is and why we might want to use it as our homes become better sealed.
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Thermal mass
Mass effect:
The messy realities of mass
Mass in buildings can help moderate internal temperatures, but it can also be tricky to control its effects. Alan Pears examines when and where thermal mass works well – and when it doesn't.
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