Renovation
From fibro to fabulous
Often poor performing and riddled with asbestos, is Australia’s ubiquitous fibro shack worth keeping? These two families on opposite sides of the country said yes, opting for renovations and extensions that vastly improved the liveability of their humble homes.
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Renovation
Material difference
Homeowner Danny Mathews had plenty of ideas and knowledge about low impact materials and how to use them to improve his period cottage, but he sought the guidance of architect Penny Guild to make it happen.
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Renovation
Work the room
Shrinking the footprint and redesigning and rebuilding one part of this simple beachside house improved its layout, comfort and energy efficiency.
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Renovation
Natural lightbox
With thoughtful passive solar design, ageing terraces can be sensitively revitalised to achieve high levels of sustainability – even if the party wall is along the north side.
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Renovation
Eighties revival
A standard, single-storey brick house in Brisbane sets a precedent for how 1980s housing stock can be renovated to suit a sub-tropical climate.
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Renovation
Passive resistance
A heritage house in Melbourne’s inner east has collected two major sustainability awards, just as a new report highlights the need for existing houses to be retrofitted to tackle climate change.
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Renovation
About face
This mountain home demonstrates how you can achieve thermal comfort and energy efficiency despite being oriented to the east and unaided by thermal mass.
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House profiles
Sitting pretty
This sustainable addition to a period brick home in Melbourne’s inner north is carefully considered to be respectful of the original building, its immediate neighbours and its wider urban context.
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House profiles
Multi-layered living
With very little wasted through the build, this former worker’s cottage has been stylishly renovated to stay cool through the intense heat of a Brisbane summer.
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Renovation
Granny flat upcycle
A Melbourne couple opted to retain and extensively refurbish their solid brick house and granny flat, integrating them to form a functional, generous family home.
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Energy & appliances
Case study: Energy renovation
Retrofitting a 0.8 Star brick veneer unit to achieve an 8.4 Star rating proved to be a savvy investment in energy efficiency and better health.
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