Climate-smart homes and buildings

You can borrow one of three Sustainable Home Kits from the Woodend, Romsey and Gisborne libraries.

The kits include:

• Thermal camera – to identify draughts and heat/cooling-loss spots
• Power meter – to identify electricity usage of individual appliances
• Energy saving thermometer – to build understanding of seasonal temperature comfort levels
• The Energy Freedom Homes handbook – a practical guide to home energy efficiency and reduction.

These kits provide you with the tools you need to conduct self-assessments of your home and offer a practical pathway to increasing energy efficiency. Whilst saving you money on energy bills, these kits also empower you to implement household changes in a climate emergency.

Library members can reserve a kit via the library catalogue, or by visiting the Woodend, Romsey or Gisborne libraries. 

The Empower Your Home series was recorded in 2025 and is brought to you by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance councils including City of Greater Bendigo, Mount Alexander Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, Pyrenees Shire and Macedon Ranges Shire.

EV and E-bike Novated Leasing Webinar

Join our experts Rohan Martin (CEO of National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association (NALSPA)) and Thijs van der Heijden (Founder of Sparque) to discuss novated leasing for electric vehicles and e-bikes. 

Window Upgrades for Comfort and Efficiency with Lucinda Flynn

This webinar dives into the range of window upgrades that could enhance your home's thermal protection. From cost-effective window treatments to a variety of glazing options, DIY fixes to more extensive upgrades, this webinar covers upgrades for every budget. This session will be led by energy assessor, trainer and educator, Lucinda Flynn, from Going Green Solutions.

Solar and Batteries 101 with Frank Forster

This session with Frank Forster from Enviroshop Newstead will help you understand solar panels, inverters and batteries, and whether a solar and/or battery system is the right choice for you.

This session covered:

• Efficient all-electric homes, electricity bills and tariffs.
• Solar Panels and Inverters.
• Battery Storage.
• Common myths and traps.
• Rebates.
• How to decide if a solar/battery is right for you.

Hot Water Heat Pump webinar with Frank Forster

This session will be led by Frank Forster from EnviroShop Newstead, a leading expert and local advocate for home electrification. Frank discusses one of the most energy intensive appliances at home – your hot water system.

Frank outlines: how heat pump hot water systems work and why they’re so efficient, how to find the right system for your needs and available rebates and potential savings.

There were some technical difficulties during this webinar so we do apologise if this impacts the viewing experience.

Insulate for Home Comfort with Maurice Beinat

In this 30-minute session, you’ll discover:

• Why insulation is essential – and how it works to regulate your home's temperature
• Where to insulate for maximum impact
• The biggest insulation myths (and why some homes never get the results they expect)
• How to assess what level of insulation is in your home now and what to do to improve it. Good insulation doesn’t just make your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer – it also reduces energy bills and minimises noise.

Efficient heating and cooling with Lucinda Flynn

This session will be led by local energy accessor, trainer and educator, Lucinda Flynn, from Going Green Solutions.

You’ll learn about: the latest technologies and how to operate them efficiently, practical tips and trouble shoot common issues and strategies to help you maximise comfort while minimising energy use.

Masterclass on Draught Proofing with Maurice Beinat

In this session, you’ll discover: the most common places your home is leaking air – and how to find them, why draught proofing is one of the most effective and affordable ways to improve comfort, the biggest mistakes people make when trying to seal their homes (and what to do instead).

Simple, DIY-friendly solutions as well as expert-approved products for lasting results.

Energy Efficiency for Renters with Lucinda Flynn 

This session will share practical tips and tricks for renters to enhance home energy efficiency and savings. Learn how to stay cool in the summer or cozy in the winter. We’ll help you understand: what upgrades you can make to a rental property, your rights as a renter, how to get on the cheapest energy rates, how to access financial assistance and how to optimise your space with simple solutions for better comfort.

View our environmentally sustainable design fact sheet(PDF, 8MB) outlining key sustainable building categories.

Sustainability Victoria

The Victorian Government's Sustainability Victoria has a range of information on current rebates, information about saving water and energy and reducing waste.

The sustainable design and energy efficiency section provides more specific information on a sustainable approach to building or renovating your home.

Your Home

An excellent resource for individuals seeking to improve their understanding of environmentally sustainable design concepts and practice - Your Home provides a wide range of advice and design guides for passive design and building.

Includes the Your Home Renovators Guide, Your Home Buyer’s Guide and Your Home Technical Manual. 

Tankulator

Use the free online Tankulator to help you calculate what size rainwater tank best suits your need.

Sunulator

The Sunulator is a free simulation tool that can help you plan for grid-connected solar power. Simulates generation, consumption and battery management data on a half-hourly basis over an entire year and subsequently calculates feasibility over a 30-year time frame.

Renew

The national, non for profit organisation Renew provides resources and advice to enable people to live sustainably in their homes and communities

In 2025 we hosted three home sustainability webinars alongside Renew, a leader in education and taking practical action on climate change.

Renew's presenters have expert, independent knowledge, extensive experience presenting and a passion for empowering sustainable living within Australian homes. Recordings can be found below in case you missed out.

All-Electric Homes 

Recent research suggests that by 2024 a household in Melbourne will save more than $2,700 a year by going all-electric.

But ditching gas in favour of electric solutions isn’t only a way to save on your energy bills, it’s also better for the environment and your health. With so many options for electric heating, hot water, and cooking, how can you be sure where to start? And how much does it cost?

Electric Vehicles

With fuel prices rising steadily, it’s time for Australians to embrace electric vehicles. But finding independent advice can be tricky! This webinar will give you the information that you need to go electric.

Designing for Resilience 

As our climate becomes increasingly precarious, the need for us to build and renovate our homes for resilience becomes more pertinent than ever.

The problem is, so many of our homes are not well equipped to deal with the varying weather extremes that characterise modern life. Despite the Melbourne cold and heat, many older homes are uninsulated or lack other basic means of providing households a comfortable refuge from the outside climate.

Keeping your home cool in summer often means using things like fans, air conditioners, or evaporative coolers. But there are also simple, natural ways to keep your home cooler, like adding shade to windows, improving ventilation, sealing gaps, using insulation, and planting trees or shrubs around your home.

Using these practical cooling techniques can make a big difference, helping you stay comfortable while cutting down on energy use and costs. Plus, it makes your home better prepared for those really hot days!

Bendigo Health has put together a list of no or low-cost options that you can take to reduce your energy use and keep cool in your home.

For more tips on keeping the summer heat out and how to operate your cooling system efficiently, visit Sustainability Victoria.

Sustainability Victoria has created a series of practical guides for community groups on how to set up local circular economy initiatives. In each guide, you will learn how to approach the critical planning, implementation and evaluation phases.

Topics covered are:

• Repair hubs and cafes
• Bicycle repair and recyclers
• Food rescue and distribution
• Food waste organics/composting
• Hard waste recovery
• Textile waste
• Hard to recycle items