Sustainable Holmes

Continuing the conversation with Cameron Grant from Fresh Ventilation , before welcoming co-director Claire Grant — the founder of the business. Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) is booming, but many homeowners are paying more for an ERV assuming it's better. A Fantech study in Sydney found an HRV outperformed an ERV for 50 out of 52 weeks of the year — for most of Greater Sydney and south of N...

In this episode Robyn sets out to answer the question of what is really happening in built homes with subfloors, are we getting it right? Do passive vents works? How do we successfully balance indoor air quality, energy efficiency, bushfire risk and design aesthetics? Fresh Ventilation's team has been crawling through subfloors for 16 years and has rarely seen one that's clean and dry. T...

Nathan is refreshingly honest about the early years of Newfound Building — the jobs he underquoted, the stress, and eventually the turning point when he committed to business coaching through Live Life Build . Simple changes followed: a structured inquiry form, clear business hours on the letterhead, and expectations set with clients from day one. Not complicated — but game-changing. From there, a...

Most Australian homeowners have never heard of a building wrap — and that gap in knowledge, says today's guest, is quietly costing them money, comfort, and their health. John Martin is a chemical material scientist who spent years working internationally, designing high-performance building membranes that are standard practice across European construction. When he returned to Australia and bo...

What if your "difficult" south-facing block could become your home's greatest asset? Or your tight renovation budget could create a space that feels twice its size? In this conversation, award-winning building designer Alex Urena reveals how ancient Peruvian architectural wisdom meets modern Australian sustainability to create homes that truly belong. Alex shares his unique design p...

In this rich conversation, Lisa takes us on a journey through her evolution as a designer—from creating bespoke fashion with her mother, to building and designing five boutique hotels across regional NSW, to her current practice creating thoughtful residential and commercial spaces on the South Coast. What makes Lisa's approach unique is her understanding that design isn't just about aes...

Episode Summary What if the key to truly sustainable housing isn't building bigger, but building smarter? In this conversation, architect Ben Wollen reveals why small, well-designed homes with multiple generations in mind are the future of sustainable building—and why your most valuable design investment isn't solar panels, but thoughtful orientation and a tight building envelope. Ben br...

In this episode, Robyn sits down with Adam Souter from Souter Built, a builder who's raising the standard for sustainable construction. Adam's journey from working on luxury Sydney homes to building passive house-standard projects reveals what's possible when quality and sustainability become non-negotiable. Adam shares his frustration with Australia's "she'll be righ...

Episode Summary Are you planning a renovation but worried about making expensive mistakes? In this eye-opening episode, Robyn sits down with Michael Tibbs, a Mechanical Engineer and Home Energy Advisor from NEST EMPOWERED who's at the forefront of Australia's newest tool for assessing existing homes. Discover why your gut instincts about energy efficiency might be costing you thousands....

Penny Keogh, Eaves Content Agency and Illawarra Festival of Architecture and Design In this launch episode, host Robyn Johnson speaks with friend Penny Keogh about Penny's work in Co-Directing the Illawarra Festival of Architecture and Design (IFAD) into it's third year of hosting some of the most exceptional professionals in Illawarra region to discuss their projects, and to share their...