The Ceres Ecohouse is part functional home, part educational resource. It’s a model of an ongoing retrofit of 1920s weatherboard house and garden. Through new technologies and design the Ecohouse demonstrates how we can increase liveability and decrease environmental impact, all the while paying appropriate consideration to the economics.

Features:

• Energy: solar passive re-design, thermal mass, solar PV, EV charge, hydronic and ground-sourced geothermal heating and cooling, energy-efficient appliances; lighting as well as interactive displays.

• Water: rain gardens, water-efficient appliances, tank to toilet and bathroom, diverters, grey water.

• Gardens: mixed edible and native gardens, compost, worm systems.

• Building: material choices, reuse, colour pallet, furniture, soft furnishings and fittings, etc.

Read more about the Ecohouse on its Sustainable House Day profile page.

This brochure explains some of the steps the Ecohouse team has taken in the retrofit, and which you could adapt for your own situation.

Many, many more sustainable living and building features are demonstrated across the CERES site.

The EcoHouse hosts ‘Open Days’ with a staff member every first and third Saturday of the month 9:30 – 14:30. (Check with Ceres to confirm opening during Christmas and January, phone (03) 9389 0100)