Big Brother goes sustainable!

The Australian site at Dreamworld on the gold coast is to be the first of Big Brother's 40-plus global households to "go green".

In the space of just three months architect Tone Wheeler transformed the Big brother house into a model of just what can be done to make an existing house sustainable.

Using a range of technology and sustainable materials, Mr Wheeler has improved the environmental perform of the Big Brother house on a whole series of issues– from energy and water use to a range of recycled materials used in furniture and fabrics. Even non-allergenic 80 per cent goat-haired carpets!

“If everyone in Australia could make a 10 per cent improvement to their house every year, then in ten years we will have vastly improved the very poor houses we currently have and we will have greatly reduced the greenhouse gases and environmental damage that they do.”

Key technologies implemented in the big brother house include:

• Greywater recycling system;
• Several in-wall and external rainwater tanks;
• Solar hot water;
• 2KW thin film solar array ;
• Bicycle-powered washing machine;
• Recycled-tyre paving;
• Benchtops from recycled yogurt containers;
• Water dispenser that uses water condensed from the air;
• Environmentally friendly exterior paints;
• Recycled, Australian-made fabrics for the diary room chair;
• Lounges made from 50,000 recycled plastic Pepsi lids;
• Worm farms to process organic waste.
  

However in a drought starved SE Queensland, the most impressive are the water saving features of the house.

"The grey water system by far was the toughest thing to implement" said Mr Wheeler of the cutting edge Australian technology that provides recycled water to flush the toilets and water the garden. Furthermore the housemates will shower in filtered rainwater collected from the Friday Night Live arena roof and heated by the sun.

 
Excited by the profile the house will bring, Mr Wheeler comments “It's the most popular display home in Australia,". The TV series regularly attracts more than 1.5 million viewers and more than 250,000 people visited the house at Dreamworld after last year's series. "We're building a sustainable display house at Sydney's HomeWorld that maybe 25,000 people will see," he said. "But the Big Brother house? This is going to be the biggest audience for sustainability in one fell swoop ever."

 
To take a virtual tour of the house to explore the sustainable design features, click here.

To read the interview with the architect, click here.

To read more about the architectural firm that designed the house, click here.