A collection of useful resources to help you to build, renovate or retrofit to achieve a more sustainable home in Townsville, North Queensland (i.e. a dry tropical climate)

Sustainable Home Casestudies

Learn from how others have achieved more sustainable homes in our region. Each casestudy includes a description of sustainability features & photos of key features.

Tyler Home, Hermit Park

A new two-storey, contemporary tropical eco-home. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY & owners for Sustainable House Day 2009 & 2010 (PDF 399kB)

Kahler Home, West End (Townsville) 

A renovated miners cottage. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY & owner for Sustainable House Day 2010. (PDF 404kB)

Sutherland Home, West End (Townsville) 

New single storey contemporary tropical home. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY & owners for Sustainable House Day 2010. (PDF 329kB)

Shlegeris Home (Castle Hill) 

1970's home retrofitted for exceptionally low electricity use. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY & owners for Sustainable House Day 2008 & 2010 (PDF 287kB)

Rowes Bay Sustainability Education Centre (Rowes Bay)

Retrofitted 1980's block home, deomonstrates solar panels, energy efficiency and has an excellent demonstration garden. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY in collaboration with Townsville City Council for Sustainable House Day 2009 & 2010 (PDF xxxkB)

The Patteson House, Fairfield Waters

Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY with assistance from Troppo Architects and funding from Townsville City Council, 1997 (PDF xxxkB). Patterson House Presentation courtesy Troppo Architects (PDF 914kB). Design Rationale courtesy Troppo Architects (PDF 915kB)

Echlin Street Apartments, West End

Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY with assistance from Architects North and funding from Townsville City Council, 2007 (PDF 599kB)

Queenslander Renovation, North Ward

Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY with assistance from owner and funding from Townsville City Council, 2007 (PDF 304kB) 

Mundingburra Rotary’s Sustainable Home, Kirwan

Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY and Thuringowa City Council together with Mundingburra Rotary Club and the Queensland Government's Sustainable Homes Program, 2007. Self Guided Tour Brochure (PDF 310kB) Further info also at www.sustainable-homes.org.au/03_projects/kirwan/kirwan.htm

Orford-Richardson House, Bushland Beach

A new contemporary beachfront home. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY & owner for Sustainable House Day 2007 and 2008 (PDF 81kB). Design Rationale courtesy Troppo Architects (PDF 1.2MB)

Wallaby Way House, Magnetic Island

A new contemporary eco home. Casestudy developed by ecoSAVVY and builder for Sustainable House Day 2009 (PDF 77kB). Magazine feature article courtesy Sanctuary Magazine, 2009 (PDF 1.0MB). Design Rationale courtesy Troppo Architects (PDF 1143kB)

Ackermann House, Kuranda

Casestudy / Design Rationale by Troppo Architects (PDF 781kB)

OutsideIn, North of Cairns

Magazine feature article courtesy Sanctuary Magazine (PDF 1.2MB)

The West House, West End (Townsville)

Casestudy / Design Rationale by Troppo Architects (PDF 1.1MB)

The Tree-House, Railway Estate

Casestudy / Features overview by ecoSAVVY for Sustainable House Day 2006 (Note: This was ecoSAVVY owner Sandy's previous home) (PDF 124kB)

Bungalow Bay Resort, Magnetic Island

Casestudy / Design Rationale by Troppo Architects (PDF 818kB)

Hidden Valley Cabins, Paluma

Australia’s first solar powered resort. *Tours available.
www.hiddenvalleycabins.com.au

Open Houses - Sustainable House Day

Sustainable House Day – Held annually all around Australia on the 2nd weekend in September.  The homes are open between 10am and 4pm. Entry to the homes is free. Take advantage of this once a year opportunity, put it in your diary now. In 2010, 270 houses around Australia opened their doors to the public as part of Sustainable House Day truly showing the community support for this event.

For detailed information on the five homes that opened in Townsville in 2010 see the Casestudies section above. For info about SHD 2011 - Click here.

Design Guides & Recommended Reading

Useful introductory reading, moving through to more technical papers for sustainable living, building, renovating and retrofitting in North Queensland.

Hot Tips for Cool Homes in the Tropics

A useful two-pager that clearly identifies the tropical design principles that will create a cool and comfortable home with less reliance on air-conditioning.
Hot Tips for Cool Homes in the Tropics (PDF 141kB)

Troppo Architects ESD Design Principles

Courtesy of Troppo Architects (QLD)
Troppo Architects ESD Design Principles (PDF 2.5MB)

Sustainable Housing Information Kit - Tropical Design Guides

These comprehensive design guides were created by Townsville City Council with assistance from Architects North and ecoSAVVY in 2009. Hardcopies of these six guides are available from Townsville City Council, call 4727 9000 to request yours or download them below.

Guide 1 - Orientation for Townsville Homes (PDF 1.0MB)

Guide 2 - Harnessing Cooling Breezes (PDF 763kB)
 
Guide 3 - Shading Out the Heat (PDF 565kB)

Guide 4 - Landscaping: An Integral Aspect of Sustainability (PDF 785kB)
 
Guide 5 - Building Materials and Insulation for Townsville Homes (PDF 745kB)
 
Guide 6 - Enhance Outdoor Living (PDF 937kB)  

What in the world can YOU do about climate change?

Created by ecoSAVVY - a practical guide of actions that you can take to reduce the greenhouse emissions created by your home, travel and consumption patterns. There’s something for everyone! And perhaps take on the challenge…How far can you go to becoming carbon neutral?
Basic Checklist (PDF 25kB)
Checklist with Explanations and Tips (PDF 62kB)

Thuringowa Sustainable Village Project Survey

What would you most like a sustainable residential development in North Queensland achieve? Here are the collated responses from North Queensland building and development industry professionals in 2007. An inspiring read!
Thuringowa Sustainable Village Project Survey (PDF 168kB)

‘Sustainability by Sandy’ Articles

ecoSAVVY articles published in the Housing Industry Association’s North Queensland Building News.

Useful Weblinks

Are you searching for information on: sustainable housing design, tropical design, building regulations, rebates, green products, suppliers and eco-materials directories, green power providers, accreditation schemes, industry associations, centres of design excellence and sustainable living in Queensland?

To make it easier to find the information you’re looking for in your own time, ecoSAVVY has put together a list of websites relevant to North Queenslanders.

Email ecoSAVVY for a complementary copy (PDF format).

Educational Centres to Visit

North Queensland HIA GreenSmart Display Centre

Address: 46 Lakeland Boulevard, Fairfield Waters, Townsville
www.fairfieldwaters.com.au/greensmart.asp

Townsville Solar City

Townsville’s own Magnetic Island is set to become a solar suburb. Over 500 solar PV systems and 2500 smart meters are being installed and over 1700 energy audits conducted. Visit the Smart Lifestyle Centre on Magnetic Island.
www.townsvillesolarcity.com.au
www.townsville.qld.gov.au/services/departments/integ_sustainability/citisolar

QNI Eco-Active Learning Centre

Riverway Arts Precinct, Thuringowa Central
riverway.townsville.qld.gov.au/explore/environment/index

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