Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Alex Crowe

What does it cost to build a sustainable home in Canberra?

Watson home owners Mark Lavis and Hannah Lord, with their children Nora and Heidi Lavis inside the house they built themselves. Picture by Keegan Carroll

The Lavis and Lord family haven't been out of pocket for their yearly energy bill since moving into the home they built in Watson two years ago.

The feed-in tariff from their solar panels in summer covers the small amount their panel heater costs over winter. The all-electric home uses passive-solar design principles to achieve an 8.2 star energy rating, including northern orientation for its main living spaces.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.