Sustainable House

Sustainable House Tour an inspiring example of what any household can do to help the world! Michael Mobbs' Sustainable House in inner Sydney. www.sustainablehouse.com.au

What's a sustainable house? So it’s 2013 and my house beside Sydney’s central business district, Sydney’s Sustainable House, has been disconnected from mains water and sewer since 1996, some 16 years ago. All the daytime energy is from the sun, and the energy company sends me cheques for my clean energy from the sun I sell them during the day. Four people have lived here for energy and water bills

of less than $300 each year. How did I get myself out of my bills and into this lovely sustainable pickle here in the heart of Sydney? Two things got me here. The first was engineers telling me it couldn’t be done; thanks fellas. The second was my fed-up-ness with the sound of my voice complaining about governments not doing anything about the pollution from electricity stations they owned and make money from. So when we decided to make the kitchen and bathroom bigger in the 19th century terrace house we decided to stop our own sewage and energy pollution during the three month renovation. I have lived in this house since 1978 and began the process of making it sustainable in 1996. The house is in Chippendale, inner city suburb of Sydney, there are regular tours where I talk openly about what worked and what didn't work. Over 20,000 visitors since 1996. A tour can show how each individual person or family can make steps towards living sustainably, starting with something as simple as a change to a water-efficient shower head. Water from my house roof in the city is cleaner than town water - anyone can use his approach. Public and private tours available. Enquiries and bookings:
• [email protected]
• 0424 460 525

Buy my books online at
https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/sustainable-house/

On Sunday 17 May see sustainable houses across Australia on Sustainable House Day -
17/04/2026

On Sunday 17 May see sustainable houses across Australia on Sustainable House Day -

“Welcome to Sustainable House Day 2026 Sustainable House Day is back in 2026, inviting you into real homes across Australia where you’ll see the practical solutions that make homes more efficient, affordable, and climate-ready.“

30 years offgrid in the city:
10/04/2026

30 years offgrid in the city:

In 1996, three decades ago this year, I disconnected my city house from town water, town sewer, town stormwater and installed solar panels. Perhaps the first in a city. But being ‘first’ had nothing to do with it, except that made it harder to get approvals, get my sketches turned into drawings ...

This tracker made by the Australia Institute shows that Australia has missed out on $68 billion in revenue – and countin...
09/04/2026

This tracker made by the Australia Institute shows that Australia has missed out on $68 billion in revenue – and counting – by failing to tax gas exports since July 2022. That’s enough to fully offset the cost of providing free university and TAFE for Australian students or free childcare for Australian families – instead it’s lining the pockets of mostly foreign owned gas companies.

Each time we share the tracker, it grows the public momentum for the government to stop Australia’s great gas giveaway.

Australia Institute research shows a 25% tax on gas exports would raise $17 billion each year to fund essential services. Nearly $50 million every single day, seven days a week, flowing to multinational LNG exporters instead of Australian schools and hospitals. This single policy could have funded f...

Proof centralised waste services are not viable -
25/03/2026

Proof centralised waste services are not viable -

Waste collectors say they are struggling to acquire diesel and many are operating at "unsustainable" losses, putting the collection of household bins and commercial waste under threat.

Life in Chippendale in 2011.Time goes, that's it. (P 44. Sustainable Food by Michael Mobbs, New South Books, Choice, 20...
04/03/2026

Life in Chippendale in 2011.

Time goes, that's it. (P 44. Sustainable Food by Michael Mobbs, New South Books, Choice, 2011)

04/03/2026
Anyone across Australia with a fully or partly sustainable house may open it for public tours on Sunday 17 May 2026.Here...
02/03/2026

Anyone across Australia with a fully or partly sustainable house may open it for public tours on Sunday 17 May 2026.

Here I am in mine in Chippendale, NSW, using my recycled water - every day for the last 30 years the recycled sewage water has been used to flush my toilet, wash clothes and hose the garden. Anyone can do this; its easy, simple and, for me at least, renews my spirits.

Anyone with a partly or fully sustainable house may list it for public tours on National Sustainable House Day . On Sunday 17 May 2026 houses across Australia will open for public tours. Tours of my house, Sydney’s Sustainable House, will also be available at 10 am and 11 am on Sunday 17 May.

22/02/2026

Let me introduce myself...🌧️🌞🌿

FOGO - a warning:
22/02/2026

FOGO - a warning:

The idea of city and town wide and local composting inspires me, motivates me to experiment, to research, to trial solutions to end food waste. FOGO - food organics composting run by some local councils across Australia - is an idea being tested now. One thing which founds the work I do is data -

Address

58 Myrtle Street
Chippendale, NSW
2008

Opening Hours

11:30am - 12:30pm

Telephone

+61424460525

Website

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