The City of Fremantle has left a group of hopeful tenderers for a baugruppen development shaken and distrustful after cancelling the project. However one group thinks there’s a silver lining,…
The City of Fremantle has left a group of hopeful tenderers for a baugruppen development shaken and distrustful after cancelling the project. However one group thinks there’s a silver lining,…
In Australia, and many other countries with colonial pasts, mainstream design – including architecture, town planning, as well as fashion, interior, product and landscape design – has largely eschewed both Indigenous design and designers.
In Australia, and many other countries with colonial pasts, mainstream design – including architecture, town planning, as well as fashion, interior, product and landscape design – has largely eschewed both Indigenous design and designers.
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
A new toolkit that will teach tenants how to up their sustainability game has been released by Investa – the first of its kind according to the commercial real estate company.
A new toolkit that will teach tenants how to up their sustainability game has been released by Investa – the first of its kind according to the commercial real estate company.
In choosing sustainable architecture, says Paul Worroll, chair of Queensland’s Institute of Architects sustainability committee and deputy jury chair for the 2018 awards, they looked for “more than the usual adding on of rainwater tanks and solar panels”.
In choosing sustainable architecture, says Paul Worroll, chair of Queensland’s Institute of Architects sustainability committee and deputy jury chair for the 2018 awards, they looked for “more than the usual adding on of rainwater tanks and solar panels”.
News from the Front Desk: Issue No 396 – A letter to the editor during this chilly winter period about firewood gave pause to think. Even more so the beautiful…
1
The City of Fremantle has left a group of hopeful tenderers for a baugruppen development shaken and distrustful after cancelling the project. However one group thinks there’s a silver lining,…
In Australia, and many other countries with colonial pasts, mainstream design – including architecture, town planning, as well as fashion, interior, product and landscape design – has largely eschewed both Indigenous design and designers.
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
1
A new toolkit that will teach tenants how to up their sustainability game has been released by Investa – the first of its kind according to the commercial real estate company.
In choosing sustainable architecture, says Paul Worroll, chair of Queensland’s Institute of Architects sustainability committee and deputy jury chair for the 2018 awards, they looked for “more than the usual adding on of rainwater tanks and solar panels”.
Landcom’s proposal to designate 5-10 per cent of housing around its Tallawong metro station project as affordable rental for a minimum period of 10 years has been welcomed by industry leaders but labelled a “missed opportunity”.
An innovative new study has found that employees in open-plan offices spend 73% less time in face-to-face interactions.
Apartments that can be easily adapted into various living arrangements may be the future of sustainable high-density living.
The search for climate-change hacks is ramping up across the world as the window to reduce greenhouse gas emissions narrows, with scientists in China experimenting with new ways of blocking out the sun.
In the design of the new University of Waikato law school New Zealand architect Eqo Leung, who recently opened a new architectural practice called ArchitectureRepublic, decided to keep the building’s courtyard open.
Talk of Melbourne needing a second desalination plant to meet future demand ignores a much more cost-effective solution – demand-side measures. The value of demand-side efficiency can be demonstrated by…
2
In the rush to reach agreement on the National Energy Guarantee, could all the good work done by individuals and corporations to reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy investment come undone?
A recently upgraded energy management platform from Australian software as a service (SaaS) company Simble is making its mark in the both the Australian and UK markets thanks to its partnership with major lighting manufacturer Powercor.
Mirvac has locked down financial services firm Suncorp as anchor tenant for its $836 million 80 Ann Street building in Brisbane.
If you want your building products to be fully transparent about their environmental credentials and stand out to buyers you need third-party certification.
Procurement practice was recognised by the judges of this year’s NSW Australian Institute of Architecture Awards as a key element in achieving outstanding projects.
Built environment and sustainability champions have been lauded in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
See our pick for the lastest jobs in sustainability.
Former technology advisor to the Prime Minister and NSW Government John Riedl was so concerned by the state of the national energy grid he came out of retirement and joined forces with fellow retirees Greg Irving and John Grill AO to a company that would tackle the huge energy consumption of household swimming pools.
It’s only anecdotal evidence but here it is: one man applying for a job in an architectural studio was rejected because his wife might become pregnant. How’s that for an unintended consequence.
Outstanding opportunity for an organised and dedicated Operations Coordinator, to join our growing Perth-based environmental consultancy, specialising in waste management and recycling.
Do you want to be part of NSW’s transition to a modern energy system?
Barwon Water in Victoria is looking for a Geelong-based Strategy and Sustainability Lead providing analysis, advice and reports responding to the organisation’s obligations, issues and challenges in the broad areas…
The Property Council of Australia’s Western Australian division has appointed Emma Thunder as its new deputy executive director. Ms Thunder was previously strategic planning and communications adviser for the PCA,…
Merran Edwards has been appointed head of international strategy, real estate at AMP Capital, a new role focused on growing the investment manager’s capabilities in global markets.
Green Building Council of Australia director Tanya Cox has been appointed vice-chair of the World Green Building Council, the first Australian to hold the position.
It’s a Melbourne special this week: Rail Projects Victoria is hiring a Senior Sustainability Advisor, a maternity backfill position helping to lead the delivery of the sustainability program across the Metro…
Engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald has appointed Maria Mingallon as technical director for its advanced computational design practice in Australia and New Zealand.
The release of the competition regulator’s report on consumer energy prices may not quite be the news the coal lobby was hoping to hear.
At last, after years of interpretations and variations, the built environment looks like having an international standard on embodied carbon that create a level playing field for products and services.
The government has again provoked the ire of renewable energy advocates this week, with Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg suggesting new coal-fired power stations may be welcomed as part of the National Energy Guarantee (NEG).
Following in South Australia’s footsteps, Sydney has been provided its own industrial-scale Tesla battery.
New research by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has revealed the major weaknesses that place Australia way down in the global energy efficiency rankings.
Despite energy disconnections becoming increasingly common in many parts of the country, the average Australian household still has much to learn when it comes to saving energy and keeping the cost of their electricity bills down.
See More »
In the rush to reach agreement on the National Energy Guarantee, could all the good work done by individuals and corporations to reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy investment come undone?
A recently upgraded energy management platform from Australian software as a service (SaaS) company Simble is making its mark in the both the Australian and UK markets thanks to its partnership with major lighting manufacturer Powercor.
With modern slavery legislation at federal and state levels being introduced in Australia, and regulations and guidelines under development, here are the three most common questions and answers on this topic to help you build smarter supply chains:
Leading companies are increasingly incorporating environmental, social and governance matters into mainstream annual reporting.
China is using market forces to switch from coal to renewable electricity, but its push to replace gasoline with cleaner bioethanol is threatened by Trump’s trade war.
After six years at the forefront of research into lowering the carbon impact of the built environment, the CRC for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) is coming to an end in less than a year.
Although soaring electricity rates are making the switch to solar and batteries for households and businesses increasingly appealing, the technology still hasn’t quite hit the mainstream.
See More »
The search for climate-change hacks is ramping up across the world as the window to reduce greenhouse gas emissions narrows, with scientists in China experimenting with new ways of blocking out the sun.
Across three continents, citizens are working with their local communities to build more sustainable futures for themselves.
SPECIAL REPORT: A multi-million hectare opportunity to sequester carbon is available to Australia right now, but a perfect storm of market failures and policy shortcomings is holding back the potential of agricultural land to contribute to this important opportunity.
The Nature Conservation Council (NCC) is taking the NSW government to court this month over the validity of its land clearing laws.
Driverless cars promise many benefits, including an improvement in safety, but new research shows many people are still not aware of this.
The concept’s easy to grasp. You’re at a party holding a half empty beer – glass, not stubby; it’s a poncey party – and the mingling host tops it up…
Australia’s landscapes are dotted with mature eucalypts that were standing well before Captain Cook sailed into Botany Bay.
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The City of Fremantle has left a group of hopeful tenderers for a baugruppen development shaken and distrustful after cancelling the project. However one group thinks there’s a silver lining,…
In Australia, and many other countries with colonial pasts, mainstream design – including architecture, town planning, as well as fashion, interior, product and landscape design – has largely eschewed both Indigenous design and designers.
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
A new toolkit that will teach tenants how to up their sustainability game has been released by Investa – the first of its kind according to the commercial real estate company.
Landcom’s proposal to designate 5-10 per cent of housing around its Tallawong metro station project as affordable rental for a minimum period of 10 years has been welcomed by industry leaders but labelled a “missed opportunity”.
An innovative new study has found that employees in open-plan offices spend 73% less time in face-to-face interactions.
Apartments that can be easily adapted into various living arrangements may be the future of sustainable high-density living.
See More »
News from the Front Desk: Issue No 396 – A letter to the editor during this chilly winter period about firewood gave pause to think. Even more so the beautiful…
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
In the rush to reach agreement on the National Energy Guarantee, could all the good work done by individuals and corporations to reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy investment come undone?
Architect Kylie Mills on why she wants to live in a passive house in Sydney that she “would not have to heat or cool pretty much year-round”.
News from the front desk: No 395 – Plastic is no longer fantastic – because it’s now creating a serious ecological burden that no one can ignore. The major supermarkets have…
A new certification tool called Fitwel is a building rating system for existing workplaces and residential buildings that provides guidelines on how to design and operate healthier buildings.
With modern slavery legislation at federal and state levels being introduced in Australia, and regulations and guidelines under development, here are the three most common questions and answers on this topic to help you build smarter supply chains:
See More »
Carolita was hurrying down the path to her apartment when she was intercepted by her neighbour. “Oh! They’ve cut me off for the rest of the month! I went O-D…
Diving into The Long Goodbye, a Quarterly Essay by Anna Krien, means buckling up for a deeply personal, highly analytical and multi-layered tapestry of nature, politics and personalities.
Canberra-based science communicator Stuart McMillen regularly publishes non-fiction comics about social and environmental issues. We have previously featured his work on The Fifth Estate, including his comics Peak Oil, St…
Cartoonist Stuart McMillen recently shared his comic Energy Slaves on The Fifth Estate, which looked at the human power needed to maintain our lifestyles. Now he has written a series of…
Dr Robin Brimblecombe and Dr Kara Rosemeier’s Positive energy homes will not only be valuable for anyone looking to embrace some or all of the principles of Passive House design, construction and technology, it is also a fantastic primer on the fundamental principles of building physics.
For any of us that have felt deep concern about the lack of vision in government, We do things differently is a timely reminder of the power of grassroots innovation to create solutions to some of the world’s big challenges.
Former Cundall principal Alistair Coulstock wants to change the way the top end of town does business in The conscious business – how to achieve purpose with profit. There are…
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News from the Front Desk: Issue No 396 – A letter to the editor during this chilly winter period about firewood gave pause to think. Even more so the beautiful…
1
The City of Fremantle has left a group of hopeful tenderers for a baugruppen development shaken and distrustful after cancelling the project. However one group thinks there’s a silver lining,…
In Australia, and many other countries with colonial pasts, mainstream design – including architecture, town planning, as well as fashion, interior, product and landscape design – has largely eschewed both Indigenous design and designers.
Some people think performance-based design solutions are too confusing, expensive or a sneaky way to cut corners. But according to Sid Thoo, performance-based solutions offer a holistic approach that can see buildings meet optimum standards, rather than just minimum ones.
1
A new toolkit that will teach tenants how to up their sustainability game has been released by Investa – the first of its kind according to the commercial real estate company.
In choosing sustainable architecture, says Paul Worroll, chair of Queensland’s Institute of Architects sustainability committee and deputy jury chair for the 2018 awards, they looked for “more than the usual adding on of rainwater tanks and solar panels”.
Landcom’s proposal to designate 5-10 per cent of housing around its Tallawong metro station project as affordable rental for a minimum period of 10 years has been welcomed by industry leaders but labelled a “missed opportunity”.
An innovative new study has found that employees in open-plan offices spend 73% less time in face-to-face interactions.
Apartments that can be easily adapted into various living arrangements may be the future of sustainable high-density living.
The search for climate-change hacks is ramping up across the world as the window to reduce greenhouse gas emissions narrows, with scientists in China experimenting with new ways of blocking out the sun.
In the design of the new University of Waikato law school New Zealand architect Eqo Leung, who recently opened a new architectural practice called ArchitectureRepublic, decided to keep the building’s courtyard open.
Talk of Melbourne needing a second desalination plant to meet future demand ignores a much more cost-effective solution – demand-side measures. The value of demand-side efficiency can be demonstrated by…
2
In the rush to reach agreement on the National Energy Guarantee, could all the good work done by individuals and corporations to reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy investment come undone?
A recently upgraded energy management platform from Australian software as a service (SaaS) company Simble is making its mark in the both the Australian and UK markets thanks to its partnership with major lighting manufacturer Powercor.
Mirvac has locked down financial services firm Suncorp as anchor tenant for its $836 million 80 Ann Street building in Brisbane.
See our pick for the lastest jobs in sustainability.
Former technology advisor to the Prime Minister and NSW Government John Riedl was so concerned by the state of the national energy grid he came out of retirement and joined forces with fellow retirees Greg Irving and John Grill AO to a company that would tackle the huge energy consumption of household swimming pools.
It’s only anecdotal evidence but here it is: one man applying for a job in an architectural studio was rejected because his wife might become pregnant. How’s that for an unintended consequence.
Outstanding opportunity for an organised and dedicated Operations Coordinator, to join our growing Perth-based environmental consultancy, specialising in waste management and recycling.
Do you want to be part of NSW’s transition to a modern energy system?
Barwon Water in Victoria is looking for a Geelong-based Strategy and Sustainability Lead providing analysis, advice and reports responding to the organisation’s obligations, issues and challenges in the broad areas…
The Property Council of Australia’s Western Australian division has appointed Emma Thunder as its new deputy executive director. Ms Thunder was previously strategic planning and communications adviser for the PCA,…
Merran Edwards has been appointed head of international strategy, real estate at AMP Capital, a new role focused on growing the investment manager’s capabilities in global markets.
Green Building Council of Australia director Tanya Cox has been appointed vice-chair of the World Green Building Council, the first Australian to hold the position.
It’s a Melbourne special this week: Rail Projects Victoria is hiring a Senior Sustainability Advisor, a maternity backfill position helping to lead the delivery of the sustainability program across the Metro…
Engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald has appointed Maria Mingallon as technical director for its advanced computational design practice in Australia and New Zealand.
If you want your building products to be fully transparent about their environmental credentials and stand out to buyers you need third-party certification.
Comments
Excellent article Sid. Very useful. It is, as you say, highly misunderstood, including by building inspectors and building industry professionals.
craig Bailey on The misconceptions about performance-based design
ME TOO, KYLIE! The most impressive thing about the Passivhaus we here at PASSIVHAUS PERTH designed here in Perth was the instant impression of 'FRESH…
Roger Joyner on Why I want to live in a passive house
Hmmmm. I find your piece on timber wood fires is very unbalanced. I live in north-east Victoria & see first hand wood fires versus other heating f…
Dan on On beautiful river red gums to keep us warm and cosy, WeWork and the wake up call on meat
Thanks Max, it is an important discussion to have. These decisions will influence billions of dollars of infrastructure and our environmental impact f…
Michael Smit on The amazing power of rainwater for Melbourne’s future (and property values)