Sustainable Design Archives

Green builders: How to choose the right person to construct your home

6 Sep 2019

To turn a great design into a high-performing sustainable house, you need the right builder. Jenny Edwards explains where to look and what to ask.

Building materials

Thin skin: getting cladding right

3 Jun 2019

Cladding has become controversial, but every building needs a skin. What should you consider when choosing cladding material?

Sustainable Design

Adaptable design and why you’ll keep hearing about it

8 May 2019

Houses should be designed to match the way we live, which in the 21st century means being adaptable for ageing, climate, working from home and variable household sizes. Kirsty Volz explains how to ensure your home is flexible and fit for purpose.

Ideas & Advice

Renovate on any budget

1 Apr 2019

Wanting to improve your home but don’t know where to start or how far your money will stretch? Experienced designer Simone Schenkel shares her tips for sustainable renovations with a starting budget of $10,000 through to $350,000-plus.

Ideas & Advice

Energy upgrade: From 1 to 7 Star

8 Mar 2019

Danielle King and her partner were keen to find a way to measure the impact of their renovation, and she explains what they did to improve their 1 Star home into one with a 7 Star energy rating.

Sustainable Design

On the verge

1 Feb 2019

Public meets private in that space between front fences and the road, which makes verge gardens a contested but exciting frontier for sustainable landscape design.

Sustainable Design

Natural connectors: Biophilic design takes root

1 Feb 2019

Bringing nature into our homes and building designs is shown to improve our health and wellbeing – so it’s little wonder leading sustainable designers are integrating natural systems into residential architecture and landscaping in Australia.

Sustainable Design

Mind the gaps: Passive House from the inside

4 Jan 2019

Certified Passive House is gaining traction in Australia, especially with sustainable designers and builders. But why are people embracing a voluntary building standard, and what does it offer that passive solar design does not?

Sustainable Design

Window of opportunity: Costing the benefits of bushfire design

15 Nov 2018

Almost a decade since Black Saturday and the subsequent introduction of Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) ratings, many people are still grappling with this aspect of the building regulations. Building designer Dick Clarke unpacks his experiences with the standard, and suggests ways to improve its workability.