Self sustainable zero waste productive home in Melbourne demonstrates future | Gardening Australia

Costa is visiting a temporary installation on the banks of the Yarra River, the latest iteration of Joost Baker’s experimental constructions; “Greenhouse”. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
While it is perched on the edge of the CBD, it is aimed squarely at homeowners everywhere, “in the future we will all live like this” says Joost.
The 3-storey house is a humble 87m2, about ¼ of the size of an average Aussie dwelling, but it has big ambitions, to demonstrate a productive, sustainable & no-waste future. “Our food system one of the most wasteful, polluting things on the planet - the way we grow our food but also transport and sell it. I wanted to create a house that was shelter for people but could also grow food and create energy - our cities have so much potential”.
Every available space is involved in growing food, and every available nutrient in the house harvested to do it.
Potted gardens fill both balconies, growing everything from pumpkins to chickpeas. Food grade plastic 44-gallon drums are positioned everywhere, as soil-filled pots acting as ballast for the house and as wicking beds.
The house is also running Aquaponics systems, with fish, yabbies and fresh-water mussels contributing nutrients to 2 large grow beds. “more than enough to feed a family all the greens they need”. Joost reckons that they are much easier than people think, particularly when you are raising things like yabbies
The mushroom wall is both an aesthetic and edible addition to the house, positioned in the base of the vertical green house, in the central stairwell. Humidity for the mushies, is harvested from the shower and the hot water system - nothing is wasted.
Of course, general waste is also being converted into fertiliser & fuel. They are feeding veggie scraps to crickets. These crickets are then used in the kitchen to make felafel!
While Joost is passionate about natural ecosystems, in this designed ecosystem people are integral. “Without them, the nutrients needed for the system do not exist. It needs to be managed”. The people in this case are Matt stone & Jo Barret, award winning chefs who grew their own gardening skills running their zero-waste kitchen at Oakridge wines.
They have been on the tools throughout the house construction, and now are now living in the house, eating only what they grow on site. They are very passionate about the project and about the ethos. Matt - “When you cook this way, you just want to do more. As a chef, I want things to be delicious, and the most delicious food is the most ethically produced food”.
But Joost hopes the ideas here will help to fuel others for the future. “I don’t see that everything we are doing here is the only way to do it, I want it to be a catalyst.
“CRICKET BALLS” RECIPE
1 cup dried chickpeas
4 spring onions
1/2 bun parsley
1/2 bun coriander
2 cloves garlic
1 sml piece fresh turmeric
1 carrot
1t cumin
1t coriander seed
1/2 paprika
1T baking powder
1/2 cup crickets
Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours. If you have time you can leave you can drain them off and lay on a tray for a day or two to sprout. It adds extra flavour and nutrients but isn’t necessary.
Roughly chop the veggies and herbs. Toast and grind the spices.
Add herbs, veggies, chickpeas and crickets to a blender. Blend till as smooth as possible. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the baking powder and season with salt and pepper. If the mix is wet add some chickpea of plain flour till you can roll the mix into balls.
Roll the mix into 20 ish balls. Heat some frying oil in a pot on the stove. Heat till roughly 180 degrees. Fry the cricket balls for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Season with salt and serve with your favourite dipper sauce.

FEATURED SPECIES
SNOWFLAKE MUSHROOM
Hericium coralloides
LION’S MANE
Hericium erinaceus
YABBY
Cherax destructor
FRESHWATER MUSSEL
Family Hyriidae
BARRAMUNDI
Lates calcarifer
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[@steffidoc]

They should write a whole book about this house. There are so many ideas that I would like to learn more about and try out here in my home in Germany.

[@GardeningAustralia]

You can learn more about this project in the video description! Thanks for watching :)

[@patiencemwangi7756]

I totally agree with you... i have fell in love with the house...

[@wyganter]

The problem is that in cold climates you have to shut down the operation for much of the year. Unless you burn energy for a greenhouse.

[@witch-doctor]

@@wyganter unless you use a greenhouse

[@fireshine4105]

@@wyganter i dont think a greenhouse needs a lot of energy....i mean thats the whole concept of a greenhouse, the sun heats it up and you might be able to use some of the heat you produce to keep your home warm in winter anyway for the greenhouse

[@alwaysradical1613]

Mind blown. The hell.. why are not we all doing this yet?

[@JonathanBaileyn2u]

We are definitely at that point! This is exactly what we need.. “self-sufficient” but not hoarder militia style.. elegant and intuitive like this.

[@melody5437]

So on the nail!

[@Le_Philippe]

This ain't self sufficient but very inspiring

[@yeyosilver7067]

Self-sufficient it's a lie

[@gotagreengardening8387]

Proud Melbournian here and as a nearly 40 year old single woman, living a modest life in the western burbs, I have transformed my backyard into a mini food forest and can’t wait to continue with this journey!!! Inspiring video Thankyou xx

[@Barefoot_Jayy]

"I think in 2050, we'll look back at 2020 as the year that changed everything" -- Oh sir, you had no idea what 2021 would bring and how much clearer the message of this is NOW Thanks for the insight!

[@TheLYagAmi]

I dream of a day when this system is fully integrated into every single building we construct. Earthships like this one are the future there is absolutely no doubt about it.

[@rhiannonh5202]

I want a full hour of content explaining this home :')

[@SeaShrimp]

Sure, its a wooden box with a bunch of pots and plants in the pots, NP buddy :)

[@alscritters156]

Yeah I wanna know the blueprints of this house

[@SeaShrimp]

@@alscritters156 jesus why, its a wooden box...

[@christopherlee7334]

@@SeaShrimp Sure, and so's any regular house, but what other than the garden and aquaponics system helps keep this house zero-waste? That aspect, more than "wooden box", is what I'd personally like to learn.

[@SeaShrimp]

@@christopherlee7334 its a wooden box, wake up

[@MariJ487]

Duuude, this is SOOOOOUUU fuc*ing great man!!! This gives me so much hope! Wonderful project of these guys!!

[@boahsarah4929]

Memo to everyone: when you see someone have a moment like this guy did, when he made the mushroom pun, stop a second and celebrate together. this is such a high energy happy moment. A child-like bliss :) glad this guy is putting these vibes there

[@darabounds6671]

I want to move to the countryside and build a Homestead for this experience but these crazy geniuses built this system in a city. Amazing.

[@saranbhatia8809]

Great example.....greater would be happening at a community level where all come together meaningfully!!

[@ShyamSunder-zr7ee]

Excellent word by both of you. Kudos. When we go to super market we buy more than what we Need. And we waste almost 50%. If we have a back yard garden, we will pick only what we Need.

[@capicuaaa]

This is quite possibly the most comprehensive solution based system I’ve come across. This guy’s incredible and this needs replication en mass urgently!! What a genius.

[@turnerkatrina8]

Mate. You are a LEGEND!! If only more people opened themselves up to the possibilities

[@martharinebiseko1457]

Love love all the science and recycling

[@dirrtycobra]

This interview could have definitely lasted well over an hour. There's so much there to unbox and understand. Absolutely love the look and idea. I wonder about the more realistic view of the project though. What problems came up that weren't anticipated and maybe new directions in the future. Awesome house and ideas, just wish it was elaborated on and definitely talk about the bad too, if there is some, not that the truth will sell, but it'll sell me.

[@GardeningAustralia]

Thanks for the feedback Caleb! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@capicuaaa]

Agreed! This would make for a fascinating documentary or docu series.

[@sulistiyono2279]

I am crying and really amazed watching this video. Really insightful yet inspiring. Thank you for uploading this video!!

[@tatsumioga6397]

Actually the demand for such homes exists! Please build more of them ;)

[@madgechiasson8270]

The best project of it's kind I have ever researched. What a great steward of our planet.

[@dulichauch]

low-tec lab and their boat?

[@phantomsuccour]

This gives me so much hope for the future

[@petergilfillan8340]

This is Freaking Awesome & so Inspiring. Well done : )

[@DownwindFrother]

The boy thought

[@suchdevelopments]

Fantastic! We can focus on sustainable futures, all of us!

[@letitiacousens7839]

Congratulations to you for chasing the dream. If only counsels and governments would listen to you. Every new home built should have rainwater tanks and solar panels NO Exception. Imagine where we could go from there. Keep up the good work.

[@originalunoriginal4055]

Water companies, supermarket sales, gas and electricity suppliers... All will suffer if our leaders implementing this sort of lifestyle!

[@independent_bully_maguire9320]

@@originalunoriginal4055 Yep so basically is up to the individuals who want to these innovative things.

[@originalunoriginal4055]

@@independent_bully_maguire9320 yhh but the government will make it difficult. Particularly, when in the UK any infrastructure and redevelopment on properties require government planning permissions which can be very costly. On top of that, landlords may not agree to the redevelopment proposals!

[@2partiesnotpreferred226]

I'm not sure if it's mandatory but every new home I know has rainwater tanks but generally they are small.

[@kikikkollektive]

Nice Thoughts.

[@19smirnofice90]

This lifestyle is the future and this should have billions of likes and viewes. People are still to busy with there social media life instead of enjoying the real stuff around them. Well done.

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks so much for watching!

[@lizzietroup9423]

This story gives me hope for our future.

[@davidwilliams573]

Well what can I say. how wonderful what some people are doing to tray and save out planet. Very interesting to watch.

[@monicakopycka1721]

An ultimate house for many people and dream for me. Wonderful and refreshing idea. Thank you for sharing it.

[@ladyfatimareganit1748]

Now someone can say IT IS POSSIBLE! 👏👏👏

[@tonyloechte9994]

This is priceless I just baught 20 acres outside Darwin and we are going to do our best to be completely self sufficient Can’t wait 😊

[@alecule]

finaaaaaaaly a great example of urban gardening. the yubbys, the mussels, the barramundis, incredible house, I'm so impressed! thank you for uploading

[@kelradford374]

I wish something like that house could be wheelchair friendly, to be able tho grow my own food, to capture the rainwater to recycle the grey water and create a home where we could contribute tho the answer and not just more waste. That is what I wish we could all do, and to build using natural materials as in hempcrete. Now that is what I wish we could all do, to bring us back from that looming point of no return.

[@willm5814]

Fantastic work! Keep showing everyone the way! 🇨🇦

[@patiencemwangi7756]

I am starting somthing like this in Kenya. Its not easy but who is God. I will make it. This is very inspiring. Hope to visit soon and enjoy the cricket falafel.🙆‍♀️😊😊

[@martysgarden]

Always cool to see content like this. I am a full time "WORM FARMER" and teach how to recycle waste on my channel. So this quite inspires me. 😀 I also have a micro farming Agri Business background. So all I can say is WOW, it's really my dream also. Saw the coffee grounds section, so cool. Part of my system is using coffee grounds from the restaurants too.

[@theadventuresofzoomandbettie]

I was thinking of your channel at times whilst watching this Marty!

[@martysgarden]

@@theadventuresofzoomandbettie awesome I want to move over into this space niche more as I feel composting worms play a huge role here. Just not sure how to take it to my audience.

[@theadventuresofzoomandbettie]

@@martysgarden Tricky one isn't it! Maybe just start easing it into conversation more and it will be a bit of a natural progression. I feel like your audience would be keen if it wasn't a shock change.

[@martysgarden]

@@theadventuresofzoomandbettie what do you mean by shock? Thanks

[@theadventuresofzoomandbettie]

@@martysgarden just meant a sudden change, like a shock to the system

[@michelthakur]

What an excellent idea and so well documented. The architecture and interiors seamlessly amalgamate into this greenhouse- what shall I say ecosystem? Beautiful and so contextual for urban areas.

[@9catlover]

i already have a veggie garden and a koi pond...but would love to learn how to create a home like this one

[@jarijanssens5427]

I dreamed a lot of this amazing concept, I really wish people would embrace this way of living more. I absolutely love it! You are a true pioneer and an inspiration for how it can (should) be !!! Make the "dead" homes living and part of the earth instead of being lifeless and useless. Also the fresh food is super healthy and it makes you proud/happier for growing and making your own food. I hope to one day live in a neighborhood like this! For now I thank you for sharing this truly amazing footage and I hope you can continue to inspire more people in the future!

[@GardeningAustralia]

Thanks for watching and we're glad you enjoyed the video!

[@kikikkollektive]

Nice Thoughts.

[@kats.7268]

Awesome! I want to see more of that house. And it wouldbe lovely to have plans or blueprints...they could maximize their impact in providing their knowledge about zero waste homes. Would appreciate it!

[@kikikkollektive]

I agree

[@logarithmic7]

As an outsider (canadian) Australians look like they've got their shiz together! On a whole, your country is really leading the way for many. It is exciting to think that maybe, just maybe, one day these things will be so normal we wont even notice any more. Awesome inspiring video!

[@ScenicWisdom]

Ha! That comment didn’t age well. Melbourne catapulted itself from most liveable city to most lockeddown city

[@ren8240]

This is really exciting & inspiring! 🤗🌏🌱

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad it was inspiring, thanks for watching!

[@RahulBadesra]

wow, this is so inspiring!! so badly need to be sustainable and self-supporting!! this is definitely a goal for me going forward!

[@TheOriginalDeckBoy]

I can't wait to live like this... sooo fantastic...

[@martincummings665]

This house is amazing! Would love to know the cost of the home to see if it's viable option for middle class people to replicate.

[@9catlover]

i wish Joost could come to the UK and revamp some of our houses...like I imagine low income neighbourhoods...council estates...imagine the joy of growing your own food and saving money. I compost all our food now in bokashi compost bins...and it gives me so much enjoyment that i am not wasting food and it goes back into the ground to improve it.

[@quotidiankomorebi]

I so wish builds like this were possible in the States /: but there are so many building laws and zoning laws that prevent amazing systems like this from becoming the norm Thank you so much for this video! A massive inspiration!

[@melody5437]

That's not completely true. You may live in an area with a particularly backward set of building codes, but it isn't that way everywhere. I think we have the first net zero high rise apartment here. A NASA engineer invented the process of cleaning blackwater with plants and convinced his community government to let him build it. I'm sure his credentials help. But we have a lot of people living in closed systems. Harder in an urban area? Yes. Impossible? Not really.

[@r91175]

Very inspiring awesome set-up garden in a small area of land .

[@atharvapurohit3821]

This is truly fascinating! Well done people!

[@melanatedmeditations4100]

This is AMAZING! 😍

[@pamic1211]

ah how wonderful. As an ecologist, well aware of the state of Australia, watching this gives me a tiny bit of hope xx

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

In my mind, Joost solves a few problems all at once. Seniors who want to downsize because they don't have enough Super. Seniors and their families who want fresh food. Seniors who, motivated by their younger families, would like to learn about closed systems and responsible agriculture. You can downsize without moving into the CBD. Joost's approach should be a form of sustainable architecture taught to the elders and involving the family. Well Done!

[@martysgarden]

I agree Craig, just needs to be less complex for most though. Great systems, but possibly a little difficult for many.

[@kikikkollektive]

Nice Thoughts.

[@sin_fc3822]

Idk about a whole lot of this but if i had a closed system with my mussels growing my plants and vice versa, id definately do it. An unlimited supply of fresh seafood sounds good to me

[@jjsoledad8553]

This is so awesome! Now I remember, Matt stone & Jo Barret were the guest chefs in season 12 MasterChef.

[@darlenegerez1490]

This really a good and very sustainable development i ever watch. I hope i can make that in my house to help stop climate change in my way. Because change will start in us individual

[@X9flourishing]

the wood cutting board @ the end!💘

[@supremaaruray1655]

Bravo..ihope people will adapt your idea..zero waste in my xountry..

[@Just_stoptalking]

This is so awesome I wish I had someone to teach me how to do these things

[@Nicwalks]

Wow! Congratulations!👏🏻👌🏻❤

[@dch8925]

Brilliant! I wish I could go eat at this restaurant some day. Then learn how to make a place like that for my own.

[@rudralife511]

So inspiring 👌👍

[@beautifulcrazy]

I need to promote this way of life more in South Africa

[@chrisc5991]

the system clearly what a had in mind when I build my house in the future

[@Hephthehomie]

Amazing. Simply amazing. I aim for what you continue to build, may you continue to thrive and inspire!

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.

[@laurafedora5385]

Would be amazing to live in a climate that was conducive to growing year round

[@2partiesnotpreferred226]

Yeah otherwise you would need to harvest a surplus to get you through the winter.

[@PhilipZeplinDK]

Yes, but... how much did the house cost to build? To maintain? Is it doable at all if you're not two chefs running a restaurant out of it? It's still super cool, and very inspiring. Fantastic concept for a restaurant. But I'm unconvinced that this is a feasible way of living for most people.

[@sabrinawanderer7560]

Beautiful house.. This is my dream too.. I will pack my house and surrounding with plants and livestock so that I can be self-sufficient...

[@davevok888]

So many great ideas to learn from, but I wonder what about the winter?

[@patrickhicks9880]

I've never heard of this man but he's cool I hope we're looking at the future

[@roxiquir]

Amazing! Congratulations and THANK YOU🌱🌏💙

[@arnabrazor1]

I just walked past by it the a couple days back and didn't realise this was so cool!

[@metinoserver4917]

Someone should really make some kind of tutorial on how to do this.. From the beginning (how to start).. to the end (being self-sufficient) Many people could learn from this.. I just think its a lot of research people have to do, before being able to do all of this.. And that point kinda scares me, because i really don't know where to begin and what to do, to get to the point where i can be "zero waste" and "self-sufficient".. Someone with the knowledge.. please make some kind of a "in depth" tutorial (videos or books) on how the most important stuff works and how to get through all of the steps to be able to do this!.. ♥♥♥

[@Keihart]

Honestly, looks like a farm...but in the city. Pocket farm you might say, probably still a full time job just like a farm. Pretty cool stuff either way.

[@RafaelCle]

I really want a full book on how to acomplish this! thats my dream house!

[@GardeningAustralia]

That would be very helpful - Thanks for watching!

[@naylin6451]

Love their ideas and house as well... Cheers guys.

[@blisswkc3344]

Thank y'all so much dearest 🌹 Y'all such an inspiration 🥰 Appreciate y'all from the bottom of my heart 💖 Be Blissful Eternally 🙏👼🌈

[@66652]

Love you❤ all from India🇮🇳

[@premara7]

great inspiring work.THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge,attitudes with us.

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@augustinekopa6560]

Amazing this was awesome to watch and feel inspired

[@GardeningAustralia]

Thanks for watching, glad you were inspired!

[@pangonu]

Love the crickets' falafel, reminds me of some food from childhood, grew up in a place where insects are available as snacks in food markets. We used to buy crickets with chilly and lemon and other bugs called "Jumiles" with a strong anise seed kind of flavour.

[@omejitprathak2966]

Ohhh....​Wowww....​About time someone is doing something for the future. Hard work...​Positive energy... Smart thinking... with Creative ideas and Sooo inspiring indeed. Well done guys 👏👍💪 😍❤️💚💛 I Lovvvvvve​ your beautiful,​ productive, happy and healthy garden...​it's just wonderful to see...​this is happening for real...​good health, well beings...​🧘‍♂️😌Definitely stress free zone for sure... Thank you for sharing this amazing video. 🙏 👍👏💪❤️🧡💚😍😻🐶😆🌳🌲🌱🍈🍏🍎🍓🍊🍋🥦🥬🥒🌶️🥕🍄🥗 Now I really missed my grand mother Omg 😩😭❤️🌱🌳 By the way are you guys teaching Courses in Sydney too 🤔😅💚🧡❤️ Stay safe guys and Cheers 🙏😆😘🥗🌱🍀🏵️

[@germaineludik]

Love it! I have been aspiring to do this since 2010 but was aiming for the countryside as I believe cities are food deserts and also create imbalance in our planetary ecosystem, however if cities had more of this, then I think we could restore the balance

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you enjoyed it - You should go for it!

[@TheLYagAmi]

The worms that eat polystyrene are super interesting. They can be used as an alternative to conventional fish food in aquaponics farms that usually have a bunch of polystyrene as a waste product.

[@littlehomeforest5972]

Agreed. Humans wait till things turns really bad before they will do something about it. We have to think about doing little things to take the burden off our land and make a change for the long run.

[@margareth1504]

I love what you have done would love to make a home such as this - its amazing wonderful

[@AnneliisKits]

Thank you for an amazing interview! This project is absolutely incredible and should be widespread to every place on Earth! I would very much like to learn more about the Greenhouse and all the experiments they are doing, and as already mentioned, a book or at least a full KZbin series or some form of an online academy to learn from them would be EPIC! Would be great to customize it for colder Nordic climates as well! Warm wishes from Estonia!

[@MayraIsabel93]

Amazing story ❤️

[@GZCon]

This is great, I love the concept but not everyone has the time skill and knowledge to live like this. Not to mention the cost of building a place like this.

[@luxuriousfir]

Yep it's the start-up cost that doesn't make this feasible for your average person.

[@staschristiansen2605]

@@luxuriousfir I doubt its the start up cost, its the energy needed to maintain something like this, even if it is a closed loop system. But it is still inspirational for those wanting to do something similar, albeit on a smaller scale maybe.

[@TheClaudiaa11]

@@luxuriousfir It is possible, but you have to start one step at the time.

[@TheLYagAmi]

This isn’t a reason not to try this can definitely be scaled down to be more economical

[@burgurs]

That Mush-room ,room is MAGIC

[@inamargaretjamerlan8168]

this will be my inspo for my dream house

[@lesliedevlin8501]

Omg great show people 👀👀👍👍

[@gailmcdonald1946]

❤️Love your thinking and amazing drive, absolutely so smart,and yes I think the world is definitely are at that point of pushing for change such as this, we are killing our beautiful 🌏🐝

[@PoWeR2thePeOpLe999]

Fantastic ingenious designs being used here and evidently, it work! But how can people learn how to recreat them in our own homes? Please provide links for the construction of such systems!

[@Illyrian99]

amazing

[@ladanyussufyussuf8274]

Brilliance at its finest

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jacintakeeble7738]

Goals!! This is fantastic

[@genghiscarnage1433]

He is absolutely right, 2020 is the year that everything changed 😷

[@jimmy_x557]

Incredible

[@alexwoods4825]

Wonderful video, such a cool house and I love the host's enthusiasm!

[@krinoman]

Amazing project. I would love to live in a home like that but sadly housing everywhere keeps getting more and more expensive.

[@ssruiimxwaeeayezbbttirvorg9372]

0:12 "create a food system that's a closed loop" Close the loop for those plastic barbells LOL I generally agree with the direction, but 0 waste is a pipe dream, and you can not forget about the ppl when you are so much in love with nature.

[@sunayrobinson8381]

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[@amberleonacoakley3225]

I wanted to invest more in Crypto but I got caught up in the dip so bad so I had to dump

[@HomeStead-wz2uh]

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[@emiliamiabouchard2389]

These professionals understand the market like it's there own farm and generate maximum profit for investors

[@laylagregory5263]

Wow I’m just shocked you mentioned and recommended Expert Henry Brown. I thought people wouldn't know him…he has change many lives through trading

[@LisaSmith-ug5vv]

For real I've heard of his trading prowess