Home Energy Assessment Toolkits
Our Home Energy Assessment Toolkit will allow you to find out which of your home appliances are guzzling power, where your home leaks heat in winter, and how you can make simple changes around your home to save money and cut greenhouse gases. The home energy assessment toolkits are available free to residents of the City for 2 weeks at a time.
Included in each kit are:
- Powermate energy monitor.
- Thermal temperature gun.
- Compass.
- Window temperature reader.
- Simple instruction booklet.
- Action Goal Card to help you set energy saving targets.
If you would like to book one of these kits please contact one of the City's Sustainability Officers through the Customer Contact Centre.
Grey Water
A grey water system allows you to divert used water from your bath, shower and washing machine onto your garden to water your plants. Using grey water can help to keep your garden green and lush through the summer months even with water restrictions in place.
To install a grey water system you will need to check with the Department of Health that the system you want to install is approved for use in WA, and then lodge an application form with the City of Stirling. To encourage residents to install grey water systems, the City has waived the local government fee usually charged.
When using grey water on your garden, it is important that the detergents and washing powders you use contain as little salt and phosphorus as possible, and that you dont use bleaches disinfectants or stain removers in your wash, as these will damage plant roots. However, the nitrogen and phosphorus contacined in grey water can be used by your plants, meaning you dont need to fertilise as often!
This guide by Lanfax Labs, an independent laboratory who test laundry detergents, contains some information on which detergents are grey-water friendly.
If your house design does not make installing a grey water system easy, you can alwasy just manually bucket grey water from you shower or sink onto your garden!
Renewable Energy (and solar hot water)
Photovoltaic cells (solar panels) and solar hot water systems can be installed on your roof without having to get council approval. However, if you would like to install a small wind turbine on your roof, you will need to apply for planning approval from us, and to ensure that the system you ahve chosen will comply with our
Renewable Energy Systems Policy.
6 star energy efficient homes
If you are thinking of building a new home or extending your current one, you will now need to make it even more energy efficient than before. New national building rules mean that new buildings must be built to a 6 start energy efficiency rating,which will save you money in the long term: a 6 star building uses between 20% and 25% less energy than a 5 star one!
Some of the ways in which you can make your new home energy efficient and meet these new requirements include better insulation in ceilings walls and floors; sealing doors and windows against draughts; using solar power to heat water for your home and swimming pool, and designing it so that the sun naturally warms your home in winter.
The
Your Home website contains a lot more information on topics such as desinging your home, chooing energy efficient appliances, heating and cooling your home, creating a waterwise home, and much, much more.
Your Home also has some great tips on how to choose an energy efficient home for thsoe looking to move house.