Size does matter: Australia’s addiction to big houses is blowing the energy budget

Australian homes are getting bigger,
but not more sustainable.

Australia’s houses are getting bigger, but usually not more sustainable. In our recent study, we looked at the energy use of Australian houses, including the energy required to build, maintain and power our homes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, we found that more energy goes into bigger houses. This is bad news not just for the environment, but also for our wallets. But these considerations are not always built into sustainability ratings.

So whether you’re building, buying, or just curious, what are the most important things to consider? And how much does house size affect total energy use?

Read the piece on The Conversation by a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the University of Melbourne, André Stephan, and a senior lecturer in Construction and Environmental Assessment, also from the University of Melbourne, Robert Crawford -  “Size does matter: Australia’s addiction to big houses is blowing the energy budget.”