Eco-house exercise in efficiency, economy

After months of couch-surfing, renovating, and rushing to meet consent deadlines, Nelson and Dani Lebo have finally moved into their Castlecliff home.

The couple, originally from New Hampshire in the United States, have spent the past six months doing up the run-down house in an environmentally sustainable, energy efficient and cheap way.

The house was built in 1910 and had been abandoned for 10 years when the Lebos bought it. But they could see its potential - it faces north to catch plenty of sunlight and is structurally sound.

While there's plenty of work still to be done on the house, it is almost fully plumbed and has electricity, and the Lebos moved in a couple of weeks ago.

The untamed wilderness that was their back garden now has a pen full of ducks - useful for eggs, manure and pest control - a thriving vegetable garden, and an outdoor pizza oven made almost entirely of recycled materials.

The old totara planks of the back deck have been re-used to make a stylish wind-break.

The house has a functioning kitchen and bathroom now, and a solar hot water system. All the walls have been insulated. The ceiling will be insulated in the next couple of months.

The house also has guttering - all of it second-hand but in perfect condition.

The Lebos see the eco-thrifty renovations as a community project, and are running workshops on permaculture and sustainability on their property.

They're getting to know their neighbours and hope to fire up the pizza oven for their street soon.

"We're going to have a BYOT party - bring your own [pizza] toppings," Mr Lebo said.

Over the past few weeks the Lebos have had some help with their renovations in the form of two interns from the United States, Amy Lamb and John Wright.

Both university graduates, Ms Lamb and Mr Wright, who have an interest in environmental sustainability, have been doing all kinds of building and gardening projects on the Lebos' property.

"I've become quite good with a hammer," Ms Lamb said.

Mr Lebo said the next major project to do on the house was install a multi-fuel stove in the kitchen, which will be used for both cooking and heating.