The ImPossible House Makes Off-Grid, Inner City Living A Reality
Image: Supplied
A renovated worker’s cottage in the heart of Newtown has been transformed into the “ImPossible House”, showcasing the future of inner-city sustainable living.
Led by homeowner Dr Laura Ryan, the ImPossible House project began in 2016 and, aside from a few solar panels and an edible garden, is more or less finished.
While many may associate “off grid housing” with regional and rural living, the ImPossible House demonstrates that, with the right people, enough time, and a bit of luck, people don’t have to sacrifice inner-city living in the name of sustainability.
While a sustainable home focuses on reducing its environmental footprint through energy-efficient designs, materials, and technologies, an off-grid house is designed to operate independently of public utility services, such as electricity and water, relying on alternative sources like solar panels and a rainwater tank. The house isn’t even connected to sewage, and has an incinerating toilet in its place that produces just one cup of ash a week.
“All Australians can live more sustainably, but we need to make it easier and more affordable for people to make sustainable choices when building or renovating,” said Dr Ryan.
“I hope The ImPossible House inspires others to take steps – big or small – towards creating more sustainable homes, wherever they live.”
Dr Ryan cites the climate emergency as one of the motivators for the project.
“As we see the climate emergency unfolding and getting worse and worse, I sometimes I feel overwhelmed and and hopeless,” she said. “I figured that at least, if I could control my little environment and my little plot of the world, then I would feel more in control.”
Saving the world starts at home
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing though. The ImPossible House has been through seven architects, 15 water specialists, ten solar experts, three sustainability experts, two legal experts and one project manager. The project has racked up a huge bill as well, costing just over $1 million.
Dr Ryan admits that it’s not as simple as just deciding to go off grid- unless you’re a millionaire, maybe- but she’s put in the work and created solutions that make it easier for everyone else.
In the meantime, what are some ways people can start working towards a more sustainable home?
“If you’re trying to cut down on your on your bills, you can do lots of things, like seal up the leaks around your house- you’d be really surprised how much that can contribute to heating and cooling bills.”
“If you’re fixing the house up and think maybe it needs a coat of paint, here’s a company called Circle Paints that collect leftover paint and then supply it back to the public. And it’s it’s so cheap compared to getting it from the actual distributors and manufacturers, and they can mix any colour. The quality is just as good and you’re saving all of that from going to landfill.”
She also recommends consulting websites like CHOICE and Evitat before buying appliances like fridges and washing machines, which helps you quickly find sustainable products without the hours of research.
“We’re in a climate crisis, and the choices we make at home can make a difference,” Dr Ryan said. “I have always been passionate about sustainability, and how we can reduce our impact on our planet and the environment. I understand that my journey, and building an ‘ImPossible House’, isn’t for everyone, but I hope it sparks ideas, inspires others and pushes the sustainable living conversation forward.”
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