Expo energetic about smart living

THIS year marks the tenth anniversary edition of the Smart Living Expo at Royal Park in Buninyong.

At a time when there’s claims of corporate “greenwashing,” expo creative director Justin Weyers said the committee’s aim is to feed the community’s appetite for what he said is trustworthy information on how to have a sustainable lifestyle.

“Come along and have a conversation,” he said. “Bring your questions, and there will be people there to answer them.

“Maybe you want to save money on your electricity bills for example, there will be experts to help.”

This year’s expo on Sunday 25 February, 10am to 3.30pm, has four key focus areas: building, innovation, the environment, and health.

“We’re having an education hub where people can sit down and hear what others have done to their house to electrify it to make it ready for EV cars,” Mr Weyers said.

“If you’re planning on building an extension, there will be education around sustainable insulations and air tightness elements.

“Builders who have been building for decades are an audience we want to hit.

“They can hit the seven-star sustainability rating can do it with things like air tightness, double glazing, and orientation.”

The Buninyong community garden at Royal Park will be officially opened, live music performances all day, and a roving mic that highlights stallholders, as well as offering presentations and demonstrations.

These demos will include a blower door air tightness test with Ultimate Windows staff, live in a container.

For kids, a sustainable hunt will keep them busy across the park, and a pavilion will be on display built out of recycled tetra packs.

More than 70 stalls are booked in, and groups registered to attend range from traditional permaculture and Landcare organisations to City of Ballarat officers and members of the Sustainable Builders Alliance.

A new “hype event” ahead of the expo, called Back to Buninyong, will take place on the evening of Friday 23 February with live music, a bar, and a visit from Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis.

“It’s all about public engagement and giving people the confidence to ask questions,” he said.

“The expo isn’t just a ‘greenie’ event, and sustainability isn’t just recycling and composting, it’s about community.”

The Smart Living Expo is running during the National Sustainable Living Festival and is an initiative of Buninyong Sustainability.