Living Off The Grid

Sustainable building and energy use

Sustainable buildings

Sustainable building is an outcome of a design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation and maintenance. 

Materials are critical in determining the environmental profile or impact of buildings, but not the only consideration. According to research by the Federal Government, buildings are responsible for significant environmental impacts (30 % of the raw materials used, 42% of the energy, 25% of water used, 12% of land use, 40% of atmospheric emissions, 20% of water effluents, 25% of solid waste and 13% of other releases) (Australian Federal Department of Industry Science and Tourism 1998).

Materials used in house construction impact on almost every aspect of sustainability including:

  • Raw-resource extraction impacts on the physical environment for example cutting down tropical forests for window or flooring timbers, or chemical spills from poorly managed mines for metal, paint or ceramic products

  • Non- renewable resource depletion, including oil, and resource quality degradation, such as pollution of water

  • Greenhouse gas emissions from energy production in all stages of material manufacture and use

  • Waste leading to land fill burdens, some of them toxic.

As well as environmental impacts, which are often hard to locate or quantify precisely such as loss of bio diversity and habitat, there can be significant human health impacts. These range from emissions from products polluting indoor air over many years, to short term high-level emissions in construction (such as painting) through to long-term health issues such as ground-water contamination from leachates from landfill.

Learn more about green construction or sustainable buildings or come visit and learn from how we have constructed our buildings onsite.

Bruce’s Shed:
recycled timber

Bruce’s Shed was the first building on the Wild Mountains site, constructed as the starting point for living and working while the ideas and other structures for the environmental education centre evolved.

Tallowwood and Yellow Stringybark trees were cut on site in 1988 with some milled onsite with a chainsaw and others trucked to the local mill to construct the mortise and tenon post and beam and its cladding and loft flooring. Secondhand pine was used to line the ceiling.While the building does not perform as a passive solar home, it does demonstrate traditional building methods and construction without any power tools (there was no power on site).

Its sustainability is its modest scale, low-embodied energy and response to the site and a tiny budget.One of the founding families lived in the house for 10 years and their second son, who was born in the shed, is now apprentice on the house being built for his parents at Geordies.

Whiptail:
straw-bale building

“Whiptail” is a recently completed straw-bale home which forms part of the Wild Mountains Environmental Education Centre as Residents Accommodation.

It sits on the spectacular west-facing slope of the Border Ranges with living spaces oriented to the north to capture winter sun through large recycled timber doors and other spaces opening to the expansive views of the Scenic Rim. The building was constructed over 5 years with volunteer and paid labour and features load-bearing straw-bale walls, earth floors, recycled hardwood framing and linings and secondhand doors. Ceilings are lined with Paulonia plywood chosen for its rapid renewal and its lightweight properties. The building maintains a comfortable temperature range through summer and winter aided by the thermal mass of the floor and the super insulating properties of the straw walls and heavily insulated ceiling.

Power is supplied by a nearby solar array with battery bank provides more than enough for the house and has provided power during the construction of the neighbouring residence. Energy-efficient light fittings include Brightgreen downlights and custom-made pendants from salvaged materials. Rainwater consumption is reduced by use of a composting toilet and greywater from the solar heated shower, kitchen and washing machine is treated on a terrace below the house. Permaculture gardens are planned for improved food self-sufficiency. Recycled hardwood framing, lining, windows and doors Recycled polyester insulation Strawbale and local earth render – low embodied energy High insulation levels for stable, cooler internal temperatures Earth floor – much lower embodied energy than concrete Plantation plywood and locally sourced pine for cabinetry.

Caddie’s:
recycled timber

“Caddie’s”, named in memory of a passionate volunteer at Wild Mountains, is the home for long-term volunteers.

Designed as a private home or a cosy shared house for up to 4 staff members, it was completed in 1998 with a large team of volunteers. Timber inside and out, much of this was sourced on site or in the nearby area.The house has a slow-combustion wood stove for cooking and hot water, a composting toilet and is connected into the water and solar power supply of Wild Mountains.

The building is oriented to capture northern sun when it reaches through the forest and the bay window is a favourite sitting spot for residents and visitors.Built using simple solid timber construction (framing, floors, wall cladding, stair and lining, ceilings, cabinetry.)