Here at Homeful we are constantly thinking of the impacts the construction industry has on the climate and the carbon emissions it generates.

In the current environment the construction, manufacturing, transporting and resource extraction industries all generate emissions that we can’t ignore.

There has been a lot of action to declare a climate emergency, with many taking steps. Here at Homeful, we are looking at ways we can reduce our impact, as well as measures to offset any carbon footprints we generate: both through our daily running of the office + on every project we undertake.

Some say offsetting is greenwashing or a bandaid fix solution. However, as we see it: everyone has a part to play in making small changes slowly and regularly to start to make a difference. We believe it’s worth doing. The worst thing we can do is do nothing.

In the following information we have detailed how we came to determine some figures for offsetting our projects’ carbon footprint + the monetary costs involved.

Benefits of Native Land Conservation + Restoration:

• Sequestering + storing of carbon in wood + soil

• Native animal habitat + biodiversity improvement

• Safeguarding of reserves + protected species locations

• Bee + insect habitat

• Sediment + run-off control, as well as improving soil’s water retention

• Drought + bushfire defence

• Micro-climate improvement

• Local Indigenous engagement + recognition of original custodians of the land

• Air + water health

Benefits of Seaweed Regeneration:

In the future, we would like to make contributions towards seaweed regeneration as another form of carbon offsetting. We hope to see the development (+ protection) of kelp forests here in Tasmania, as sequestering carbon through this method can be up to 20 times more effective than land based plants. Research is underway into this carbon offsetting method - you can read more at the links at the bottom of this page.

• Decreases ocean acidity (The ocean is one of the best regulators/stores of CO2, but when there is an imbalance of CO2 in the makeup of ocean water it starts to increase in acidity. This increase impacts coral + shellfish.)

• Improves water nutrient + lowers temperatures (important for CO2 storage, biology + ice formation)

• Marine habitat support + improvement

• Fast growth rate allows for sustainable farming of the resource (as food, or as a natural plant fertiliser) – extending the benefit

• Can be up to 20 times more effective than offsetting through land based plants

• Lessens the impact of coastal degradation

• Zero bushfire hazard

• Research is underway into this carbon offsetting method – you can read more at the links at the bottom of this page

The footprint

Here’s how we crunch the numbers. For a building, the CO2 costs are approx. 0.3 tonnes (300kg) per m2 of gross internal area. Decks/outdoor (covered/uncovered) areas and some sheds/carports can be half as much, so this can be 0.15 tonnes (150kg) per m2.

Approximate construction footprints:
Average Aussie new dwelling: 180m2 x 0.3 = 54 tonnes of CO2
Average Designful dwelling: 140m2 x 0.3 = 42 tonnes of CO2
Average Homeful dwelling: 60m2 x 0.3 = 18 tonnes of CO2

A standard residential building can take up to 50 years before it will start to make up for the initial high embodied energy cost through operational cost savings. (This is dependent on how sustainably and efficiently the building operates). Where the building doesn’t last for the 50 year period and is to be demolished, and if the majority is not reused/repurposed, then this is seen as a negative loss. Longevity + life cycle analysis of buildings is also a key consideration that should be made throughout the design process.

Calculating the carbon capture + monetary contribution

To put a monetary value on this, our donation to TLC will be worked out on the amount of C02 stored in 1 hectare of protected land.

To put it simply:

• There is a minimum of 330 tonnes of C02 per hectare stored in the land at Kelvedon Hills

• It costs TLC $1680 to manage + protect each hectare

• So, it costs TLC roughly $5.10 to manage + protect each tonne of protected stored carbon

• What we then do is times the carbon footprint of each project by $5.10 to equal = the dollar amount to protect the equivalent amount of existing stored carbon

Pretty affordable carbon offsetting! And as you can see below – the smaller and more consciously you build, the less carbon produced.

Approximate offset costs:
For the average new dwelling (180m2): 54 x $5.10 = $275.40
For the Designful dwelling (140m2): 42 x $5.10 = $213.80
For the Homeful dwelling (60m2): 18 x $5.10 = $91.80

Your offset

We calculate your offset for you, based on the size of your Homeful – you don’t need to do anything!

Each offset contribution is currently donated directly to Tasmanian Land Conservancy. You can read more about TLC on their website here. Our current TLC contributions are going towards the protection of intact biodiversity at Kelvedon Hills on Tassie’s east coast.

In future, we are considering our other options, such as contributing to seaweed regeneration programs. We will always be completely transparent about where our contributions are going and why.

Include stored CO2

As we know, timber stores carbon, and it is our preferred option for cladding + framing. An average timber framed house can store approximately 20 tonnes of CO2. It is important that your timber is sustainably accredited grown and sourced pine, or sustainably sourced select timbers. The two main accreditations to look out for are FSC and PEFC – more information on these can be found here. It is also important to read any fine print of the supplier’s certification and to ask questions to make sure the timber/s you are wanting to use are correctly certified.

Australia’s native forests, timber plantations + wood products are all net absorbers of greenhouse gases. In 2005, they sequestered (or stored) 56.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, reducing Australia’s overall greenhouse gas emissions by almost 10% (source: Wood and Carbon theultimaterenewable.com.au)

Reduce your footprint

In Australia, the average annual carbon footprint is approximately 20.6 tonnes per person. This can equate to about $350 of offsetting costs every year. If you’d like to know your own personal footprint – including combined household operation + lifestyle factors – we recommend using the calculator on the Trace website. (Trace offers certified offset options too).

There are many improvements that can be made to reduce your impact, rather than just looking to offset your emissions as they are. Look at how you can reduce all the emissions you generate, and improve your home + lifestyle through one or all of the following considerations:

• Downsize or make your home open + useful to additional people

• Reduce, reuse + recycle

• Access renewable energy

• Insulation improvement + thermal efficiency upgrades

• Utilise on-site water catchment + recycling

• On-site wastewater treatment

• Consider appliance + lighting efficiency

• Utilise public transport or a bike more regularly – if it’s within 2km, walk if possible

• When your car needs replacing, buy a smaller, more efficient model, or better yet – buy an electric car!

• Reduce your red meat intake, or consider changing to a plant based diet

• Plant your own garden to create a microclimate for cooling/shading in summer, to decrease reliance on mechanical means internally, as well as reflected heat off exposed hard surfaces

• Grow your own vegetables, or focus your diet on local produce

• Compost your organic waste – a good rule is: if it was once alive, you can compost it!

• Mend things when they break (like clothing), and value the things you already have instead of buying new things.

Most importantly: monitor, self-reflect + make improvements as regularly as possible.