Energy SavingWe offer design services to help you reduce your use of energy and hence reduce your greenhouse gas emissions footprint.The main areas we can help you reduce your energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are - building design - water heating - space heating and cooling - fixtures and appliance - lighting - transport Building DesignA well designed building will require less heating and cooling to keep it comfortable inside. We use the latest accredited software to assess the thermal performance of your house design. This assessment can be used to provide a certificate of the thermal loads for BASIX or to optimise the design. We can also show you the simulated thermal load and simulated temperature room-by-room. |
 Sample temperature trace for a hot summer day in Sydney. Blue line is outdoor temperature. Green and red lines are in different rooms. |
Water heatingWater heating is often the largest energy use in the home. We offer advice on the best water heating system to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions are minimised. We also ensure that energy efficient design doesn't cause a long wait for hot water! |
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Solar hot water systemsThe sun is the origin of all the energy available on earth. Using it directly to heat water makes good sense and 80% of Australian domestic hot water could be heated directly by solar HWS. The actual figure is less than 10%. There are many different solar hot water systems on the market and many claims made about their relative merits. We advise on the best system for your home to minimise your greenhouse gas emissions. |
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Continuous or ("instant") Gas hot water systemsContinuous gas heaters avoid the energy losses due to keeping a big tank of water hot all day every day. Continuous gas heaters only heat the water while it is being used. This makes also them a great back-up system for solar hot water system. Make sure the unit you select can heat water at very low flow rates. If you have a 3-star shower head, it will deliver about 8 litres per minute. Up to half that flow could be cold water, so the water heater might only be heating 4 litres per minute of water. Some continuous heaters only heat water at flow rates above 6 litres/minute. |
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Heat pumpsIf there is no suitable location for a solar HWS, and there is no gas available, the best water heating option maybe a heat pump. This uses electricity to pump heat from the outside air into a tank of water - a bit like a fridge but in reverse. In most climates, this uses much less electricity than heating the water directly using a heating element in the tank. Be careful to locate the unit to avoid issues from fan noise. |
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Space Heating and CoolingThis is becoming the biggest energy use in many of the larger houses being built. We offer advice on the most appropriate low greenhouse gas emission solution for keeping your house at a comfortable temperature. This could be the right air-conditioning unit or it could be a clever use of fans and cross-ventilation. |
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Fixtures and AppliancesFixtures and appliances use energy either directly or through their use of hot water. We select the most suitable efficient fixtures and appliances to meet your needs. We also offer a service to audit the energy use of your existing appliances.The most significant hot water using devices are the shower and the washing machine. The biggest electricity using device, apart from water heating and air heating/cooling, is typically the refrigerator, however, all the small amounts add up too. |
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LightingLighting is a small but significant part of household energy demand. We offer advice on the best energy efficient lighting for each situation. |
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Private TransportPrivate transport is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and the ways to reduce them but it's not always that easy.We can review your transport requirements and provide advice on how reduce your transport related greenhouse gas emissions. This might include - advice on alternative vehicles including, bio-diesel, hybrids and electric bicycles - advice on planning public transport and cycle routes - making cycling more viable by providing convenient bicycle storage |
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