Feeling The Burn
Feeling The Burn
Has keeping your house warm this winter burnt a hole in your pocket?
I currently live in the alpine region of Victoria where temperatures will regularly drop below freezing throughout winter. The house has gorgeous timber framed single glazed windows that consume nearly the entire northern aspect. Whilst this is perfect for watching the Satin Bower birds frolic, bath and collect flowers, it’s not so great for heating a space with 4 metre high exposed ceilings. And when it comes to heating we have two options; reverse cycle split air conditioner (aka the heat pump for any kiwis out there) or the ever romantic wood fire. Like most people we love the psychological relaxing qualities of the fire plus it provides a generous warmth that floats around the room instead of AC which almost always is being blasted and concentrated at the least used wall in your home.
As avid climate conscious peeps we decided to compare our two heating options as we both work from home, so all day heating in winter is necessary. Whilst the wood burner requires a bit more effort; finding or purchasing the wood, stacking said wood, intermittent trips to stack wood into the house, not to mention the endless vacuuming; a months supply of wood worked about to be around $300. Now compared with the cost of ‘green’ electricity to run the AC, turned out to only be around an extra $5 per day, half the cost of wood per month.
Not all of us have choices when it comes to heating or cooling our homes, however the use of gas to heat or cook with in your home will not be an option in the future if you live in Victoria.
You may of come across the news of the Victorian Governments active shift towards all electric homes, with the introduction of no new gas connections to all new homes and subdivision starting in 2024. Additional to this, the next building code upgrade which will the required energy performance to shift up to 7 stars in place by May 2024, albeit late.
Whilst the real world feasibility of transitioning your home to be better for the planet is always easier said then done. Federal and state government will need to provide the leadership through regulations and codes, as this will help to drive change and innovation in the private sectors.
However, state government programs will be required to address the various barriers to support the disadvantaged through rebates as well as incentives for landlords to make the changes the renters seek.
But don’t worry you don’t have to wait for impactful government intervention or more progressive and innovative businesses that put the planet over profits to reduce your energy consumption.
I have outlined 3 different ways to help reduce your energy costs for both renters and homeowner alike.
Draught-Proof your home
Unless you have built or purchased a house based on passive design principles chances are your home is not air-tight. Draught -proofing your house is a relativley inexpensive way to get the most out of your energy to heat or/and cool your home. This includes covering your windows to plugging the gaps around your doors and even rugs! Check out this article by CSIRO to explore the different ways to can make your home more energy efficient.
Find out how you use energy around your house or get a rebate on your new energy efficient appliance
If your energy costs have sky rocketed over the past year and you are wanting to get these costs down, perhaps identifying any energy hot spots around your home is an option. Or maybe your ready to swap out your old electric hot water water for a heat pump. Each State and Territory has rebates and incentives to purchase an energy efficient appliance. The Australian Government Energy Website has extensive resources as a great starting point.
Design for the future
Whilst I have my own personal opinion on the way new housing divisions are planned, the most effective way to manage your future and on going energy consumption is to get the design right. My top tips are
Build the smallest footprint - we do not need multiple living rooms! The smaller the space the less space to be heated or cooled.
Get the orientation right. This can have a significant impact on the solar gains (heat) your house receives through out summer and winter impacting your energy use.
Insulation, this is the single most effective way (including renovations) to reduce thermal gains and losses. If your choosing between double glazed windows or the best quality and greater coverage of insulation - insulation will give you more bang for your buck.
Incorporate Passive Design principles where ever you can! There is a increasing amount of home builders out there who specialise in passive design. I highly recommend seeking a quote for comparison however ensure your confirm the costs of across the lifecycle and not just the initial build - you might be pleasantly surprised!
For additional information, tip and guides Your Home is an excellent resource.
Choosing your source of energy is one impactful way to use your buying power to support the planet, however combining this with reducing your energy use, even if you have solar and battery set up is the ultimate outcome.
How will you change energy use around your home?
