It is not much to look at now, but this shell of a building is set to become a community hub for green living.
The first eco-demonstration building established in south-west Victoria, the Healthy Urban Building (HUB) aims to help the community become more self-sufficient through food production and embracing alternative energy solutions.
An initiative of the Warrnambool Community Garden, the HUB is located within the garden site on the corner of Grieve Street and Grafton Road.
HUB steering committee member Jamie Hayden said the building would be retrofitted with a kitchen and other facilities within the next few months.
“It’s fantastic to see it on the site,” he said of the building.
“The public have expressed the need for information about sustainability and this is part of fulfilling the need within the community.”
The building has been positioned to have north facing windows to take advantage of the sun in winter and south facing windows to utilise the cooling southerly breeze.
It will be insulated, have a cooling cupboard to reduce the need for a fridge, a composting toilet and other environmentally sensitive features.
It’s hoped by May the HUB will be used for sustainable living demonstrations and community workshops including bicycle repairs, how to grow edible gardens, permaculture and composting and will run regular cooking sessions.
The building was opened yesterday by Minister for Environment Ryan Smith and Major Projects, Ports and Regional Cities Minister Denis Napthine.
The HUB has been established at a total cost of $81,500 and received $50,000 contribution from the state government as part of its climate communities grants program.
Mr Smith said this was a great concept for the community to be involved in, while Dr Napthine said the hub was a practical way of getting the community involved in grassroots sustainability and noted Warrnambool and district was becoming a centre for renewable energy, with wind farms already operating and work underway on geothermal, gas and wave energy projects.
“It’s a very blank canvas but knowing the quality of the people involved in this project, it will be transformed,” Dr Napthine said.
tliptai@standard.fairf ax.com.au
