Off Grid Tips and Tricks
3 Hr Recording Available
Have you wondered what you are allowed to build and where? How do you get started? How will you manage your energy needs? Why do you need to get a permit and how hard is it ?
This 3 hour webinar will guide you through the preliminary tasks, considerations and hurdles for moving onto your own block, setting up basic systems and planning your build.
With 7 professionals sharing their experience and expertise across a range of states, and fields, you can get your action plan into gear and find out all the things you don't yet know about buying, building, permits and establishing your dream property.
From legalities surrounding tiny houses, to DA approval for Earthships, to building your own cob house and installing the right solar set-up for your new home, this is a jam packed session for beginners or those looking to get more information.
Each speaker has 15 minutes with audience questions.
Access is $30 for full/waged/family
Concession ticket available
To gain access to the recording book here
Speakers on the evening include:
Off-Grid Essentials; Permits, Planning and Logistics Introduction
Dr Rachel Goldlust, Secretary Earthship Australia, Town Planner and Environmental Historian specialising in off-grid lifestyles and choices
Rachel Goldlust has studied environmental history, town planning and taught and worked across a range of natural building styles while completing her doctorate on going off-grid in Australia. As an experienced educator, presenter and community facilitator, she has watched the scene in Australia for many years and is passionate about empowering and communicating simple living and building ideas to the widest audience. Rachel will present a checklist on off-grid living for beginners, and some important considerations for planning and occupancy.
Off-Grid Power: Panels, Batteries and maximising efficiency
Sylph Dominic Hawkins, Electro Research and Development
Sylph Dominic Hawkins is a researcher in the areas of Electro-chemistry (Storage batteries) and Electro-physics (Electrical systems and models) and has worked in the off-grid electrical systems design and storage battery industry for over 10 years. He has worked as a consultant, designing small to mid scale off-grid electrical systems for residential and commercial clients, as well as heading the research and development area of a Lithium battery assembly company. Sylph shifted his focus since 2017 towards educational workshops, papers and alternative storage battery research and continues to work as a consultant for designing off-grid and grid-connected electrical systems specialising in systems that contain battery backup and EV (electric car) charging from Solar / Wind / Hydro input.
Sylph Dominic Hawkins, Electro Research and Development
Sylph Dominic Hawkins is a researcher in the areas of Electro-chemistry (Storage batteries) and Electro-physics (Electrical systems and models) and has worked in the off-grid electrical systems design and storage battery industry for over 10 years. He has worked as a consultant, designing small to mid scale off-grid electrical systems for residential and commercial clients, as well as heading the research and development area of a Lithium battery assembly company. Sylph shifted his focus since 2017 towards educational workshops, papers and alternative storage battery research and continues to work as a consultant for designing off-grid and grid-connected electrical systems specialising in systems that contain battery backup and EV (electric car) charging from Solar / Wind / Hydro input.
Natural Building, Design and Living Tiny
Kate Ogden, Mudmob Natural Building
Kate was introduced to Natural Building at the age of 25 in British Colombia in Canada and has dedicated most of her time to it since. She has spent the last 13 years running educational natural building workshops around Australia, and completed a Cert 4 in natural building at TAFE in New Zealand. As one of a few women working in the natural building industry she has worked as a subcontractor on jobs, side by side countless owner builders guiding them through their natural home build and learnt from & educated many professional natural and conventional builders along the way. Kate will also be talking about her experiences building Tiny Houses for herself, and the process of hiring a natural builder to help you build your home.
Kate Ogden, Mudmob Natural Building
Kate was introduced to Natural Building at the age of 25 in British Colombia in Canada and has dedicated most of her time to it since. She has spent the last 13 years running educational natural building workshops around Australia, and completed a Cert 4 in natural building at TAFE in New Zealand. As one of a few women working in the natural building industry she has worked as a subcontractor on jobs, side by side countless owner builders guiding them through their natural home build and learnt from & educated many professional natural and conventional builders along the way. Kate will also be talking about her experiences building Tiny Houses for herself, and the process of hiring a natural builder to help you build your home.
Earthship Permits and Building
Mark Van Laarhoven, Software Solutions Architect,
Owner builder of Earthship Well-grounded at Marulan NSW (1st Approved Earthship DA in NSW)
"About 10 years ago a work mate loaned me Richard Glover's "The Mud House", that started a fire in me to build my own house with natural and scavenged materials. I started researching and stumbled across "Garbage Warrior" by Mike Reynolds where I learnt about Earthships. A couple of months after I attended an Earthship Australia weekend down in Melbourne and a workshop with Martin Freney at Earthship Ironbank in the Adelaide Hills. After 5 years of building on weekends we are nearing completion, I look forward to sharing my journey and inspiring others to go down the pathway towards self-sufficiency and owner-building smarter homes.
Mark Van Laarhoven, Software Solutions Architect,
Owner builder of Earthship Well-grounded at Marulan NSW (1st Approved Earthship DA in NSW)
"About 10 years ago a work mate loaned me Richard Glover's "The Mud House", that started a fire in me to build my own house with natural and scavenged materials. I started researching and stumbled across "Garbage Warrior" by Mike Reynolds where I learnt about Earthships. A couple of months after I attended an Earthship Australia weekend down in Melbourne and a workshop with Martin Freney at Earthship Ironbank in the Adelaide Hills. After 5 years of building on weekends we are nearing completion, I look forward to sharing my journey and inspiring others to go down the pathway towards self-sufficiency and owner-building smarter homes.
Passive Solar Design and Natural Building processes
Joel Meadows, environmental educator, energy auditor, building designer, sustainable transport consultant, illustrator,
Joel has studied sculpture, blacksmithing, renewable energy technology and Permaculture and has worked for private, government and not for profit organisations while also running the Green Hand Institute. Joel illustrated the second edition of David Holmgren’s ‘Principles’ book and ‘The Rocket Powered Oven’ e-book with Tim Barker. Joel lives with his family on the fringe of Castlemaine – Central Victoria, where he continually works on his permaculture business, property and ideas. Joel will be speaking to his work helping people realise their natural building dreams and his advice for people looking to owner-build using natural materials.
Joel Meadows, environmental educator, energy auditor, building designer, sustainable transport consultant, illustrator,
Joel has studied sculpture, blacksmithing, renewable energy technology and Permaculture and has worked for private, government and not for profit organisations while also running the Green Hand Institute. Joel illustrated the second edition of David Holmgren’s ‘Principles’ book and ‘The Rocket Powered Oven’ e-book with Tim Barker. Joel lives with his family on the fringe of Castlemaine – Central Victoria, where he continually works on his permaculture business, property and ideas. Joel will be speaking to his work helping people realise their natural building dreams and his advice for people looking to owner-build using natural materials.
Ecovillage and Community Design
Shane Sylvanspring, Town Planner and Ecovillage Design facilitator.
Shane is a passionate ecovillage designer and has been involved in a number of ecovillage projects and developments across Australia. Shane is an experienced town planner and has worked in government and privately in QLD, VIC and NSW with 15 years experience. Shane has a passion for planning laws around community and off grid living and brings in Ecovillage Design principals as taught by the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) in best practice on how to create communities here in Australia. Shane works as a freelance town planner, Ecovillage educator with GEN, community consultant as well as creating his own community, Balaya Buyul in the Byron Shire, NSW with his wife and two children.
Shane Sylvanspring, Town Planner and Ecovillage Design facilitator.
Shane is a passionate ecovillage designer and has been involved in a number of ecovillage projects and developments across Australia. Shane is an experienced town planner and has worked in government and privately in QLD, VIC and NSW with 15 years experience. Shane has a passion for planning laws around community and off grid living and brings in Ecovillage Design principals as taught by the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) in best practice on how to create communities here in Australia. Shane works as a freelance town planner, Ecovillage educator with GEN, community consultant as well as creating his own community, Balaya Buyul in the Byron Shire, NSW with his wife and two children.
Living Tiny in Regional Victoria, permits and allowances
Fred Schultz, Fred's Tiny Houses, Castlemaine.
Fred has designed, built and lives in an off-grid fossil-fuel free tiny house with his family and now builds custom made tiny homes and trailers for others. He specialises in making tiny homes solar passive, safety compliant and off-grid, as well as teaching other DIY builders how to make their own tiny homes safe, lightweight and comfortable all year round. He founded Fred's Tiny Houses where he teaches DIYers how to build safe, well-designed tiny houses on wheels; manufactures tiny house trailers; and advocates for the legislation across all levels of government. He is an innovator, thought leader and expert on all tiny house issues across Australia. Fred will be speaking to the latest changes in tiny house legislation in his local government area, and more broadly to changes happening for tiny houses across the country.
Fred Schultz, Fred's Tiny Houses, Castlemaine.
Fred has designed, built and lives in an off-grid fossil-fuel free tiny house with his family and now builds custom made tiny homes and trailers for others. He specialises in making tiny homes solar passive, safety compliant and off-grid, as well as teaching other DIY builders how to make their own tiny homes safe, lightweight and comfortable all year round. He founded Fred's Tiny Houses where he teaches DIYers how to build safe, well-designed tiny houses on wheels; manufactures tiny house trailers; and advocates for the legislation across all levels of government. He is an innovator, thought leader and expert on all tiny house issues across Australia. Fred will be speaking to the latest changes in tiny house legislation in his local government area, and more broadly to changes happening for tiny houses across the country.
