This Energy Efficient Demonstration Home is located at 3 Folvig Close, Strathnairn, Canberra, on the edge of Ginninderry’s GX Display Village.
Unlike other homes in the Display Village, this home is not trying to sell anything. Its aim is to be an educational resource that provides information to potential home buyers, builders and renovators about what to consider when buying, building or renovating a home. For information about the home view the Introduction Video.
The home is now closed for tours, however it can be opened by appointment if you are planning on building this design or are a group wanting to visit e.g. a group of students studying building, architecture, design, etc. Please complete the Contact form and we will let you know if we are able to conduct a tour for you.
It is best to allow at least 1 hour to visit the home based on the following:
- The guided tour takes around 20-30 minutes and explains the key aspects and features of the home.
- You are then given around 10 minutes to continue on a more detailed self-guided tour of each room, reading the interpretive signs.
- You then have the opportunity to have your questions answered and listen to other questions and answers.
See the map below and the detailed directions for how to get there, noting if you rely on your GPS you will be directed to streets that are closed.
Covid-19 Note: Please consider wearing a mask when you visit the home and if you are not feeling well, please do not visit the home and instead visit at another time.
These guided tours are a collaboration between Commonsense Sustainability Solutions and local community organisation SEE-Change.
About this home
In October 2017 Commonsense Sustainability Solutions started the process to construct an exemplar demonstration home, based on the Your Home Design for Place ‘Banksia’ House Design.
The purpose of this home is to explain and show visitors how to easily achieve a more energy efficient and sustainable home, which is cheaper to run and more comfortable to live in.
This demonstration home showcases a range of sustainable living features, including:
- Passive solar design to an 8.2 star rating under NatHERS
- Double and triple glazing
- Energy and water efficient appliances
- Sustainable (recycled, local and natural) materials
- Renewable energy systems
- Good draft sealing and insulation
- No downlights
- Grass driveway
- Green roof studio
- And much more…
Education materials to complement the home have been developed in collaboration with SEE-Change and with support from the ACT Government Community Zero Emissions Grant Program. These include:
- Demonstration videos and educational displays of how the various systems work (for example, cut-away wall sections and small construction models).
- Information about the different sustainability options that are available for home buyers to consider, as outlined in the Your New Home Buyer’s Guide.
Demonstration Home resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Factsheet – Energy Efficient Demonstration Home (pdf)
- Photos of the Energy Efficient Demonstration Home
- Floor Plan – includes an overview of the changes made from the original
- Energy Efficient Demonstration Home Alternative Floor Plans
- Green Roof Studio – includes the plant layout
- Climate Wise Garden Plan (pdf)
- Tips for Grass Driveways (pdf)
- Signs (pdf)
- Demonstration Trailer (pdf)
- Lessons Learned
- Temperatures
- Blower Door Test
- Details about Visitors to the home
- Your New Home Buyer’s Guide – includes the Buyer’s Guide and a number of checklists to make things easy
- Videos – Tips and tricks for wrapping and sealing a home; and How to construct a green roof
Other resources
House Tours:
Other houses using Banksia design
- Harmony House
- House 255 – has won a HIA award
- Clayton House
Websites:
- Your Home – Commonwealth Government
- Actsmart – ACT Government
- My Efficient Electric Home Facebook Page
- Green It Yourself
Books:
Videos:
