Building a sustainable home

A sustainable home uses less energy and water and is therefore cheaper to run and creates a healthier and more comfortable living space.

What is Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD)?

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) is about designing homes in a way that works better for people and the planet. It considers every stage of a home’s life — from planning and building through to everyday use — to reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency.

In Australia, over half of emissions from the built environment come from inefficient homes.

By applying the ESD principles below, you can reduce your impact on the environment, save money, and create a healthier, more comfortable home.

Operational Energy

Operational energy is the energy a home uses every day — for heating and cooling (accounts for nearly half of operational energy), hot water, appliances like fridges and freezers, lighting, and other equipment. An energy efficient is healthier, more comfortable and cheaper to run.

 

Embodied Carbon

Description:

    • Embodied carbon is the carbon emissions linked to building materials and construction over a building’s whole life

    • It includes the energy used to make building material

    • It also covers emissions from transporting materials, as well as maintaining, repairing, replacing, and eventually demolishing or disposing of the building. 

  • How do I reduce embodied carbon?

    • Use less materials
    • Use retained/reclaimed/repurposed materials
    • Use materials with recycled content eg. green concrete
    • Minimize the scale of the building
    • Use retained, reclaimed and repurposed materials
    • Use materials with recycled content
    • Use lower carbon materials  
    • Plan for the future: design for disassembly  

    Watch our 'Sustainable Building Materials' workshop recording

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Integrated Water Management

Integrated water management is a way of designing a home so water is used wisely, reused where possible and managed as a whole system — from supply to use to disposal.

This can include installing rainwater tanks, reusing greywater (from showers and laundry) for gardens or toilets, choosing water-efficient fixtures, designing gardens that need less watering, and managing stormwater on-site through features like permeable surfaces or rain gardens.

Benefits of incorporating integrated water management in your build:

  • Lower water bills – using rainwater and reusing greywater reduces reliance on mains water.
  • Greater resilience – your home is better prepared for droughts and water restrictions.
  • Reduced environmental impact – less demand on drinking water supplies and less polluted runoff entering waterways.
  • Better stormwater management - helps prevent flooding, erosion, and pressure on local drainage systems.
  •  Healthier gardens and landscapes - more consistent, sustainable water supply for plants.
  •  Increased property value and future-proofing - better aligned with future regulations and climate conditions

You can see this water-efficient toilet and other examples of integrated water management at the Eco Living Display Centre

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Landscaping and garden design

Landscaping and garden design can improve the thermal comfort of your home, make it more resilient to climate impacts such as heatwaves and bushfire, reduce water usage and increase property value.

 

Well-planned gardens can:

  • Keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter
  • Reduce glare and hot ground surfaces
  • Block cold winds whilst letting cooling breezes through
  • Provide habitat for wildlife
  • Reduce runoff and flooding
  • Improve wellbeing
  • Increase property value

      Find out more

You can see examples of rain gardens, drip irrigation, indigenous garden, food forests and more at the Eco Living Display Centre.

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Waste and Resource Recovery

Did you know that construction and demolition produces about 40% of Australia’s total waste?

Most building and demolition waste can be recycled. This usually involves separating materials on-site or off-site so they can be reused properly. Waste contractors can help with how to do this.

Common materials and how they can be reused include:

  • Steel and aluminium – can be recycled, saving a large amount of energy
  • Plasterboard (gypsum) – can be recycled - check with your supplier. Landfill disposal can release harmful gases.
  • Timber – high quality timber can be reused. Low quality timber can be turned into mulch.
  • Concrete and bricks – can be crushed and reused.
  • Glass – can be recycled and also crushed and used in concrete.
  • Plastics – can often be recycled into new plastic or construction materials.

See our recycling guide for more products

 

Benefits of reducing waste in your build:

  • Less waste to landfill
  • Lower disposal costs
  • Conserves natural resources
  • Reduces carbon emissions
  • Less pollution

Find out more about waste minimisation during your build

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality is about how clean and healthy the air is inside your home, and how it affects your comfort and wellbeing.

Indoor air quality is affected by things like ventilation and emissions from building materials, furniture, finishes and household products. It can also be impacted by dust, odours, gases, pets and renovations.

You can improve indoor air quality with simple steps such as:

  • choosing low-toxicity materials and products
  • ensuring good ventilation
  • avoiding products that release harmful chemicals
  • adding indoor plants that can help improve air quality

Watch 'How to have a healthier home' workshop recording 

 

Explore support to reduce your emissions

 

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