THE lawnmower is replaced with a blower vac and someone else's electricity bill is a vital piece of information.
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Welcome to the new world of designing or buying an energy-efficient home.
Today, hundreds of Canberrans will flock to homes being displayed for Sustainable House Day to pick up some tips on how to save both the environment and money on their bills.
Across Australia last year, more than 200 homes were opened to 40,000 people who wanted to find out more about subjects such as renewable energy, recycling and energy efficiency.
This year, at least one home at Crace will show off synthetic grass.
The display home at Chance Street has 35 square metres of synthetic grass in the backyard.
According to Roger Poels of Shaw Living, fake grass costs the owner more up front but saves them money in the long term.
''You only need to blower vac it,'' Mr Poels said.
It was also common for housebuyers to ask for a home's past electricity bills, according to Mr Poels. While one of the Shaw Living homes being shown off today has insulation in the ceiling and external walls, Mr Poels said he believed there would come a day when new homes have insulation in the internal walls as well. This will allow parts of a house to retain the cool or warm air.
Meanwhile, a home at 105 Atherton Street, Downer, will display, among other things, its native and edible garden, while the owners of 33 Galbraith Close, Banks, will show off the use of paints which are low in volatile organic compounds.
There is a range of building materials used across the homes on show, although many are brick veneer or reverse brick veneer.
Numerous homes on display have used recycled products during the building process.