Renew 166 out now: Sustainable building materials, underground homes, responding to heatwaves, barriers to innovation, greywater systems, PV oversizing, and more!

In Renew 166, as we enter a new year, the urgency for innovation and action to steer Australia’s energy transition has never been greater. Worldwide, we’re seeing a marked increase in extremely hot days, as well as deadlier heatwaves and worsening fire conditions. This issue of Renew looks at the multi-pronged approaches being taken to drive down emissions and address rising temperatures.

In our cover story, in our chat with Australian comedian and TV presenter, Craig Reucassel, we hear about the role of media in shifting public attitudes around climate issues, and the significance of making change, both socially and politically, from the ground up.

Back from a two-month research trip to Spain, Renew’s policy and advocacy manager, Rob McLeod reports on the country’s myriad responses to heatwaves, which have ranged from greening public spaces and shading streets to funding household retrofits. As Rob writes, there are important lessons for Australia to take from Spain’s experience, including the technical side of adaptation and how we design our buildings and cities.

Also in this issue, contributor Jacinta Cleary profiles four earth-sheltered homes that have been built for bushfires and heatwaves in Australia, sustainability consultant Rob McCann looks at the history of innovation and how we can take lessons from the past to drive critical sustainable technological advances over the next decade, and a team from Monash University share their recent research future energy scenarios for Australian households.

Plus, we’ve got a bumper greywater system buyers guide, with all the information you need to make a purchase that’s suitable for your home and garden.