February 16, 2015

Speed Date a Sustainable Expert

Looking forward to being a part of Speed Date a Sustainable Expert coming up on Feb 21. I will be talking about creating sustainable gardens, including anything from how to create a small salad garden, keeping your home cool, what trees you can consider, or simply how to make the most of your small space.

Aside from Small Spaces, there will leading green home designers, architects and sustainability experts providing free advice to the public during 13-minute “dates”.

The event is held by the Alternative Technology Association (ATA), a not-for-profit organisation that promotes sustainable living.

Speed Date a Sustainable Expert will include experts on:

Solar power
Interior design
Green roofs, walls and facades
Energy efficiency
Rainwater tanks and greywater
Sustainable gardens
Award-winning sustainable architect Steffen Welsch, who will be advising people at the event, said there were many things that could be done to make a home more comfortable in summer.

“Insulation is very important to keeping cool. Insulate your roof, but also think about insulating your walls and floors to ensure cool air is kept inside in summer,” Steffen said.

“Shading is also crucial. If you have external shades in the right places, they can make an enormous difference to inside temperature. Make sure you effectively seal the draughts in your house and start considering double glazing.

“Thermal comfort has a lot do with controlling air flow. If you are planning to build, design your home so there are airlocks that reduce the spread of hot air and place doors and windows for good cross-ventilation for the cool change.”

ATA chief executive Donna Luckman said Speed Date a Sustainable Expert would be an informative and fun event.

“We encourage people to bring plans on their laptop, tablet or in hard copy. Registration is essential.”

Speed Date a Sustainable Expert

When: Saturday, February 21, 1.30pm – 4pm

Where: Docklands Library, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands

Cost: Free. Bookings essential – limited spots available