Callington builder wins national sustainable home award
Millwood Homes’ Bruce Millican has been recognised with the Housing Industry Association’s highest honour for sustainable construction in Australia.
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A Callington builder has proven he’s at the forefront of sustainable construction in Australia, winning a national Housing Industry Association award for his work.
Millwood Homes’ Bruce Millican took out the sustainable home category at the HIA Australian Greensmart Awards in Hobart on Friday night.
The winning home was one he built for a young family on 15 acres at Cromer, near Mount Pleasant.
Its design focused on energy efficiency and independence as well as comfort, with a 15-kilowatt solar power system, 21kw of battery storage and a 130,000-litre rainwater tank.
It prioritised recycled or locally manufactured materials with an ability to absorb or deflect heat, keeping the inside of the house comfortable year-round without the need for excessive heating or cooling.
The Cromer house features locally sources, thermally sensible materials. Photos: Millwood Homes.
Mr Millican described himself as a bit of an old hippie who had worked for big home building companies for a number of years, but went out on his own around the year 2000 in search of a better way of doing things.
“(Australians) are just building all this s***,” he said.
“You compare us with other countries and we’re so far behind in terms of energy efficiency and technology.
“We’re picking the cheapest, most efficient methods of building, slapping it up, cutting corners.”
By contrast, focusing on just a couple of home builds each year – enough work for him to get by – allowed him to really do things properly.
In a country like Australia, where heat and cold could both be so intense, simple measures like double-glazed windows were a no-brainer, he suggested.
“I love that I can build a home people really enjoy,” he said.
“This house at Cromer … we had some really cold mornings, frost, minus two, and they said the house was almost the same temperature at night.
“That’s the real award for me: building something that works.”
The home is very much self-sufficient, set on 15 acres in a rural area. Photos: Millwood Homes.
The Greensmart Awards, named for an HIA sustainable building accreditation program, recognise professionals who excel in the area of environmentally friendly design.
HIA managing director Jocelyn Martin congratulated all the winners for their successes.
“HIA is committed to sustainable building outcomes through environmentally focused design, innovation and construction,” she said.
“The winners and finalists are at the cutting edge in their field and demonstrate expertise in building superior performing, energy-saving homes for their clients.”
