Family

Shah (Malaysian) and Patrick are in their early thirties with a 5 yr old daughter Cyana and another baby due in a couple of months. They both work part-time, she as a psychologist and him as a building surveyor. They have just finished their passive solar retrofit extension on a weatherboard house in Sydney. They have solar hot water, a water tank, good north access, insulation, thermal mass and a worm farm – which Cyana takes great delight in! They have a low water native species garden. They buy green power and have a smart car but mainly use bicycles for getting to and from work. They shop at the local health store, buy in bulk, buy green power, have wooden toys, hemp clothing. They buy adopted goats as Xmas presents for friends which is constantly brought up at parties!

Shah: “It’s so great now the new extension is done I can’t wait till the new baby is born. I have this gorgeous spot to sit in the sun in winter and feed her. You have no idea how fabulous it is to have a light-filled home. Before there was just this dingy lean-to on the back of the house and now we have this great living area. In the summer the whole back of the house opens up into this courtyard which will be all shaded with vines.”
Partick: “I have been surprised by how simple it has been to create a greener home. There are so many companies out there now making these amazing products. The advertising on the paint we bought says it’s so healthy you can eat it and it certainly smells good enough to. It hasn’t cost much more either. With the savings we’ll make on heating, lighting and water use, I reckon we’ll get our money back sooner rather than later. The solar hot water system will pay for itself within three years.”