Sustainable Design and Renovation
Marrickville Council is committed to working with its community to create a well planned, sustainable and accessible urban environment. As part of this commitment, Council is supporting residents to incorporate sustainable elements when building or renovating their homes.
Sustainable Design Information Night
On Wednesday 26 June 2013 Council will be hosting a Sustainable Design Information Night to give Marrickville’s residents an overview of the key elements that make a sustainable house design and to provide residents with the opportunity to ask questions of an expert panel. The panel will be made up of an architect, building designer, builder and home renovator.
The Sustainable Design Information Night is aimed at residents who are looking to, or are currently in the process of, renovating or building their home and are wanting to know more about how to make their home resource-smart now and into the future.
What are your sustainable design questions?
Wondering what non-toxic material can be used to seal your recycled concrete slab? Wanting to understand the practicalities of installing a green roof? Trying to find innovative solutions to bring more light into your dark, narrow terrace? To ensure that the panel addresses what our community want to know more about, we would like to gather some of your sustainable design questions beforehand. So please start sending us any questions you would like answered on the night to: sustainability@marrickville.nsw.gov.au
This event is free but bookings are essential. To secure your spot, simply follow this link: http://communitysustainability.eventbrite.com
Building sustainable homes
Sustainable homes have three main design elements that provide benefits during construction and for the lifetime of the house:
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Environmental sustainability: The home is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimise water and energy usage, and reduce the generation of waste and toxic substances.
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Social sustainability: Universal design features are used so everyone, including children or people with limited mobility, will be comfortable.
- Economic sustainability: The home is designed to save money and to ensure that the house can be easily adapted to different needs and uses over time, avoiding the need for major renovations and construction over the life of the home. Costs of energy use, water use and maintenance will be reduced.
Design checklists and guides
Sustainable home checklists give ideas on how to design, build and renovate sustainable homes. To find out more about building sustainable homes, including information about training, visit Archicentre or the Housing Industry Association. The following checklists were developed by Brisbane City Council; however they give a good overview of considerations for a more sustainable home design and construction.
Your Home
Your Home (www.yourhome.gov.au) is a suite of consumer and technical guide materials and tools, developed to encourage the design, construction or renovation of homes to be comfortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable.
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Your Home Technical Manual
Gives you the information you need to design and build a more comfortable home that is less expensive to run while more environmentally friendly. Written by designers and builders, for designers and builders, it is the definitive tool for creating a home that is enjoyable to live in, cost effective and environmentally sensitive. The Technical Manual contains over 60 individual fact sheets full of environmentally sustainable solutions for designing and building your home.
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Renovator's Guide
The Your Home Renovator's Guide will take you through the process of renovating your home step-by-step, explaining what to look for and the important questions to ask.
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Buyer's Guide
The Your Home Buyer's Guide will take you through the process of choosing a new home step-by-step, explaining what to look for and the important questions to ask.
Information Links
The following links will assist your research into more sustainable design features for your development or home renovation.
Water
| Organisation | Description |
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| Equipment Water Efficiency Ratings |
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme comparing the water efficiency of products on the market |
| Water Sensitive Urban Design |
Marrickville Council encourages residents to learn about and apply water sensitive urban design in the management of their properties |
| Marrickville Council Rainwater Tank Rebate Program |
Marrickville Council's Rainwater Tank Rebate Program is available to all rate payers, residents and businesses in the local government area |
| Marrickville Council Stormwater and Onsite Detention Code 1997 |
Sets out standards on sediment control for development works and the control of stormwater from developments to reduce the risk of flooding |
Energy
| Organisation | Description |
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Enables windows to be rated and labelled for their annual energy impact on a whole house |
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Australian Consumers Association provides a guide to choosing heat pump and solar hot water systems |
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An Australian Government website comparing the energy efficiency ratings of appliances on the market |
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Advice and links for consumers, finding a local installer and government funding links to help with the cost of installing insulation |
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Not-for-profit organisation, promoting sustainable technology and practice |
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Government accredited renewable energy information |
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Many properties are exempt from requiring a development application to install PV solar panels. Download this document for more information. |
Waste and Sustainable Purchasing
| Organisation | Description |
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Provides advice on removing dust from ceiling cavities of older houses often contaminated with lead |
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House deconstruction is the removal and separation of building materials to maximise the recovery of materials and to minimise costs of disposal. DECCW fact sheets compare the benefits and costs of deconstructing buildings against old-fashioned wrecking ball demolition. |
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A certification system for wood products |
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Environmental labelling and green procurement |
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Database with over 3500 eco-products, eco-materials, technologies and resources |
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A non-profit program promoting information and skills in environmentally preferable coatings |
Other links
| Organisation | Description |
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Working to drive the adoption of green building practices |
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A performance based rating system for existing buildings |
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Information on reducing reliance on cars |
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Support for the rapidly growing Green Roof industry in Australia |
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A non-profit provider of a comprehensive range of design, advice and inspection services to homebuyers, builders, renovators, designers, draftspersons and businesses |
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The Institute actively lobbies to maintain and improve the quality of our built environment by promoting better, responsible and environmental design. |
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| Livable Housing Australia (LHA) |
LHA is the lead national, not-for profit organisation for livable housing design in Australia. Design principles include homes that are easier to enter; safer to move in and around; more capable of easy and cost-effective adaptation; designed to better anticipate and respond to the changing needs and abilities of the people who live in the home. To download the guidelines click here. |
Sustainable development principles
The following document, developed by Brisbane City Council, contains a set of guidelines to help architects, engineers, planners, developers and builders include sustainable principles into development applications.