Sunday Mail Brisbane
Sunday 12/7/2009 Page: 61
THERE's plenty of hot air but little action when it comes to designing energy-efficient homes. A survey by Think Brick Australia, the industry body representing clay brick and paving manufacturers, found that seven in 10 Queensland homeowners believed that energy efficiency was either not relevant or only a minor consideration when purchasing their home.
And while 83% of Queenslanders wanted to make their homes more energy efficient, the most common solutions to being too hot or too cold were to install energy-consuming airconditioners or heaters. Only a small minority of homeowners said they had adopted environmental sustainable design strategies to help keep their home cool, such as installing shading, planting trees or investing in window coverings.
To help builders, architects and homeowners create more environmentally sustainable homes, Think Brick Australia has created the Designing for Climate website at www.designingfoi-climate.com.au. The website provides details on climate conditions around Queensland and suggestions on how house design can help reduce the need for heaters and airconditioners.
Environmental architect Tone Wheeler said homeowners needed to change their attitudes. "As Australia continues to experience more extreme weather patterns meaning longer, hotter summers, more severe storms and ongoing drought conditions it is bewildering that energy-efficient house design is not at the forefront of Australians minds," he said. "And the key to energy efficiency is designing the home to fit the climate."
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