Sanctuary Issue 50
Issue highlights
- Milestone 50th issue
- Three classic sustainable homes from Sanctuary’s early years revisited
- Seven inspiring profiles of houses at the cutting edge of current trends in sustainable design, including Passive House, natural materials, considered urban density and prefab
- How far we’ve come: a short history of energy-efficient housing in Australia
- Lessons learned from a house lost to the summer’s bushfires
- Nurturing nature: designing a home with biodiversity in mind
- What you can do when you’re building or renovating to plan ahead for an electric vehicle
House profiles
Less, not excess
A smart Sydney renovation uses energy modelling to fine-tune the design and make the most of limited space.
Suburban beach house
Built on a site with a tricky orientation, this high-performing Canberra home is a haven in the suburbs.
Naturally lovely
This small hempcrete house near Margaret River will offer its owners a comfortable, healthy retirement.
A pretty pair
Two Melbourne townhouses were designed with sustainable materials and community connectedness in mind.
Into the woods
This treechange home in central Victoria evolved into a Passive House project, to great effect.
Local support
A small, energy-efficient Kangaroo Valley family home prioritised the use of local materials and skills.
Gone boating
Innovative eco-friendly composite materials and prefabricated construction are the hallmarks of this airy Queensland residence.
Back to the future: Classic houses revisited
Over the fifteen years since the first issue, more than 380 sustainable homes have featured in Sanctuary’s house profile pages. To celebrate our 50th issue, we revisited three of our favourite houses from the early days to see how they have stood the test of time.
Design features
Modern green homes: A short history of energy-efficient housing in Australia
As we celebrate 50 issues of Sanctuary, we take a look at the history of energy-efficient housing in Australia since the magazine was launched in 2005.
On the drawing board: Analysis of a bushfire loss
Building designer Dick Clarke ponders the lessons to be learned from a house lost to the summer’s bushfires.
Design Workshop: New house from the old
Architect Peter McArdle offers some advice to a young couple planning to deconstruct their house on the Sunshine Coast and reuse the materials.
Charging forward: Getting your home electric vehicle ready
Plan ahead for an electric vehicle when you’re renovating or building, even if you’re not yet ready to purchase one.
Nurturing nature: Designing a home with biodiversity in mind
There’s a lot you can do to nurture nature when you’re designing a new home or renovation, with benefits for your family and for the natural environment.
Biblio-tech: Libraries leading sustainable design
Far from disappearing into obscurity as the world goes digital, modern libraries are demonstrating both environmental and social sustainability in their design.
Shaping Sanctuary
Our past editors in profile.