Bronwen has made little changes which add up to more comfort and less cost, and by the time she installs her new 3Kw solar system later in the year, she will not only be comfortable but earning money from the sun too.

Bronwen Machin's last home was designed with the environment in mind, so when she down-sized to a unit in town, she wanted to be comfortable but still live sustainably on a small energy budget.

In her new home she has found that it's the little things that make a difference. She has put Clear Comfort double-glazing on her window and blinds outside to stop the heat from coming in. Her front door used to let in both the hot and cold air through a gap at the bottom. Now after spending only $50  her door is properly sealed and her feet stay warm in winter.

To keep cool on hot days she has installed a roof vent and a lock on her screen door.  The vent dumps all the hot air from her roof space­­ and cathedral ceiling, whilst the lock allows her to feel secure enough to leave her screen door open at night to let the cool night air flush the out the heat of the day.

Bronwen has other plans for her home too. She is building veggie beds in her courtyard garden, supplied with water from the tanks connected to her roof. There's a grapevine growing to shade her windows from the summer sun and she's buying block-out curtains to keep the heat out in summer and inside when she wants to keep warm.

All these little changes add up to more comfort and less cost, so by the time she installs her new 3Kw solar system later in the year, she will not only be comfortable but earning money from the sun too.