Issues such as the embodied ‘grey’ energy in materials such as aluminium, the impact at the source such as with rainforest timbers, the distance the material has to be transported, the effectiveness of the material in solar passive building…. All these issues (and many more) are important to us.

Building materials include: timber, straw bale, rammed earth, blockwork, bamboo, mudbrick and compressed earth bricks.

Forms for rammed earth walling	Walls of the CW Info Center (sponsored by Global Ecovillage Network)

Home designs have generally taken climatic and environmental factors into consideration. Solar hot water systems of different types have been used, and some houses use photovoltaic cells for electricity production. Composting toilet systems have been installed in many homes; indeed the demand for sustainable treatment systems for wastewater has been so great here that one company, Dowmus, used the village as a testing ground for many of its designs. The use of secondhand materials, particularly of doors and windows, is popular.

As there was easy access to the existing mains electricity grid for the valley, the designers decided to link into this electricity source rather than to insist all residents rely on stand-alone photovoltaic power systems. There were several reasons for this decision, but the main ones were essentially:

• The mains grid was already in place, therefore the 'grey' (embodied) energy used in its construction was already committed.
• The energy used in the creation of PV batteries, and the pollution caused in their eventual disposal was a source of concern.
• It was felt that not all prospective residents would want to be solar-dependent, particularly since the subtropical climate meant that a number of months in summer could be heavily overcast during the 'wet season'. Long spells of overcast weather would mean heavy reliance on back up diesel or fuel generators.

However, it was decided to ensure residents reduced their power consumption by installing low voltage cabling which only carries approximately half the normal current supplied to the average Australian home. This cable not only carried less power, it was also cheaper. It was installed via underground trenches, reducing visual pollution.

Residents are encouraged to use a variety of energy sources, including liquid petroleum gas (LPG), and to design solar passive homes. Guidance and ideas on these issues was provided at the outset to each new lotholder, in the form of an ‘Owner’s Manual’ created by the designers.. Technical advice was also available via a sub-committee of the Body Corporate Committee. Many homes use wood fired combustion stoves in winter, and some residents have planted wood lots for future supply of timber and fuel.

Crystal Waters’ requirement for sustainable building methods and products has assisted several new businesses, eg Rammed Earth Constructions, Natural Paints, Dowmus composting toilets, and the property has been a testing ground for innovative new ‘green’ technology.