Our Principles and Practice

We practice Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot.

We are committed to creating a circular economy, designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials at their highest value, and regenerate nature to deliver better outcomes for people and the environment. This means keeping materials in use, either as a product or, when that can no longer be used, as components or raw materials. The most sustainable option is often to retain and value what is already available to us and to improve upon this.

We repurpose standard suburban homes to provide accommodation for singles and couples. We aim to reduce what we buy for the houses and reduce the waste created in this repurposing and renovation process. We give new life to pre-loved furniture and fixtures and retain what functions well. When buying new we choose materials which are durable. We give preference to materials which are natural and which can be recycled at the end of their current life. We avoid materials which are harmful to humans or harmful to the environment. When change is necessary, we salvage materials and give them a new purpose.  We repair our houses and furnishings in preference to replacing. We ensure electronic waste, metal, glass and hard plastic waste is separated and recycled. We compost all organic materials to divert from landfill and to improve our soil.

We aim to actively improve the quality of life of our residents and the environment. We incorporate biophilic design. The word biophilia literally means a love of life and of living things. We ensure every room receives natural light during the day and can be made very dark at night. We aim to provide good air quality, thermal comfort, visual appeal and a connection with nature. Biophilic design has been shown to support cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being. We value our resident’s health and therefore we use natural cleaning products when maintaining the cleanliness of their home. We create the opportunity for residents to grow food in the garden. We maximise the thermal comfort of each room with added insulation in the ceiling, walls and under the floors. We seal gaps to prevent drafts. We closely monitor for moisture issues to prevent mould. We respond quickly when repairs and maintenance is needed and constantly look for ways to improve the home.