Renovation Collaborative

Across Australia numerous groups are taking meaningful climate action and working hard to develop inspiring solutions. Today, I speak with representatives from five different organisations from the built environment to find out what’s happening. These groups tackle climate change from various angles, employing different structures and methods. They include formal committees, research groups, infor...

Reducing embodied carbon in all new buildings and renovations is fast becoming a global priority, and in Australia new regulations are on the horizon. In today's episode, we move on to our final theme - Getting Started - and the first of two episodes to conclude the season. I talk with environmental architect, artist and well known Australian climate advocate Lucy Humphrey. Lucy is a director of t...

Careful consideration of water is now a critical part of design as we confront increasing floods and droughts due to climate change. In today's episode, we move on to our next sustainable design theme - Water and Ecosystems. We'll investigate the design of a small extension to an old timber home located in suburban subtropical Brisbane. This project has a very challenging site with overland flow a...

Prioritising health when selecting materials and products is simply common sense, and the best thing about healthy materials – they are also brilliant for the environment. In today’s episode we move on to our next sustainable design theme – healthy buildings. We’ll investigate the design of a house on an off grid site located in Mullumbimby in the Subtropical northern New South Wales hinterland. I...

SIPS, or structural insulated panels are a fast and efficient way to achieve very high thermal performance. In today's episode, we continue exploring prefabricated panel solutions. We investigate the design of a passive house built from SIPS on a very challenging site in the oceanic temperate climate of Wellington, in New Zealand. Architect Murray Robertson, the director of Robertson Architects, s...

House prefabrication using flat pack panels delivers multiple environmental and cost benefits and is the way of the future. In today's episode, we dive into our next sustainable design theme, prefabrication, and we'll explore house design and construction using cross laminated timber. Architect Jae Warrander, director of Makers, shares the story behind his Akaroa Bach: a prefabricated holiday home...

Are you looking for a unique sustainable material with a low carbon footprint? In today's episode, we move on to our next sustainable design theme, Earth Building, and investigate rammed earth construction. Architect Steffen Welsch, director of Steffen Welsch Architects, shares the story behind his Butterfly House project, located on an off-grid site in Rutherglen in the hot, dry summer and cool w...

Would you love a sustainable home but think it's out of your budget? Well, think again. In today's episode, we continue exploring renewable materials and investigate the design of an affordable environmental home built using standard construction methods. It features Durra Panel internal wall and ceiling boards made from agricultural waste straw. Architect Matt Delroy-Carr, the director of MDC Arc...

Hemp has been used in construction for thousands of years, but it's only recently that it’s incredible environmental benefits have crept into mainstream awareness. In today's episode, we continue exploring renewable materials. We'll investigate the design of a hempcrete extension to an existing Federation House located in the heritage listed suburb of Ashbury in inner suburban warm temperate Sydne...

If you thought that straw bales were only for DIY backyard builders, think again. In today’s episode we move onto our next sustainable design theme - renewable materials. We’ll investigate the design of a new certified Passive House built from Huff’n’Puff SITUP strawbale wall panels. This house is located on an off grid site in the cool temperate Victorian high country.  Architect Talina Edwa...

 Building less is without doubt the most cost effective and environmental solution. If you have an old home with good bones, a few strategic and creative moves may be all you need to create something very special. In today's episode, we continue exploring the importance of reusing existing buildings and look at ways to renovate and add value and joy with minimal work. We'll inves...

Actively looking for ways to reuse what is already in place is central to environmental decision making. In today's episode, we move on to our next sustainable design theme, Renovation and Reuse. We'll investigate the renovation of a 1940s timber cottage located in Bundjalung Country in the beachside town of Fingal Head in subtropical northern New South Wales. Architect Rob Norman, director of Sym...

To be sustainable, buildings must be adaptable and flexible. They must meet the current occupants’ needs efficiently and enable rearrangement or repurposing to accommodate future needs with minimal work and material waste. In today's episode we continue our exploration of the sustainable design fundamentals. We investigate the design of a new house on a standard 600m2 suburban site in Yuggera Coun...

Sustainable design begins with the fundamentals. This means carefully considered floor plans that utilise space efficiently and are responsive to your climate and the surrounding site. In today's episode, we'll explore the design of a new house on a small site located in Palm Cove in tropical North Queensland. Architects Belinda Allwood and Allison Stout from People Oriented Design share the insid...

 Reducing carbon emissions, both embodied and operational, is now a design priority. But carbon cannot be considered in isolation. Today we continue with the latest science and investigate the importance of holistic decision making and regenerative design. We'll explore the renovation and extension of a 150-year-old timber cottage on a small inner city suburban site in Turrbal Countr...

Every renovation and new build project is an opportunity to create positive environmental change. But where should we concentrate our efforts to achieve the greatest impact? In today's episode, Dr. Paul Matthew, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Queensland School of Architecture, Design and Planning, will share his research on building for a changing climate to help guide us forward....

Are you renovating or building and striving to make more sustainable and affordable decisions?   Whether you're an architect, designer or homeowner, juggling the current challenges of rising construction costs and the need to rethink design to be resilient and sustainable is very difficult …to say the least!   So, I created this podcast season to find answers that we all need and help in...

Renovation Collaborative has evolved since I launched at the beginning of 2024. If you've listened to my original introduction podcast from back then, you might have noticed that a few things have changed. In this podcast, I explain what's been going on behind the scenes and what's now on offer for the community and architects in 2025. Today I'll be interviewed by my most dedicated listener, my mo...

Here we are at the end of Season 2 and if you'd like to know more about Passive House, today you'll learn some ideas that will get you started: If you just want to dip your toe in, and experience the air quality, temperature and quietness, you'll find out about Passive House holiday accommodation you can visit in Australia and New Zealand, or If you want to get down to business, you'll find out ab...

 How do you design a Passive House in a Subtropical climate like Brisbane? Today’s episode is the fourth and final episode focussing on the design specifics for each of the four climate zones around Australia, where most of our population lives. I talk to very experienced passive house designer Tiago Guerreiro, a director at the award-winning design and construction company H4 Li...

How do you design a Passive House in Warm Temperate climates like Perth, Adelaide or Sydney? In today's episode, I continue to investigate the design specifics for each of the four climate zones around Australia, where most of our population lives. I talk to very experienced Passive House designer Ben Caine, the director of the award-winning practice Leanhaus Architecture in Perth. Ben’s architect...

How do you design a Passive House in a mild temperate climate like Melbourne? In today's episode, I continue to investigate the design specifics for each of the four climate zones around Australia where most of our population lives. I talk to very experienced Passive House designer Andy Marlow, a director of the award winning environmental practice Envirotecture in Victoria and New South Wales. In...

Passive House design is different in every climate zone. Over the next four podcast episodes, I talk to Passive House designers in the four Australian climate zones where most of our population lives, to discover the key differences. Today I start with Passive House design for cool temperate climates like Canberra and Hobart. I talk to Michael Tolhurst, the director of award winning practice Envel...

How do you build a Passive House? In this episode you'll find out about the rigorous testing and photographic documentation of evidence that has to happen on site to guarantee that Passive House buildings deliver what they promise. I talk to very experienced Passive House builder Matthew Carland from Carland Constructions in Melbourne. Matthew openly shares everything that happens on site. You'll...

Passive House windows are not like the typical windows that we are used to in Australia. They require double glazing and sometimes triple glazing, and they open and close in different ways. Glass windows and doors are an integral part of building design, functionality and energy efficiency and they always take a large portion of the budget. So it's critical to know what you're working with before...