SMART TECH
CREATING FUTUREPROOF DWELLINGS
FOR A HARSH CLIMATE Katerina Sakkas
What makes a smart, comfortable, sustainable living space in an era of extreme heat? Australian research has a few ideas.
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n Tennant Creek, about 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs, CSIRO is collaborating with Aboriginal non-profit consultancy Wilya Janta on the building of a pilot house. Wilya Janta means “standing strong”. It has been set up by Indigenous leaders to directly involve the local community in the development of culturally sensitive housing that’s specifically designed for them. Given that temperatures here can range from 12 degrees in winter to over 40 in summer, CSIRO is providing advice on energy and thermal efficiency for the fully off-grid house. The science body’s modelling and design advice will help to ensure that the house remains cool in summer without air conditioning for as long as possible, as well as minimising the power needed if air conditioning is used. With a 7-star energy rating, the house is intended to provide thermal comfort and lower energy costs equivalent to those expected in new homes in major capital cities.1
4 ECD [ELECTRICAL+COMMS+DATA] - MARCH 2026
“One of the main goals is we need to make sure elderly people aren’t dying prematurely from extremes of temperature, and that medicine can be stored,” said Anthony Wright, CSIRO’s Energy Performance group leader. Original Power, a First Nations-led not-for-profit, supplied, designed and installed the solar and battery system for the project alongside PAB Electrical from Alice Springs. Once the model in Tennant Creek has proven viable, Wilya Janta intends to seek formal partnerships with the NT Government and Community Housing providers to support broad adoption of the model for delivery of community-directed housing.2 This emphasis on sustainability, energy efficiency and sensitivity to local conditions is a theme that’s driving some innovative and surprising developments in Australian building technology. Take, for example, the work of Amin Mirabbasi, a PhD student at Murdoch
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