Traditionally limited to small-scale buildings, timber is now increasingly being used in larger structures, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from construction and paving the way for sustainable architecture.

What design decisions make the biggest impact on the amount of heat transfer? There are no real surprises here, but in this article we’re beginning to get into some of the most important design decisions when minimising a building’s carbon emissions.

I’ve been reading about how we define sustainable housing and what it means to get to Net Zero. Let’s look at our national targets and the role that architecture and building design has to play.

The built environment makes up a large portion of carbon emissions, and embodied energy - the carbon footprint it takes to mine, process and transport a particular material - makes up 12% of global emissions. We take a quick look at some common materials in this very short article.

Something has bothered me for the past year or so about how I practise architecture. I rely too heavily on rules of thumb and don’t advocate strongly enough for sustainable outcomes in my projects.

An Intro to Project Phases for your Renovation.

Discover the intricate process of planning and implementing a building project in this beginner’s guide. Learn about the importance of decisions made before starting, the stages of design, and what's involved in the final execution phase. This article offers a glimpse into the systematic process architects and builders undergo to bring your vision to life.

Discover the diverse set of design tools architects use to bring a building project to life. From sketching to modelling, each tool not only helps architects explore design solutions but also communicates ideas effectively to clients.

Learn how heat enters and exits your home in different ways - through conduction, convection, radiation, and effects of thermal mass and thermal lag. Understanding these principles can help you manage heat in your house, especially during a heatwave.

Learn six effective ways to establish a budget for your renovation project. These include relying on your networks, conducting online research, considering square metre rates, consulting a builder, architect, or a quantity surveyor. A well-planned budget is essential to help manage the finances of your renovation project and ensure its success.

Explore how to design your home to better manage heatwaves. Methods include "night purging" to remove stored heat, building with materials that resist heat, ensuring proper building orientation, and investing in tree planting or external blinds for shade. Each of these strategies contributes to creating a more comfortable living environment, especially during hot summer days.

Understand the advantages of involving a builder early in the construction process. Builders offer invaluable insights into buildability, budget, and construction timelines, making them more than just 'hammer swingers'. By incorporating a builder's expertise during the initial stages of a project, you are more likely to achieve a design that is practical, cost-effective, and aligned with your vision.

Explore the fascinating connection between our built environment and our mood. A growing body of research suggests that architectural features such as natural light, views of nature, and the use of natural materials can significantly impact our well-being. Incorporating these elements in our homes can contribute to improved mood, reduced stress, and overall well-being.

Climate responsive design - a cornerstone of good architecture - takes into account a building's orientation, materials, arrangement, and more to ensure year-round comfort and sustainability. We can borrow from international examples of climate responsive design to enrich our understanding and improve our own buildings. By using the Koppen Climate Classification, we can identify places with similar climates and explore their unique architectural solutions.

In this introductory part of our series, we explain the impact of heatwaves on our homes, particularly in the context of the Mediterranean climate of Western Australia. From explaining the concept of thermal comfort to exploring the interplay of day and night temperatures, we set the stage to delve deeper into the science of sustainable housing design.