A DECREASE in household costs and benefiting the environment are high priorities for the Stapleton family, who reside in Bathurst’s Sustainable Lifestyle House.

The family will open their doors to the public tomorrow, giving an insight into the world of sustainable living. 

The design elements of the Sustainable Lifestyle House, which was built in 2011, were carefully considered to ensure the optimum living conditions for its tenants and the least impact on the environment.

The house has been built with passive design, meaning it uses the forces of nature and the laws of physics to provide warmth in winter and cool conditions in summer.

This particular Sustainable Lifestyle House, which is one of around 300 in Australia, has incorporated seven elements into the design: orientation, zoning, thermal mass, insulation, ventilation, shading, and glazing. 

Tenant Anna Stapleton, who has lived in the house with her family for three years, noted the importance of the insulation in the house and said the use of Duette honeycomb blinds has ensured the house stays warm in winter without the need for electric heating.

“Although it’s expensive, it is well worth the investment,” she said.

Other simple building measures have been incorporated into the house to reduce energy bills.

These include a solar photovoltaic system to cover nearly all of the house’s electrical demands, solar hot water system, ceiling fans with a winter/summer switch, and T5 fluorescent lighting. 

Ms Stapleton said the most popular feature in the four-bedroom home is in the bathroom. 

“It’s that water you’ve used to wash your hands that refills the toilet,” she said.