Ideas & Advice
Experts explore: Uta Green on using her new studio as a testing ground
Uta Green explains the design process for her practice’s new studio in Hobart, including using iterative energy ratings to optimise the small building’s performance.
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House profiles
Space upgrade
Architect Emma Scragg designed a modest two-storey rear addition to a Brisbane home that has a large impact on how the homeowners live, and minimal impact on the existing house.
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Ideas & Advice
Beating bushfire: Retrofitting for safer homes in fire-prone areas
Architect and bushfire design expert Nigel Bell outlines what owners of existing houses can do to improve their homes’ chances of surviving a fire.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: A higher-performing volume build
Kirsten and James are keen to make the project home they’re planning in Camberwell, Victoria, as energy-efficient and comfortable as possible, and have budgeted for some upgrades. Architect Penny Guild and ESD consultant Erika Bartak give the couple some advice on achievable tweaks to improve their home’s performance.
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Ideas & Advice
Avoiding the winter cold: Housing retrofits as a health intervention
As well as reducing your energy bills and your carbon footprint, upgrading your home’s building envelope can have a positive effect on your health and wellbeing. Health researcher Dr Toby Cumming explains.
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Ideas & Advice
On the drawing board: Testing out 10 Stars
What does it look like to aim for the top of the Star rating scale, and can it be done without costing an arm and a leg? Builder Craig Riddle set out to design and build a very high-performing house using iterative energy rating assessments, careful construction and standard, readily available materials.
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Ideas & Advice
Volume-built wins: Steps to a more sustainable project home
Many people look to volume builders as an affordable option for their new home – but how do you achieve your sustainability goals with this mass-market product? ESD consultant and housing researcher Erika Bartak explains the easy wins, the pitfalls to avoid, and the important questions to ask.
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Outdoors
Nourished by nature: Garden design for mental health and wellbeing
There’s plenty of evidence that connection with nature is beneficial for both mind and body. We speak to the experts about designing gardens for improved mood and wellbeing, and what we can do at home to create green spaces that give back in a therapeutic way.
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Ideas & Advice
A knotty issue: Responsibly sourced timber
While timber is a renewable resource, its harvesting is often associated with deforestation practices that are harmful to the environment. We look at the current state of sustainable timber in Australia, and how to make sure the wood you use for your build is as responsible as possible.
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Ideas & Advice
In the line of fire: Garden design to reduce the threat of bushfire
Increased risk of bushfire may be the new normal in many parts of Australia. Still, there are plenty of things you can do in your garden to give your house a better chance of survival if a fire does hit.
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Ideas & Advice
Closing the performance gap: Passive House for schools
Australian schools are underperforming in terms of energy efficiency and indoor environment quality. We talk to some architects who believe that the rigorous Passive House standard could help turn that around.
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