Sustainable Living
Most Australians live in homes that work against the climate, rather than with it. Many of these homes use much more energy and water than is actually necessary. The materials they are made of can be responsible for damage our health and the environment.
The Australian Governments “Your Home” Technical manual states that Australians currently emit more than 550 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. The average Australian household emits around 14 tonnes of greenhouse gases per home each year, 20 per cent of which is attributed to normal household activities such as “heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, driving the car, running appliances, travelling and from household rubbish decaying in landfill.”
Another contributing element to Greenhouse Gas emissions is the energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a building. This is represented as the Embodied energy inherent in the materials we choose.
It now seems likely that increases in Greenhouse Gas have led to devastating changes to the local patterns of our climate. In rural Victoria andSouthern NSW we live with the ramifications of these changes on a daily basis. Dramatically reduced rainfall, creeks and rivers that no longer run as they used to and wildfires on a scale unprecedented in living memory are all manifestations of climate change. As a community we have no choice except to address our impact on the increasingly fragile ecology of our planet. And all Australians can contribute by building for their environment.
Poor design choices mean the average family home is hot in Summer, cold in Winter and comparatively expensive to run. Choices of materials and construction methods can significantly change the amount of energy embodied in the structure of a building.
As a Master Builders Green Living Builder, we know the best way to reduce the impact of embodied energy is to design long life, durable and adaptable buildings. Ovens & King Builders construct homes using good design principles and thoughtful choices of materials. We can save energy, water and money, while creating a more enjoyable and comfortable home for your and your loved ones.