Ideas & Advice
Nurturing nature
There’s a lot you can do to promote biodiversity when you’re designing a new home or renovation, with clear benefits for you and your family as well as for the natural environment. Ecologist Sarah Bekessy and her colleagues explain what’s possible.
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Ideas & Advice
Naturally lovely
Built with a focus on natural materials including hempcrete, this small home near Margaret River will provide a Perth couple with a comfortable, healthy, low-bills retirement.
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Ideas & Advice
Modern green homes: A short history of energy-efficient housing in Australia
As we celebrate 50 issues of Sanctuary, it’s timely to look back at how far the ‘modern green homes’ of our tagline have come in the magazine’s lifetime. CSIRO building researcher Anthony Wright looks at the development of energy efficiency regulations, how we’re building, and where to next for achieving a truly sustainable built environment.
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Ideas & Advice
Charging forward: Getting your home electric vehicle ready
Is there an electric vehicle in your future? Even if you don’t have immediate plans to buy an EV, if you’re building a new home or renovating it’s a good idea to keep in mind the requirements for housing and charging one. Your house – and its wiring – should last for decades, and the electrified transport future will be here sooner than you think.
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Ideas & Advice
Biblio-tech: Libraries leading sustainable design
Far from disappearing into obscurity as the world goes digital, libraries around the world are being reinvented as vibrant community hubs. The best examples demonstrate environmental sustainability in their design as well as contributing to the social sustainability of their communities.
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On the drawing board
On the drawing board: Analysis of a bushfire loss
Late last year, a house designed by Dick Clarke of Envirotecture burnt to the ground in the Gospers Mountain bushfire. Dick investigates why the house burned, and what can be learned to help rebuild it and other houses in fire-prone areas so that it’s less likely to happen again.
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Ideas & Advice
Climate resilient homes
For the past year, Sanctuary’s publisher Renew has been spearheading a campaign for climate resilient homes, focusing on pushing for much-needed changes to minimum energy standards. Our sustainable housing advocate Anne Martinelli looks at why this is important, what’s been achieved so far and what’s next.
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Ideas & Advice
Broccoli by subscription
People subscribe to magazines and newspapers, so why not food? With community-supported agriculture, you can do just that. This model of food production and distribution connects farmers and eaters, supports local and small-scale enterprises and offers financial, social and environmental benefits, and it’s gaining ground around the country.
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Ideas & Advice
Fan club
Today, sustainable designers agree that ceiling fans can be useful in cutting down on the need for more energy-intensive air conditioning.
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On the drawing board
On the drawing board: Nineties townhouse turnaround
Houses only 30 years old shouldn’t need major renovations. But many 1990s townhouses, often built cheaply and poorly insulated in this pre-energy ratings era, are not ageing well. Melbourne architect Ben Callery tackled one recently, demonstrating what can be done to turn these homes around.
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Ideas & Advice
Getting it right from the start: Dos and don’ts for your sustainable build or renovation
A new house, or even a big renovation, is a dauntingly large project and often a significant financial investment – and few of us do it often enough to become experts.
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