On the drawing board
On the drawing board: The Fast Slow project
This project team is harnessing the benefits of prefabrication, natural materials and DIY building to make sustainable homes more accessible to everyone.
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Outdoors
Plot twists: Why experimentation belongs in every garden
Jacqui Hagen chatted to renowned plant practitioner Jac Semmler about the importance of trialling different species in the home garden, why context is key, and how we can do it all on a budget.
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House profiles
Mini profile: Linking lives
In inner-suburban Melbourne, a small but clever addition connects two Edwardian homes to enable a shared multigenerational living arrangement.
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On the drawing board
On the drawing board: Hempcrete homestead
Nicola and Dan designed and built a hempcrete Passive House on a four-hectare homestead in Central Victoria, with an uncommon central sustainability feature: co-living.
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Outdoors
Saving stormwater
You can do a lot around your house to prevent stormwater runoff, simply by opting for permeable surfaces when landscaping.
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Ideas & Advice
Rethinking future-proofing
Sustainable design advocate and architect Shae Parker McCashen encourages you to challenge the conventional notion of ‘bigger is better’ when it comes to truly future-proofing your home.
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Sustainable Design
Sustainable House Day 2025
On Sunday, 4 May 2025, Sustainable House Day returns, offering a unique opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most inspiring eco-friendly homes. We bring you an overview of the event, plus a sneak peek at a handful of the great homes participating.
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Outdoors
Swimming sustainably
Australian homeowners have increasingly been turning to natural pools as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional swimming pools. Jacqui Hagen dives in.
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Ideas & Advice
On the drawing board: Two homes from one
In Canberra, Jenny Edwards and her team are becoming experts in conjuring comfortable dwellings for two or more groups of people from older homes that used to house just one.
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Outdoors
Sweet spot: Sustainable midrise for healthy, nature-positive communities
An alternative to both highrise living and urban sprawl, well-designed medium density is the way to go for balancing the needs of people and nature, says ecologist Sarah Bekessy.
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House profiles
On the money
With just $58,000, Rob retrofitted his 1970s Melbourne unit for far greater comfort and energy efficiency, learning a lot along the way.
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