Living sustainably in the city

27 Nov 2009, 12:00 am   -   Source: SBS - Chiara Pazzano
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An environmental lawyer has transformed a house only 2km from Sydney's CBD into a sustainable home. How did he do it?

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Environmental Lawyer Michael Mobbs has transformed a house only 2km from Sydney's CBD into an almost 100 per cent sustainable home. How did he do it?

"In 1996 we decided to be self-sufficient right here in the heart of the city, which meant having all our energy and water from the roof," he told SBS.

Mr Mobbs renovated his home so that it would also process all of its wastewater, including sewage, on site, on a block only 35 metres long and 5 metres wide.

Michael says there isn't enough rainfall on their tiny roof for four people, while it would be enough for two.

"We run out of water about once a year, and on average over the last 14 years I had to top it up with about 5,000 litres of water. My neighbours have a tank. They don't drink it, they use it for the garden, so I top it up with their water," Mr Mobbs told SBS.

But his solar panel produces definitely enough electricity for his family, and he's able to feed energy back into the grid, making about $5 per day in summer. In winter he spends up to $1 per day.

"My energy and water bills for four people have gone down from about $3,000 to $200-300 per year," he said.

"The nice thing about it is actually the reconnection you get with the weather, so that when it rains you think 'It's great, it's going into the tank', and when it shines you can put power back into the grid".

Mr Mobbs says each year the house saves 100,000 litres of water and stops 100,000 litres of sewage leaving the site. 

It also saves four tonnes of coal from being burnt and it stops eight tonnes of greenhouse gases from going up in the sky.

"But it's just an ordinary house, we are just ordinary people," he told SBS. 

“To do the water and energy systems in 1996 cost me $48,000, but it was my first go, and now it changed my life.

“I design houses that do this and I am much more efficient. Now I can do it for about $20,000".

Mr Mobbs has also planted fruit trees in his street in Chippendale, putting signs encouraging people to take their fruits. He hasn't got council approval yet, but how could anyone complain? 

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Michael's Blog

Barry French - from Marrickville, 3 years ago

Readers may want to know they can correspond with Michael via his blog at http://blog.sustainablehouse.com.au/

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