Renew 166 out now: Sustainable building materials, underground homes, responding to heatwaves, barriers to innovation, greywater systems, PV oversizing, and more!
Renew 166 is out now! This issue of Renew looks at the myriad approaches taken to drive down emissions and address rising temperatures. Comedian and TV presenter Craig Reucassel discusses the role of media in shifting public attitudes on climate change and how we can contribute to Australia’s energy transition. We look at the rise of underground homes for bushfire resilience, explore Spain’s response to heatwaves and bring you a bumper buyers guide on greywater systems.
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Renew magazine is the nation's premier magazine devoted to practical, cost-effective technologies for environmentally sustainable homes and lifestyles.
Read more on making your home more efficient
Fungimentally different
Fiona Gray unearths the potential of mycelium homes.
Read moreSustainable building materials: the choices we make
Alasdair Taylor from Light House Architecture & Science unpacks the environmental impacts of building a home, and offers four ideas to make the process more sustainable.
Read moreHot water heat pump considerations
Tim Forcey takes us through the world of hot water heat pumps, an efficient option for water heating at home. Learn more about heat pumps in our hot water buyers guide, available in Renew 151.
watch videoRead more on solar and batteries
Deleting the genset
If you have the need for the occasional use of a generator, then why not replace it with a much cleaner battery backup system instead? Lance Turner explains how.
Read moreIs a floating solar boom about to begin?
Rob McCann investigates the world of floating solar energy systems.
Read moreProduct profile: Portable solar recharge hubs
Providing device recharging for events or outdoor areas with no access to electricity can be difficult, but the Furnicharge Freedom Hub makes it simple.
Read moreNews and reports
Offsetting EV energy at home
Electric vehicles are finally emerging in Australia. A recent Renew study explores to what extent solar PV and energy storage can offset an EV’s grid energy usage and bills.
Read moreRenew delivers webinar on batteries
View a video on batteries in community buildings. Also relevant to households.
Read moreHydrogen: help or hype?
Australia’s government is currently developing a strategy for including hydrogen in a future low-carbon energy system. Renew’s energy projects team has looked at where it has potential, and where it doesn’t.
Read moreAll-electric solar homes save thousands over gas: report
New homes that are all-electric and have solar power will save their owners thousands of dollars according to a new report by Renew.
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Renew basics and buyers guides
Direct PV solar hot water buyers guide
Solar hot water can dramatically reduce your water heating costs, but what if your house isn’t suitable for a conventional solar water heater? There is an alternative that can be used almost anywhere you have solar access, as Lance Turner explains.
Read moreFinding efficiency and quality: An appliance buying guide
When an appliance goes bang we often rush to buy a replacement. But there are important steps to take before you impulse buy. Lance Turner explains what to consider when looking for a new appliance.
Read moreMVHR buyers guide
As homes become more airtight, the need for mechanical ventilation grows. Heat recovery systems bring in fresh air with minimal heat loss. Joel Seagren explains how they work and what to look for.
Read more100 organisations join forces in push for 7-Star homes
An alliance of more than 100 property, community, health and environmental organisations has today issued a forceful call to the country’s Building Ministers to lift the energy efficiency of new homes built in Australia.
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