Dave Southgate

One Step, Two Steps towards a net zero emissions household

Many Australian households have worked hard to reduce their direct carbon footprint, through efficiency and solar. But what about our…

March 31, 2020

Personal air conditioning: A low energy option for keeping your cool

Can portable, personal cooling devices keep you cool in summer? And what are the potential energy/carbon benefits? I tested two…

March 14, 2019

How to make serious cuts in home heating costs – and stay warm

Rarely do we hear about policies designed to help people, particularly those with limited means, reduce the amount of energy…

October 12, 2017

To seal or not to seal: The dangers of a draught-proof home

At the moment it is de rigeur to try to seal off every last little crack in the envelope of…

December 20, 2016

Space heating and cooling our homes – time for a rethink?

With space heating beginning to look like a high carbon option, can ‘person’ heating make a comeback? Developments in radiant…

October 11, 2016

Lessons in automatically solar charging an electric car

How easy is it to achieve fossil fuel free motoring with an electric car today? Here's how our family approached…

June 7, 2016

A journey to fossil fuel freedom – no heat pumps required

Despite what the experts say, the path to fossil fuel freedom does not always lead to heat pumps. Our family…

February 16, 2016