Building and renovating
Make your home more efficient, comfortable, economical and gentler on the environment. Discover a range of simple, cost-effective actions, with long-term benefits for you and your family.
Learn online
Enjoy expert videos and recorded zoom events with Council's Youtube page. Topics include solar and batteries, heating/cooling, hot water, insulation and more.
Watch sustainability webinars
Where to start?
The Australian Government’s ‘Your Home’ website is a great place to start your research.
Key areas
Make the most of your homes potential by using the the natural environment to keep your home comfortable. Reduce energy costs through air-tightness, insulation, glazing, passive heating and cooling.
Making wise choices can significantly reduce building, maintenance and energy costs as well as your impact on the environment.
Is your roof suitable for solar? Enter your address into the FREE SunSpot Solar tool and calculate your solar potential, energy savings and approx. system cost by looking at orientation, tree shading and other variables. Available thanks to Council funding.
Appliances
Consider new and efficient technology to redeuce your emissions and running costs: Air-conditioners, hot–water systems, pool pumps and other appliances.
Retrofitting plumbing can be very expensive, so consider installing a water tank and reusing rainwater when building or renovating. Reduce water demand by installing water efficient taps, showerheads and appliances. You may also consider a water sensitive garden design.
This is wastewater from non-toilet plumbing fixtures such as showers, basins and taps. It is ideal for garden watering, with the appropriate precautions, such as using low/no sodium and phosphorus products and applying the water below the surface. Appropriately treated greywater can also be reused indoors for toilet flushing and clothes washing, both significant water consumers.
NSW Guidelines for Greywater Reuse in Sewered, Single Household Residential Premises(PDF, 1MB)
Guidelines for Recycled Water Management Systems(PDF, 1MB)
Case studies
Learn from other residents in their own sustainable homes. Read case studies.
Talk to an expert – A rebate of $200 can be claimed towards the cost of a sustainability assessment of your building plans by an Australian Building Sustainability Association (ABSA) accredited assessors.