In 1991, architect and solar consultant Derek Wrigley moved into a townhouse in Canberra and faced a new design challenge - how to retrofit an existing suburban house to use renewable energies rather than fossil fuels. Convinced that building design could do more to achieve sustainability, he developed a series of innovative devices to improve the energy efficiency of the house, and modified the existing design to work harmoniously with the local climate. The house now generates about 15 per cent more electricity than it consumes, and the photovoltaic system should have a pay-back period of just under nine years. The house ventilates and cools itself without any electrical assistance or air conditioning, and greywater nourishes the garden. Derek has been advised that for every dollar spent on retrofitting, he is adding at least double that amount to the house's market value. Making Your Home Sustainable is a practical and easy-to-follow guide for homeowners, builders, and architects who are concerned about the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, and who want to do something about reversing the trend.
Derek Wrigley shows how simple modifications to existing homes can help to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and utilise natural rather than imported energies and resources. | 
