Did you miss out on ABC TV’s Australia Wide current affairs program this weekend? ABC Journalist Kathryn Diss visited Josh Byrne’s family home near Fremantle in WA to find out how the research being undertaken there is contributing to the future of high performance housing.
Josh’s House is an innovative two-lot suburban housing project demonstrating that high performance, energy efficient homes can be built at a comparable cost and time frame to regular houses.
The homes are thermally comfortable year round without the need for air conditioning. They are net energy exporters and collect and recycle water. In addition to private garden areas, a common productive garden supplies both houses with fresh food.
Josh’s House is being monitored as part of a three year research project undertaken by Curtin University through the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Low Carbon Living.
As well as featuring Josh, the ABC Australia Wide story includes solar passive design expert, and co-designer of Josh’s House, Griff Morris from Solar Dwellings. Griff believes that the ‘green building industry’ is evolving, but the public also has a role to play in making changes.
We need the population to be educated so they can say to the people they talk to, the builders, the designers, the architects, that this is what we want.”
The story also features Curtin University Sustainability Professor Peter Newman, and Scientia Professor Deo Prasad from the CRC for Low Carbon Living who talks about the role of our Federal government and how newly created ministries are making it easier to address green building issues, codes and standards.
According to Professor Newman, Josh’s House is ‘providing the evidence needed to make high performance housing mainstream.’
To watch the Australia Wide episode featuring Josh’s House go to: www.abc.net.au/news/programs/australia-wide/ (Starts at 14:44)
To see the latest data from Josh’s House visit the live online portal: www.joshshouse.com.au/about-the-project/real-time-performance/