Sanctuary 48 out now: Sustainable House Day special

This issue is full of clever solutions for climate resilient homes. On our cover, prefab panel construction and Passive House performance combine to winning effect in this striking Melbourne home by Maxa Design, opening for Sustainable House Day. Image: Chris Neylon

Coming soon! Sanctuary 48 showcases some of Australia’s most interesting sustainable homes, many of which are open for visits on Sustainable House Day, 15 September. We also explore forward-thinking playspace design, give you a guide to finding a green builder, and present a new feature, On the drawing board, with architect Matt Elkan.

On Sunday, 15 September over 250 inspiring homes around the country will be opening their doors for Sustainable House Day, held each year by our publisher Renew. The event has the same mission we do: to promote green design and equip people with the knowledge they need to make their homes and lives more sustainable. Pleasingly, there are now many stories of homeowners coming full circle with Sustainable House Day. Having attended one or more for ideas and advice, then designing and building, they are generously showcasing their own comfortable, efficient homes in turn.

Adelaide residents Bridget and Ben Whittall even chose their architect after meeting him at the event; their 8.1 Star home is open to visitors this year. We profile several more open houses too, including a beautiful hempcrete home with heart in central Victoria and a compact Brisbane urban infill project with many clever double-function spaces. Envirotecture architect Dick Clarke advises a New South Wales couple on how to integrate the outdoors into their home. And you can visit the striking Melbourne home on our cover, in which prefab panel construction and Passive House performance combine to winning effect.

Rounding out our collection of climate resilient homes are projects including the canny reuse of two salvaged office pods for a holiday house under $200,000 and an inviting shack on the NSW mid-north coast made with recycled materials.

Have a look inside Sanctuary 48

Also in this issue:

How to find a green builder is one of the most common questions we get at Sanctuary; expert Jenny Edwards explains where to look and what to ask. Chris Crerar gets serious about child’s play, investigating the changing thinking behind playspace design and how playfulness can be incorporated into spaces both public and private – visiting some magical playspaces along the way. And in our new series On the drawing board, architect Matt Elkan muses on the value of “lovable, well-made things” and how an appreciation of beauty and quality has informed his recent work.

Sanctuary 48 is on its way to letterboxes and newsagents near you, full of advice and inspiration for sustainable living and building.

And as always we feature a wide range of innovative sustainable products and design tips for your home.

We welcome your feedback. Perhaps there’s something else you would you like to see in Sanctuary? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by email.