Rent-free smart home up for grabs

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THE search is on for a family to live in Australia's first ever smart home.

The three-bedroom home in Newington, in Sydney's west, comes with rooftop solar panels, a fuel cell that converts natural gas into electricity, water saving appliances, state-of-the-art lighting and a worm farm.

An electric car is an added bonus.

The NSW government wants a family to live in the house rent free for a year, while keeping a blog on the pros and cons of the home.

Advertisements by Sydney Water and Energy Australia are asking for applications from people who are experienced writers, but don't specify what kind of writing.

"This is a groundbreaking project that will help us see what works and what doesn't for a real family so that we can plan for the households of the future," Energy Minister John Robertson said in a statement on Monday.

The home is being fitted out over the coming months, and is expected to welcome its first tenants in the middle of the year.

Interested families can go to www.tenderlink.com/energy to apply for the chance to live in the home.