Established in 1961, Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) is one of the very rare non-for-profit organisations that can give a true technical service and scientific input on the renewable energy sector in Australia and New Zealand. Throughout 2006, ANZSES is holding public and professional events to promote the environmentally sustainable production and use of energy and the sustainability in building. ANZSES takes the initiative and truly educates, inspires and enables people to utilise renewable energy sources and ecological building principles. Sustainable House Day (SHD) and ANZSES annual conference on renewable energies and energy efficiency are excellent vehicles for doing just that.

Sustainable House Day: 9th 10th September 2006

For the last four years ANZSES has organised a unique community event to promote sustainability and energy efficiency in building throughout Australia and New Zealand. This event used to be called “Solar House Day”. It has recently been renamed Sustainable House Day in recognition of the broader areas of sustainable residential living that are often demonstrated, e.g. water saving and reuse, recycled material, other renewable energy features.

The main strength of Sustainable House Day is the fact that ANZSES offers the Australian and New Zealand public the chance to experience working examples of actual people’s energy efficient homes, building or renovating experience. This allows the Sustainable House Day visitors the opportunity to talk to actual homeowners and experts to gain insight into the effectiveness and many benefits of environmentally responsible design. Sustainable House Day highlights the clear and present hunger for more information in the community for practical and constructive information regarding responsible building design choices in our residential sector. People are more aware and more responsive to responsible alternatives than ever before. In 2005 Sustainable House Day reached over 4 million people through a communication campaign and over 5000 people visited Sustainable House Day.

This year ANZSES hopes to reach even more people thanks to the support of hundreds of volunteers and the Sustainable House Day official sponsors: ABSA (Key Supporter), Australian Greenhouse Office (Key Supporter), Origin Energy (Silver Sponsor), Solahart (Bronze Sponsor), Neco Hardware (Bronze Sponsor), Clear Comfort (Bronze Sponsor), One Tree Hills Projects (SA & NSW Sponsor), Country Energy (NSW State Sponsor), UNSW (NSW Sponsor), Enviro Friendly Products( ACT Sponsor), Australian Ethical Investment. The list of display houses for Sustainable House Day 2006 is available on the website.

ANZSES 44th Annual conference Solar 2006: Clean Energy? Can Do! Canberra ANU, 13th - 15th September 2006

The conference will cover a wide range of issues related to the latest renewable energy research projects and industry developments in both Australia and overseas, Government policies on climate change and educational services, sustainable design and buildings, international cooperation and challenges. Presentations of key note speakers, workshops and seminars will cover many different topics such as: solar thermal and photovoltaic, geosequestration and carbon trading, wind energy systems, geothermal, biomass and tidal, sustainable architecture, energy production and other related subjects. Conference sponsors: ABSA (Key Supporter), Sydney Olympic Park (Gold Sponsor), Dyesol (Silver Sponsor), Sustainability Victoria (Silver Sponsor), Australian Greenhouse Office (Bronze Sponsor), Solahart (Bronze Sponsor), Wizard Power (Conference Opening), Solar Heat & Power (Conference Dinner).

ANZSES will also play an active part in the coming Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) conference that will be held in Sydney in September 2006.

Julien Lacave

ANZSES Renewable Energy Promotion Officer

Sustainable House Day Project Manager