Sanctuary 40 out now

Nothing can quite replace the experience of being inside a well-designed space. And the strength of public interest in open houses shows it’s not only me who thinks so! One of the most successful open house events in Australia is the annual Sustainable House Day, which is unique in its national focus on sustainable residential buildings. This year the award-winning event, run by the Alternative Technology Association, promises to be larger and more ambitious than ever. Over 170 homes and gardens will participate across the country and it’s expected almost 20,000 people will take the opportunity on Sunday 17 September to tour a house in their area, and speak with the owners and designers.

To give you a taste for the outstanding quality of houses on show, Sanctuary 40 previews nine private residences you can inspect on the day – including some never before open to the public. In Brisbane, you can visit the spectacularly renovated Garden Room House (p24) with its roof garden and a swimming pool that’s been converted into a hydronic heating/cooling system and, in metro Melbourne, a certified Passive House is throwing open its doors (p62). There is also an impressive number of regional homes to see, including two newly completed projects in NSW: a 9.8 Star house in Carwoola and a stylish container getaway on the south coast (p18 and this issue’s cover feature; design by Matt Elkan and photo by Simon Whitbread). We’re excited that some of the event’s most popular houses are re-opening. A high-tech limestone beauty in Fremantle attracted over 330 people last year when it was still mid-build; now finished, owners Alice and Greg can’t wait to share it again with their local community (p36). And veteran hosts Stuart McQuire and Wendy Orams will mark 21 years with solar PV – an impressive milestone indeed (p80).

Have a look inside Sanctuary 40

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE …
We detail the latest ATA advice for solar sizing; Anna Cumming investigates how urban agriculture can help feed our cities; and Lance Turner and Dick Clarke put windows in the frame. The challenge of selecting environmentally sustainable materials affects everyone, and so we ask Verity Campbell to find out how the experts go about this tricky business.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their homes with us this issue, and to all who are opening theirs up on Sustainable House Day. To find one near you, head to the event website.

And as always we feature a wide range of innovative sustainable products and design tips for your home.

We welcome your feedback. Perhaps there’s something else you would you like to see in Sanctuary? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or by email.