October 22, 2021

Sustainable Homes Challenge: Meet Nicole Ellingburg

Hi, I’m Nicole and I am part of Team B in the Sustainable Homes Challenge. I am currently in my first year of a Bachelor of Sustainable Communities and really enjoying it. I chose this degree as I am very interested and worried in the state of the world, and I want to be part of the group that makes a positive change to the way we are currently heading. So that the world is still liveable and affordable for my son and his future family.

I am not new to university and have completed degrees in human movement and exercise science in my youth. After working in the health and sport field for most of my life, I knew I wanted a change but didn’t know what that was going to be or what shape it would take. Then I enrolled in a Tiny House Building Course, and over the course of that week I found both my people and my mojo again. Building a house from recycled materials and being surrounded by people passionate about sustainable living literally put a smile back on my face and gave me a new direction to move forward in.

Fast forward to now and not only am I doing a degree I really enjoy, I am also now in the Sustainable Homes Challenge where we literally get to design a house from waste. The only way to make this better was if we actually got to build it the house a well, but hey I can dream. In fact, designing, making, planning affordable and sustainable housing for disadvantaged groups is where I would love to see my new career going.

Speaking of the Sustainable Homes Challenge, I am really enjoying the content, although I have to admit it is a bit heavy going it is really interesting. I think my favourite live session was the Q & A session with Makrita Solitei, it was fascinating to listen to her.  I also found the live session with Jade Kennedy really interesting as well, not just in relation to the Indigenous community, but also how what he discussed could be so broadly used when considering and interpreting the housing needs of any person or population.

The content of the education modules has also challenged me to think of other things involved in planning and building a house. This image really highlighted to me all the things I didn’t know that were important to consider when planning/designing a sustainable house for any occupant.  It also showed me all my knowledge gaps and how complicated and interrelated all the pieces of the puzzle were. Although I am still trying to get my head around many of these things, I am very thankful for the modules, my mentor and teammates who are helping me make sense of all this new information.

I am really enjoying being a part of this project, I am loving all the new things I am learning, the friends I am making, and the different knowledge bases and perspectives we all have on the same problem. I can’t wait to see what all the teams create for their designs and hopefully we can all catchup and meet in person soon.