Sustainable House Day is an event from Renew that provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most inspiring homes, and learn from the people who designed them, built them, and live in them.

Following a day of open-home tours around the country on Sunday 4 May 2025, a month of webinars offer a deep dive into a range of sustainability topics. Australia's best architects, designers, tradespeople and experts will offer guidance, and homeowners will offer first hand experience. If you're considering a sustainable build or renovation, this series is for you, with lots of time for Q&A.

Tickets

To view the recording of this webinar, please purchase a ticket. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to watch the recording.

Renew is a small not for profit organisation that needs to raise money from ticket sales to cover the costs of hosting this event.

You can book this webinar independently, or grab a Webinar Series Pass to attend all 8 webinars at a discounted price. Members of Renew receive a further discount on Webinar Series passes. Feel free to grab a membership or subscription to Renew or Sanctuary magazine before you book to access the discount code!

Some local councils have partnered with Sustainable House Day and are offering a 50% discount on the Webinar Series Pass to their residents only. Participating councils include; Bass Coast Shire, City of Boroondara, City of Kingston, Manningham City, Merri-bek City, Mitchell Shire, Mornington Peninsula Council, City of Newcastle, City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington, Willoughby City Council, and City of Yarra.

Webinar 1: Bang for Your Buck: Budget-Friendly Sustainable Home Upgrades

Description

Join this fun discussion for beginners to explore cost-effective, sustainable home improvements like insulation, draught sealing, and shading, and find out if a full energy assessment is what you need to get started.

Featuring

Jenny Edwards & Lish Fejer, The Fix It Chicks

Jen and Lish aren’t just a friendly, fun-loving duo, they both have science degrees and post grad’ qualifications in science communication from the ANU where they met nearly 30 years ago. Their interest in energy efficiency has been strong since 2007 when Lish presented the ABC TV show Carbon Cops and Jenny started Australia’s first business focused on improving Australian housing using cost-effective science-based methods. Lish is best known in Canberra as a much-loved ABC radio presenter over the last 15 years. Jenny was named Energy Efficiency champion of the year at the national Energy Efficiency Council conference in 2023 for her ongoing commitment to education and advocacy in this area via her business and talented integrated architecture and science team at the multi-award-winning Light House ArchiScience.

Sarah Rickard, Re-Architecture

Sarah Rickard is an Architect, Permaculture designer, energy rater and has been a renter for nearly 30 years. Sarah works in residential design with a focus on sustainability, consultations, community facilitation, sustainable living and permaculture. Sarah makes holistic assessments and provides solutions that can either be formally realised (through building contracts) or provide the resources to help people to DIY.

Hosted by

Helen Oakey, Renew

Helen Oakey is the CEO at Renew and has worked in sustainability, climate advocacy and community engagement for over two decades. As a Greens climate policy advisor in the ACT Parliament, Helen saw the Territory set its 100% renewable energy target and 40% by 2020 emission reduction targets. As Executive Director of the ACT 's peak environment organisation instigated community engagement projects to help Canberra households to get off gas and led an advocacy campaign for the ACT to go gas free, which the ACT Government committed to in 2022. Helen has fully electrified two of her own homes since 2016 - a 3BR cottage in the ACT and a 2BR townhouse in Eltham.

Terms and Conditions

By purchasing a ticket, visitors agree to comply with the event terms and conditions to ensure a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Our Sponsors

Sustainable House Day wouldn't be possible without our amazing sponsors, we are so grateful for their support. You can learn about our sponsors here.

Pictured here is Howard St Home, a SHD2025 featured house.