Eco House opens its doors to sustainable living
Published on 10 March 2015
A new educational space will open its doors to the public this weekend, with the retro-fitted Eco House at the Mildura Eco Village ready to change the way we think about sustainable living.
The Eco House, which was originally the 1950s caretaker’s cottage at the Nichols Point Cemetery, was moved on to the Eco Village site near the Mildura Landfill in 2014 and has since undergone an amazing transformation.
Environmental Sustainability portfolio Councillor Judi Harris said the house is now a fully functioning house with a host of energy and water saving ideas that can be transposed into our own homes.
“Whether you’re planning to build a new house, renovating your current home or just looking to make a few small changes in an office environment, the Eco House has some great ideas which will save energy, water and money,” Cr Harris said.
“The Eco House has been retrofitted with examples of double-glazed window, insulation in the floor, walls and ceiling and water saving devices fitted throughout. The property is also linked into the solar power on site and has LED lighting throughout.”
The layout of the house also includes spaces that can be used for community meetings and office spaces, with the $260,000 project receiving $170,000 from the former State Government.
In conjunction with the award winning Education Centre, community garden and the Solar Distillation project, the addition of the Eco House makes the Eco Village a truly unique environmental and educational setting in our region.
“The Eco Village is a still a bit of a hidden treasure in our community and we really want to change this,” Cr Harris said. “This is a fantastic resource and we want to see it go from strength to strength.”
The official opening of the Eco House will take place at 10am on Saturday 14 March with the Eco Village open from 10am – 1pm on this day. Morning tea, tours and sustainable displays and demonstrations will make this a great outing for the whole family.
The Eco Village was first opened in June 2013 and is managed by the Sunraysia Sustainability Network with financial support from Council, Sunraysia Institute of TAFE, the Christie Centre and the Victorian State Government.
More information about the Mildura Eco Village is available online www.sustainablemildura.com.au
Media Opportunity – Sneak Peak
When: 10:30am, Wednesday 11 March 2015
Where: Mildura Eco Village, Scherger Drive Mildura
Who: Cr Judi Harris
What: Have a pre-opening tour of the new Eco House and check out the progress on site.
ENDS
Media enquiries Angela Umback
p) (03) 5018 8689
e) angela.umback@mildura.vic.gov.au