Affordable Housing and Energy-Efficient Design: A Perfect Partnership
Spoiler alert: Energy efficient doesn’t mean it needs to be more expensive. It just needs to be designed and built well.
My sun filled east facing workspace, with dappled light from the desciduous trees outside our window
At Conscious, we know that creating homes that are both affordable and energy-efficient is not just possible—it’s essential. Everyone deserves a home that’s comfortable, functional, and sustainable, all without stretching their budget too far. Here’s how affordability and energy efficiency work together to shape the future of sustainable architecture and housing design.
The Real Cost of a Home
The price of a home is more than just the upfront cost. Energy bills, maintenance, and repairs all contribute to ongoing expenses. Energy-efficient homes address these hidden costs by reducing energy use, cutting bills, and creating spaces that stay comfortable all year round.
For instance, a well-insulated home, correctly oriented, with cleverly positioned (and sized) windows can slash heating and cooling needs, saving money every month. Add in energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting, and those savings grow over time. Plus, these features don’t just save money—they also lighten the home’s environmental footprint, making them a cornerstone of sustainable building practices.
Ask yourself: Does the orientation of your home, change the cost? The answer in 99% of cases is no, of course not!
But gosh does it make a massive difference to your energy bills. If we’re orientating our homes with living spaces to the north, we’re allowing all that natural sunlight to come in. We’re reducing our energy use because we don’t need to turn on lights (or heating in winter!). Orientation is the single biggest thing you can do to make your home energy efficient from the start. Building a home is likely one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, trust the right person to get the basics right, and you’ll reap the rewards for years to come!
But what about the views?! A good designer or architect who understands your site can still bring your views into your home without compromising good orientation and solar passivity. Over the years, we’ve found plenty of really playful and unique solutions to this problem, including feature windows with built in seats in living spaces, freestanding bathtubs overlooking valley views, and the old favourite ‘a loo with a view’. The options are endless, you just need to use someone who knows how to still get the best of both worlds.
Check out this stunning window seat with a well considered window and courtyard views - by Aaron Neubert Architects
Designing Energy Efficiency on a Budget
Energy-efficient design doesn’t have to be expensive. With thoughtful choices, you can achieve high performance without blowing the budget. Here’s how:
Smart Orientation: Placing a home to make the most of natural light and airflow reduces the need for artificial lighting and temperature control systems, a key element in sustainable home design (and particularly in our cold climate!)
Material Choices: Choosing durable, locally sourced materials can save money and resources. Recycled products or materials with high thermal mass are great for improving energy efficiency and minimizing the environmental impact. These don’t have to cost more, in a lot of cases they can even be cheaper! Did you know? We specify Weathertex cladding on almost all of our projects? We’ve also used it on our own home. It’s incredibly easy to install, 100% natural products sourced sustainably, Australian made, and carbon neutral! Their website can be found here if you want to find out more.
Compact Footprints: Smaller, well-planned spaces are less expensive to build and maintain. Clever layouts ensure every square meter is used wisely, enhancing functionality while reducing waste. Did you know? The average Australian home is 248m2!! That’s a lot of heating and cooling (not to mention a much higher build cost), and absolutely not nessessary for most people. Our own home is significantly smaller than this, but being well designed, comfortably suits our family of four (not to mention incredibly energy efficient!!). Stay tuned for an article on this topic soon!
Energy Ratings: An Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) helps identify how a home performs and highlights areas for improvement, giving you a roadmap for sustainable upgrades.
Affordability That Lasts
A common myth is that energy-efficient design requires high-tech gadgets or luxury materials. The truth? It’s about creating value over the life of the home. Investments in insulation, quality windows, and efficient systems pay off through lower energy bills and increased property value.
Check out this article from Dominion Finance here, based on data from Domain found here - that shows homes with great energy efficiency and built with sustainable design in mind are selling for up to 17.1% more than those without. With a median house price in Bungendore being $995,000 (see RealEstate.com.au’s data here)
At Conscious, we integrate energy efficiency into every step of the process. Whether you’re creating a new home or upgrading an existing one, we focus on sustainable designs that are practical, comfortable, and cost-effective to maintain over time. Trust a good and experienced designer to get it right. With over 6 years of training and over 14 years experience in designing energy efficient homes, this is our specialty.
A Better Future for Everyone
Affordable housing and energy efficiency aren’t just about individual homes—they’re about creating stronger communities. By lowering the cost of living and reducing environmental impact, energy-efficient homes make life better for everyone.
If you’re ready to build or renovate with affordability and energy efficiency in mind, the team at Conscious can guide you through the process. Let’s create a sustainable home that fits your budget, your lifestyle, and the planet.
Curious about our approach to energy-efficient, sustainable design? Book a discovery session with Conscious and start your journey to the perfect home.
