Renew In Conversation | The Resourceful Home - Retrofit, Reuse & Rethink
Event description
Renew In Conversation with Michael Mobbs and Shaun Tompkins
What does it take to create a more sustainable home without starting from scratch?
Join Renew for an inspiring conversation with Michael Mobbs and Shaun Tompkins as they share two very different approaches to retrofitting, resourcefulness and sustainable living.
Michael transformed his inner-city Sydney terrace into a sustainable home, incorporating solar energy, water recycling and productive gardens. His journey has since extended beyond his front door with Coolseats, an innovative approach that combines composting, urban greening and public seating to create cooler, greener and more welcoming neighbourhoods.
Shaun took on a different challenge: transforming a small Melbourne apartment through clever DIY renovations, insulation upgrades, salvaged materials and borrowed tools. We'll revisit his retrofit journey, discover what's changed since and explore how his resourceful approach extends into everyday life.
Together, they'll explore how to make the most of what we already have, sharing practical lessons on improving home comfort, reducing waste, reusing resources and creating greener spaces beyond our front doors.
Whether you live in a house or an apartment, come away with fresh ideas and practical inspiration to make your home and community more sustainable.
Guest Speakers
Michael Mobbs
Michael is a sustainability pioneer, author and former environmental lawyer who transformed his inner-city Sydney terrace into a largely self-sufficient home, powered by solar energy and designed to conserve water and minimise waste. Since beginning his retrofit journey in 1996, Michael has expanded his focus beyond the home to sustainable food production, urban greening and cooling our cities. His work demonstrates how practical changes to our homes, gardens and streets can create more sustainable and resilient communities.
Shaun Tompkins
Shaun is an experienced sustainability professional focused on decarbonising Australia’s built environment. In his role within the Zero Carbon Buildings team at the City of Melbourne, he helps shape and deliver initiatives that support building owners, investors and the broader community to reduce emissions and accelerate the transition to net zero buildings. Alongside driving operational carbon reductions, Shaun is passionate about addressing embodied carbon and advancing circular economy outcomes within the property sector. Extending this philosophy to his personal life, Shaun has retrofitted his own 1960s apartment to improve its thermal performance and indoor amenity.
Nathan Scolaro - Managing Editor, Renew magazine
Nathan is the Managing Editor of Renew magazine. Nathan brings more than 15 years of experience in storytelling and journalism across the not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors. He is passionate about the role stories play in connecting people with their communities and driving positive change.
Tickets & Recording
Tickets
This is a FREE event - you just need to register.
Recording
If you’re unable to attend live, don’t worry - everyone who registers will receive access to the recording after the event - this takes about two weeks to edit and be sent to you.
Please note that this recording is provided for your personal use only. We kindly ask that it is not shared, distributed, uploaded, or reproduced outside of your household. This helps us respect the intellectual property of our presenters and continue delivering high-quality educational content through Renew.
Principal Partner
This Renew - In Conversation wouldn't be possible without our principal partner, Bank Australia, we are so grateful for their support.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
