OLD bricks found on an organic pig farm are getting new life at a ground-breaking Bendigo home.

Liz Martin's house is small enough that it can fit in half a backyard and is so energy efficient it hardly needs heating or cooling.

It would have been a sure thing to feature in this year's Bendigo Sustainable House Day had the event not been thrown into uncertainty by the coronavirus pandemic.

The event may or may not go ahead later this year depending on how social distancing laws progress, she said.

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In the meantime, Liz is spending her lock down landscaping.

She has jut finished a new path using the bricks she did not need for her home.

"It's something my father used to do on every house he built," she said.

"I also just like the thought of something that is old getting a new life."

Liz and a nephew travelled to a farm near Hepburn to find blue-coloured bricks after finding them on Facebook.

"I particularly wanted the blue bricks because the house is in an area with a few red-brick homes," Liz said.

"The blue is kind of common in recycled bricks, though not enough that you don't have to hunt around to find them."

Liz's house might be small - it covers at 78 metres square, with a 12 metre square deck - but you should not confuse it with the tiny houses beloved by TV lifestyle channels.

"A tiny home is more the size of a caravan," she said.

"This is more like a two-bedroom Melbourne apartment. That's still much smaller than an average home."

The house might not be tiny, but it is small enough that Liz has been able to plant out a good-sized native garden.

It will eventually give a little more privacy for Liz and her neighbours and surround the house with nature.

The block has been subdivided in an era when many developers are looking for space within city limits for new homes.

"I love that we live in a city in the forest and if we infill build we retain that landscape," Liz said.

The house incorporates lessons Liz learnt at previous Bendigo Sustainable House Days and her own research.

The most important lesson was to find a subdivided block fit for a north facing home that could capture as much of the winter sun as possible.

The house is also heavily insulated. Liz recommends anyone dreaming of a greener home start with new insulation.

This article is part of a series about the things we love around homes. Have you rediscovered something you love during lock down? Tull us about it: addynews@bendigoadvertiser.com.au