Sustainable Homes

Heritage home with solar panels

Whether you own your home or rent, there are ways to make your home more sustainable, lower your energy costs, and help reduce the effects of climate change at a local level.

As a result of climate change, Adelaide is experiencing more extreme weather events including longer, hotter and more frequent heatwaves with less annual rainfall and more intense storm events.

Our homes are built to last for many years and are often our most valuable asset, however, sometimes they’re not sustainably designed to respond to climate or to be comfortable to live in without expensive heating and cooling running costs.

Regardless of your building or your budget, there are many things you do to ensure your home is comfortable and well adapted to climate change impacts.

The City of Unley is a proud partner of Resilient East and has been working collaboratively with partners across eastern Adelaide to create a series of resources, tips and events for our Climate Ready Homes Project to support residents to:

  • keep homes cool in extreme heat, and warm in winter, whilst keeping costs down;
  • adapt existing homes to suit a changing climate – refurbish, renovate, and seasonal preparation;
  • be smart about energy and water use to reduce costs;
  • utilise garden space and choice of outdoor materials; and
  • design for sustainability. 
Visit Resilient East's Climate Ready Homes to access the information.  

 

Buying and Using New Energy Tech - Plug In Factsheets

Easy-to-understand factsheets about buying and using new energy tech from Resilient East + Energy Consumers Australia.

  1. Installing solar power(PDF, 1MB)
  2. Using solar power(PDF, 1MB)
  3. Installing solar batteries(PDF, 1MB)
  4. Using solar batteries(PDF, 930KB)
  5. Going off-grid(PDF, 1MB)
  6. Being off-grid(PDF, 1007KB)
  7. Buying electric vehicles(PDF, 1MB)
  8. Using electric vehicles(PDF, 1MB)
  9. Virtual power plants(PDF, 1MB)
  10. Energy Monitoring(PDF, 1MB)

 

Practical Tips for Renters

If you are renting, have a look at the ATA's Renters Guide to Sustainable Living that offers heaps of practical tips to do basic energy efficiency retrofits to a property that you don't own. 

 

Visit our Energywise Unley pages for tips on reducing your energy consumption, information on energy efficiency incentives available through energy retailers and home energy audit kits. 

 
        

 

   

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