SMARTS TENT 2025
This year’s expo features a series of engaging talks and expert-led discussions designed to provide practical knowledge and insights on sustainable living. Whether you're interested in home electrification, mental wellbeing, green building design, or climate solutions, our diverse lineup of speakers will inspire and equip you with the tools to take action. Topics will cover everything from reducing energy costs and choosing the right insulation to community resilience and eco-friendly cooking alternatives. Join the conversation and take part in the movement towards a greener future!
10:00 - 11:00
The ultimate destination for anyone interested in high-performance housing, healthy homes, and sustainability.
You'll find recording of the build series, project overviews, building research, and educational content designed to help you get a better understanding of the techniques and materials we use to create homes for the future.
11:00 - 11:40
Do you want to …
Make your home healthier and more comfortable in all seasons?
Shrink your home's total energy costs?
Make your gas bill disappear completely?
Reduce your climate and environmental impacts?
Make the change to renewable energy by going 'all electric'?My Efficient Electric Home Handbook is an essential first-of-its kind resource for homeowners and renters. It provides tips and strategies on how to convert your home into an efficient, healthy and comfortable space suitable for our all-electric future.
Sharing insights from working with thousands of Australians in their homes, as well as from hands-on experience modifying his own home, Tim Forcey explains best-practice heating and cooling, hot water heat pumps, induction cooktops, draught-proofing, insulation, solar energy and much more.
About the Author
Tim Forcey is a home comfort and energy adviser, researcher and author. His expertise is widely sought and accessed by individuals, community groups, businesses, government bodies, members of Parliament and media.
Tim founded and contributes to the thriving My Efficient Electric Home online community. He grew up on a dairy farm before pursuing a career as a chemical engineer working around the globe in fossil fuels, but left that industry after realising the climate crisis couldn't wait for him to effect change from within. Following roles with government, the University of Melbourne, and not-for-profit organisations, Tim now thoroughly enjoys helping people make important changes in their own homes.
11:45 - 12:10
Want to save on your energy bills but not sure where to start? Join Simon Reid from Central Highlands Energy Assessments for a practical and insightful talk at the Smart Living Expo 2025. Simon will break down real costed examples of energy-saving strategies, from insulation upgrades to efficient heating and cooling choices. Whether you're building, renovating, or looking to improve your existing home’s energy efficiency, this session will provide actionable steps to help you cut costs and reduce your carbon footprint.
12:20 - 13:00
Get ready for an electrifying experience at the Smart Living Expo 2025 with Formidable Vegetable! Start with a live music set on the main stage, then join the procession to the Smarts Tent for a FREE hands-on permaculture workshop. In partnership with Sustainability Victoria’s ResourceSmart Schools, this session blends music, movement, and sustainability, making learning fun, interactive, and action-focused. Through games, discussions, and activities, discover how you can regenerate the planet in your everyday life. Be the change! Catch the music, join the procession, and become a Permaculture Action Hero!
In this engaging and insightful talk, Dr. Julie Rowse explores the critical role of mental resilience in building strong and supportive communities. Drawing from her 22 years of experience in public mental health, she will discuss practical strategies for fostering mental wellbeing at an individual and collective level. Using relatable stories, real-world examples, and evidence-based approaches, Julie will highlight how small, everyday actions can create lasting positive change. This session is perfect for community leaders, educators, parents, and anyone passionate about improving mental health and resilience in their communities.
13:00 - 13:40
13:45 - 14:20
Join us for an insightful panel discussion on how to build and retrofit homes for maximum energy efficiency. Featuring experts from Enviroflex, Ultimate Windows, an energy assessor, and a sustainable house designer, this session will explore the differences between window options, insulation choices, and smart design strategies that can reduce energy costs and improve comfort.
Moderated by sustainable architect Matthew Turner from Enduring Domain, the discussion will focus on practical steps that homeowners and builders can take to improve energy efficiency—whether in a new build or an existing home.
The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, giving attendees the chance to get tailored advice from industry professionals.
Ideal for: Homeowners, builders, renovators, and anyone interested in making their home more energy-efficient and sustainable.
14:30 - 15:00
Curious about how heat pumps perform in cold climates? Join us for an insightful talk exploring how modern heat pump technology works, why they remain efficient even in freezing temperatures, and how they can slash energy bills while reducing carbon footprints. Experts will explain the science behind heat pumps, share real-world case studies, and discuss rebates and installation tips. Whether you're considering switching to a heat pump or just want to understand the technology, this session will answer your questions. Don’t miss this chance to learn how heat pumps can keep your home warm, even in winter!
Reclaim Energy
2024
Outlier Studios / Sustainable Builders Alliance
After a stint in his early 20s as a carpenter, Anthony has been on a mission ever since to improve Australia’s building design and construction. He has over 15 years of industry experience and is on a quest to educate Australians about the benefits of designing and building better.
10:00 - 10:45
A virtual tour of a regional home that embraced building-science and biophilic design to become Australia's first Certified Passivhaus-Premium, off-grid, all-electric, prefabricated strawbale house. Learn about the ethos and principles of this healthy home and how they could inspire your own sustainability journey.
Talina Edwards is passionate about creating healthy, beautiful, functional, comfortable and sustainable architecture which combines building-science and biophilic-design. Biophilia is about our intuitive connection to nature, where the health and wellbeing of people and planet are inextricably linked. This ethos extends to our purpose to ‘care for country’ and cultivating a living future for all.
Talina is a registered Architect with over 25 years experience and is a Director of Envirotecture and Passivhaus Design & Construct. She has received many awards and gained recognition as an industry leader, known for her regenerative design ethos, and her generous advocacy contributions to the community to help build a better future.
11:45 - 12:10
An owner, A Designer, A Builder walk into a bar.... Just kidding we just want to have a productive chat lead by questions from the audiences. A series of words will be on the screen and you choose what we should talk about and share our individual perspectives.
COST / HEALTH / PROCESS / FRUSTRATION / SUCCESS / PASSIVE HAUS / MOULD / VENTILATED ROOF / CHANGE / PROBLEMS / TRADES / AIT TIGHTNESS / RENOVATION / COMMUNICATION / ENGINEERING / LOCAL UP-SKILL / RESISTANCE TO CHANGE / AIR CHANGES / RANGE HOODS
Talina Edwards - Evirotecture
Dean Blackman - Blackman Homes
Justin Weyers - Buninyong Sustainability
12:15 - 12:45
Our Mission
By 2030 we want to have supported and sustainably impacted 1 Million renovators globally!
We believe
To diversify the home improvement market supply through innovations and healthier, circular, low-impact product and service choices will significantly reduce the environmental overshoot.
Our solution
A new platform for renovators to improve their sustainable decision making and increase their property value through a simple easy to use experience
13:00 - 13:15
Reclaim Energy
13:00 - 13:15
Breaze.org.au
13:30 - 13:45
How can your behaviour change conserve energy and help your community and save you money.
sustainability.vic.gov.au
14:30 - 15:00
