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Hello! This is Episode 429. This is Way #29 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section of the ‘44 Ways’ series, I’m covering one specific criteria for choosing materials and products per episode. We’ve talked about choosing for longevity and durability in Episode 426, choosing for a low carbon footprint in Episode 427, and choosing low VOCs, natural and lox ingredients in your materials, fixtures and finishes in Episode 428. Way #29 is: Choose for Recyclability and Low Waste. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/429] Choosing products and materials with this in mind can shape your project in a very different way and, when making this a sustainability priority, it reaches far further than many initial considerations, as it impacts everything from the design process, through selections, to the construction site and builder’s business practices. So, we’ll be going through various things to consider and how to incorporate this sustainability priority in your project. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/429. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/429 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 428. This is Way #28 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section, I’m covering specific criteria for choosing materials and products for your home. We’ve talked about choosing for longevity and durability in Episode 426, and choosing for a low carbon footprint in Episode 427. Way #28 is: Choose for Low VOCs and Natural or Low-Tox Ingredients. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/428] Given how much time we spend in our homes, the quality of our indoor air becomes super impactful on how our home feels.  There’s also the increasing susceptibility people can have to toxins, as well as personal values that drive them to make low tox choices in other areas of their lives. So, it makes sense that this can be a selection criteria in making sustainable choices with the materials, products, fixtures and finishes for your home. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/428. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/428 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 427. This is Way #27 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section, I’m covering specific criteria for choosing the products, materials, fixtures and finishes for your future home. Last episode, in Episode 426, Way #26, I talked about choosing for longevity and durability, and the five financial costs of any material decision. Way #27 is: Choose for Low Carbon Footprint. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/427] Selecting your interior and exterior products and materials with this in mind can be one key way to improve the sustainability of your home, especially in the impact that lower embodied carbon can have over the lifetime of your home overall. Calculating the embodied carbon of buildings has been occurring in other parts of the industry for some time now, especially in public and commercial projects. And now, I’m seeing this be considered in residential projects as well. You (or your team) can now do formal carbon calculations that take into account the life cycle of any products and materials you’re using in your home. This measures the carbon used in material and product sourcing, manufacture and production, transport, installation and end of life as well. As you can imagine, this can get quite involved, so it’s great to see carbon calculators making this simpler for homeowners, and manufacturers and suppliers discussing the carbon content of their products. From low carbon products such as timber, through to innovations in high carbon products like concrete to reduce its carbon content, you have lots of options. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/427. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/427 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 426. This is Way #26 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re beginning Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. Way #26 is: Choose for Longevity and Durability. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/426] The last couple of sections have been detail-heavy and chunkier episodes, especially as I’ve talked about the building envelope, because it’s where a lot of the technical decisions in your home happen. Section 6 takes us back to our shorter, punchier episodes.  In each, I’ll be covering one specific criteria for choosing materials and products for both the interior and exterior of your future home. This will give you a roadmap for thinking about your sustainable choices when making material, product, fixture and finish selections for your renovation or new build. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/426. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/426 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 425. This is Way #25 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and it’s the last episode in Section Five: The Building Envelope. Over this section we’ve worked through airtightness, windows, building wraps, and insulation. In this episode, we discuss something that can elevate the performance of your building envelope very simply. Way #25 is: Include Eaves and Window Hoods in Your Finished Home. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/425] This episode pulls together two concepts: the information about designing for the orientation of your site that I shared back in Way #1, Episode 401, our first episode of the ‘44 Ways’ series, and the discussions we’ve been having in this section about the building envelope. Because once you understand how the sun moves across your site, the next question is about how your building envelope is designed to provide the protection you need from the elements on your site. And that’s what eaves, hoods and awnings can provide. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/425. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/425 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 424. This is Way #24 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re in the final stretch of Section Five: The Building Envelope. In the last episode, we went through the types of insulation, what R-values mean, and how to think about products for your ceiling, walls, and floor.  This episode is the follow-up to that: what happens when the product is specified, the quote is signed, and the installer shows up. Because that’s where a lot of the thermal performance of a home is either delivered or lost. Way #24 is: Install Insulation Correctly. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/424] Did you know that a 5% gap in your insulation coverage can reduce its effectiveness by up to 50%?  So, you can invest money in specifying the right product, achieving the right R-value, choosing the right type for your climate, and testing it through modelling. And all of that work can be significantly undermined by how the product is installed.  And unfortunately, once the building is lined, any rectification becomes more challenging. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/424. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/424 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 423. This is Way #23 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope.   Way #23 is: Choose Appropriate Insulation. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/423] The things we’ve been discussing in Section Five are all about improving the energy efficiency of your future home, whilst also supporting its durability, longevity, and the contribution it makes to your health and well-being in your home, through the choices in how you assess, test and specify your building envelope. Over the past few episodes, we’ve covered airtightness, window selection, and how to choose the right building wrap for your climate. This episode is about insulation: the various types and what to know about how it works. Insulation has been part of home construction for decades, and as energy efficiency benchmarks have become part of building and renovating, insulation has been adopted as a worthwhile investment to help reduce the cost of heating and cooling homes.  We’ve done a great job of improving the insulation in our homes over the years, understanding it improves our home’s thermal performance.  But how much insulation do you really need? And where, and what type? In this episode, I share more with you as we go through why insulation matters, what to measure and consider, why adding more insulation may be counterproductive, and how to think about the roof, ceiling, walls and floor of your home for the best outcome. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/423. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/423 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 422. This is Way #22 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope. In the last two episodes, we covered thermal mass and window selection. Before that, in Way #19, we talked about what building tight actually means: why you want a continuous air barrier, and why airtightness and ventilation have to be designed together. This episode is about a layer that sits within the wall and roof assembly of your home: the building wrap. Way #22 is: Review Building Wraps to Manage Moisture for Climate. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/422] Historically, especially in Australia, we’ve seen foil sarking act as this layer.  However, with learnings over time about how this has detrimentally affected the performance of the building envelope, as well as how it has trapped moisture inside the wall, bringing issues such as mould and rot, better products are now available to do this job.  Yet, the industry isn’t up to speed with this, and in some cases, is still installing the wrong building membranes, and using the wrong detailing, which continues to create long-term issues. Getting it right with building wraps involves knowledge of building science and construction detailing, and your climate and construction methodology is key to ensuring the best solution for your project.  So, what I’m sharing in this episode will get you started, but it’s super important to be discussing this in detail with your team. Don’t assume that, just because it’s in the local building regulations, your team is across it. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/422. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/422 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 421. This is Way #21 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope. Way #21 is: Review Your Window Selection. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/421] In my experience, as people go to design their new build or renovation, it can be all about maximising the indoor / outdoor connection, and having a home that feels light-filled and expansive.  And so, the glass windows and doors you choose, in their size, arrangement, design, functionality and type, all become really important decisions in achieving this in your home. And, they’re likely to take a big chunk of your building budget. However, glass windows and doors are also where the majority of uncontrolled heat gain and heat loss happens in a home. They sit at the intersection of the envelope performance issues we’re covering in this section: thermal performance, ventilation, airtightness, and moisture management.  And yet, most homeowners haven’t been given the information they need to make deliberate choices about them. In this episode I focus on the envelope performance side: thermal properties, airtightness, and ventilation. Because when you’re thinking about your glass windows and doors, you’re possibly not asking questions about these things, and they’ll make the biggest difference to how your home performs.  As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/421. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/421 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 420. This is Way #20 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope, A Sustainable Skin. In the last episode, Way #19, we covered airtightness and ventilation. We talked about what it means to build tight, why homes don’t need to breathe, and what ‘ventilating right’ looks like in practice. In this episode, we’re looking at one of the most commonly discussed, and commonly misunderstood, elements of the building envelope: thermal mass. Way #20 is: Use Thermal Mass to Maintain Even Temperatures. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/420] You’ll hear architects, builders and sustainability consultants talk about thermal mass as a worthwhile inclusion in any home. This can include concrete slabs, brick walls, rammed earth, and other ‘heavy’ forms of construction.  Even water-filled features are used as thermal mass in homes.  Thermal mass is a powerful tool when the conditions support it, and it’s designed with the right approach for the climate and site. However, when those conditions aren’t in place, it can make your home harder to heat, harder to cool, and less comfortable overall. In this episode, I take you through what thermal mass actually is and how it works, the three conditions that need to be in place for it to function well, when thermal mass will work against you, why the ground your slab sits on and the finish that covers it matter just as much, and what to ask your team. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/420. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/420 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 419. This is Way #19 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and it’s the first episode in Section Five: The Building Envelope. We’ve spent four sections of the ‘44 Ways’ series covering a lot of information for your sustainable renovation or new build. Site, orientation, breezes, passive design, energy and water selections, renewables, and the tools that help you model and measure how your home will actually perform. All of that work is most valuable when the building envelope itself is doing its job well. This is Way #19: Build Tight, Ventilate Right. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/419] Section Five is about creating a sustainable skin in your building envelope. The skin of your building (your floors, walls and roof) is supposed to protect and shelter you. There’s a science to how it can do this well.  And when you understand how vapour, moisture and temperature move from the inside to the outside of your home (and vice versa), you’ll learn it’s important to design and build a building envelope that suits your climate, mitigates the risk of mould growth, helps maintain comfortable indoor air temperatures, and that is durable and long-lasting. I want to start by taking on one of the most persistent myths in residential construction. The idea that homes need to breathe. Our homes don’t need to breathe. The people inside them do. And they need to ideally breathe fresh, unpolluted air, whatever the weather or conditions outside their home. In this episode, I take you through what the phrase ‘build tight, ventilate right’ actually means, what a ‘breathing’ home is often confused with, what building tight looks like in practice (and how tight is tight), why relying on opening windows alone often isn’t enough, and what mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) adds in a high-performance home. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/419. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/419 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 418. This is Way #18 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And this episode completes Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. Across this series, we’ve talked a lot about energy efficiency, and how, as we improve energy efficiency, we reduce energy use, which in turn reduces the carbon emissions associated with energy production.  At the same time, we’ve got better at measuring the embodied carbon in construction. Embodied carbon represents the greenhouse gas emissions associated with extracting and creating materials, and construction and deconstruction itself. This is the carbon footprint of the home, and it’s increasingly being seen as the required area of focus to reduce the impact this industry has on the climate. Way #18 is: Measure Your Home’s Carbon Footprint. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/418] In this episode, I take you through what operational and embodied carbon mean, why embodied carbon is becoming an increasingly significant part of the picture, and, if your carbon footprint is a sustainability consideration for your renovation or building project, what you can do about it during design, and the conversations to have with your team. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/418. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/418 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 417. This is Way #17 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know we’ve spent the last couple of episodes looking at energy modelling, and how you can use it during the design process so its data-based findings can inform your design as it develops. Way #17 is: Get a WUFI Analysis Done on Your Floors, Walls and Roof. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/417] As well as the positive benefits of energy efficiency and thermal comfort that airtightness and well-insulated homes can bring, there can be a negative consequence of building this way that needs to be managed. When you seal a building up tightly, and you insulate it well, moisture behaves differently than it does in a leaky home.  And if the way your walls, roof and floors are put together hasn’t been thought through carefully from a moisture perspective, you can end up with a problem that develops silently inside your building fabric over years, until it becomes very hard and expensive to fix. If you’ve never heard the word ‘WUFI’ before, this episode will introduce you to a tool that most of the residential building industry isn’t routinely using or talking about, but that is increasingly important from a risk-management perspective as we build more airtight and better insulated homes. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/417. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/417 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 416. This is Way #16 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. Way #16 is: Use Other Options to Model Your Design Before You Build. In the last episode, I talked about NatHERS energy modelling and why it can be so valuable as a design tool rather than simply using it as a late-stage compliance exercise.  In this episode, I want to explore that further, because the required modelling tool for your region may not be all that’s available to you. And for projects where you’re aiming for high performance, it may also not always be the most comprehensive one. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/416] Think of this as a set of tools that help you understand how your home will perform before you build it, so you can make better decisions with your money while change is still cheap. That’s it. Some tools are required legally, such as NatHERS in Australia. Others are optional, available as another measure, data source or audit process. I also want to address something that comes up a lot in the Undercover Architect community: the idea that NatHERS and Passive House are in competition, and that you have to be in one camp or the other. It really doesn’t need to be that way. Think of it as a spectrum. And so, in this episode, I take you through Passive House modelling and what you can learn from it even if you’re not pursuing Passive House certification, how this modelling approach might give you a more complete picture of your home’s performance, and how to think about the Passive House principles themselves as a design framework, separate from the question of certification. I also share some other valuable modelling tools that may assist you in your project, whether you’re renovating or building new. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/416. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/416 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 415. This is Way #15 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And with this episode, we begin Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. In Section Four, we look at the ways you can access data to inform your decision-making, beginning with energy efficiency assessments and modelling of your home’s energy use. We’re beginning Section Four with Way #15: Use Energy Modelling During the Design Phase. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/415] If you’re based in Australia, you’ve possibly heard the phrase ‘NatHERS star rating’ somewhere in research conversations about your project. In other locations, you may have heard about star ratings, or energy efficiency ratings required as part of the compliance process in your project. In most locations, energy efficiency assessment occurs after documentation is completed, as part of finalising building approvals prior to construction. Sometimes homeowners are not even aware of it as a step, until the builder or designer has taken care of it, and they’re presented with the report it outputs.  However, when left until that point of your project, after your design is locked in, you’re underutilising the benefit of energy modelling to your project and future home, and it’s potentially costing you money, comfort, and sustainability performance every day. Energy efficiency modelling can be used as a design tool, and when treated as such, there’s an opportunity to use it to improve your design, rather than just tick a box. In this episode, I take you through what NatHERS and other types of energy modelling actually are, how they’re typically used in projects compared to how they can be used, what star ratings really mean for your home’s performance, and the questions to put to your team to make sure modelling is doing real work for you, not just being ticked off as a compliance requirement. As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/415. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/415 Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.