This page features a collection of useful resources relevant to sustainable development in tropical North Queensland
Find information on
- Open Homes
- Display Centres
- Casestudy Examples
- Useful Websites
- Recommended Reading
- Innovative Initiatives
At ecoSAVVY we have access to a range of locally relevant tropical design literature and are happy to direct you to these.
A collection of useful resources relevant to sustainable development in tropical North Queensland
Open Homes
Sustainable House Day – Held annually all around Australia on the 2nd weekend in September. This year over 200 houses will open their doors to the public.
Sustainable House Day 2010 will be held on Sunday 12 September. Six homes will be opened in the Townsville region. Homes are open between 10am and 4pm. Entry to the homes is free. Take advantage of this once a year opportunity. Click here for further info.
Display Centres
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. Start on the path towards sustainability by following CitiSolars eight steps.
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
Casestudy Examples
The Patteson House, Fairfield Waters
Educational Casestudy (PDF 614kB)
Design Rationale (PDF 915kB)
Echlin Street Apartments, West End
Educational Casestudy (PDF 600kB)
Queenslander Renovation, North Ward
Educational Casestudy (PDF 304kB)
Mundingburra Rotary’s Sustainable Home, Kirwan
Self Guided Tour Brochure (PDF 310kB)
www.sustainable-homes.org.au/03_projects/kirwan/kirwan.htm
Shlegeris Home, Yarrawonga
Orford-Richardson House, Bushland Beach
Overview (PDF 81kB)
Design Rationale (PDF 1.2MB)
Wallaby Way House, Magnetic Island
Overview (PDF 77kB)
Magazine Feature (PDF 1.0MB)
Design Rationale (PDF 1143kB)
Ackermann House, Kuranda
OutsideIn, North of Cairns
The West House, West End
The Tree-House, Railway Estate
Bungalow Bay Resort, Magnetic Island
Hidden Valley Cabins, Paluma
Australia’s first solar powered resort. *Tours available.
www.hiddenvalleycabins.com.au
Useful Websites
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).
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)
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)
Sustainable Housing Information Kit - Tropical Design Guides
These comprehensive design guides were created by Townsville City Council with assistance from Architects North and ecoSAVVY. 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)
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. 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.
- Sustainability is coming North (PDF 25kB)
- Landscaping with ‘local’ native plants (PDF 33kB)
- Sustainability is here to stay (PDF 26kB)
- What is sustainable housing? (PDF 31kB)
- Greenhouse Regulations (PDF 25kB)
- What consumers want (PDF 25kB)
- Climate Responsive Design in a Tropical Climate (PDF 37kB)
- Sustainable Homes in North Queensland (27kB)
- So if green is the new black, how innovative is your business? (PDF 25kB)
- Real sustainable homes – What sets them apart from the pack? (PDF 34kB)
- How do we get to a sustainable North Queensland? (PDF 23kB)
Breakthrough Ideas for Sustainable Urban Development in North Queensland
The combined recommendations of over one hundred industry professionals who came together through an intensive series of workshops under the banner of the Thuringowa Sustainable Village Project to explore HOW to achieve affordable, tropically appropriate, sustainable housing in the North Queensland region. Thuringowa City Council seconded Sandy McCathie of ecoSAVVY to coordinate this project.
Breakthrough Ideas for Sustainable Urban Development in North Queensland (PDF 2.2MB)
Further outputs from the Thuringowa Sustainable Village Project:
A solutions paper to support ESD outcomes in Development Assessment Processes (PDF 84kB)
Marketing Tool #1: A tool for DESIGNING highly marketable sustainable product (PDF 145kB)
Marketing Tool #2: A tool for MARKETING sustainable product (PDF 62kB)
Innovative Initiatives
North Queensland projects providing leadership in tropical design and sustainability.
The Sustainable Village @ Kelso
www.townsville.qld.gov.au/services/departments/planning/
thesustainablevillage/index
James Cook University Discovery Rise
www.discoveryrise.com.au
Delfin Lend Lease Rocky Springs Project
www.rockysprings.com.au
A vision for a Centre of Excellence in Tropical Design
www.tropicaldesign.org