1 min read

7 Star Energy Designs

By Jamie Bonnefin on Aug 3, 2022 1:41:12 PM

With the new NatHERs minimum set to change to a 7-star energy rating, you may be wondering how to go about building a new house that meets the target. 

Topics: Architecture NatHERS Construction Energy Efficiency
4 min read

Eaves and thermal comfort

By Jamie Bonnefin on May 12, 2021 11:44:47 AM

Building for the Australian Climate.

A building’s access to sunlight is one of the leading factors contributing to its thermal comfort, with the amount of direct sunlight that the building receives greatly influencing the passive heating and cooling factors. However, as the sun’s path varies seasonally, accounting for the required direct sunlight a building needs becomes difficult. The eaves of building construction can maintain great benefits if used correctly.

Topics: ESD BASIX NatHERS Accreditations Construction Energy Efficiency Residential
2 min read

Promoting Sustainability in Indigenous Communities

By Chloe Huang on Nov 8, 2019 10:00:00 AM

The $500 million Indigenous Infrastructure Investment Fund (IIIF) allocated to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups can be used not only to increase their economic participation, but also promote sustainability in critical resources they have no or limited access to. In this article, we will dig deep into how the funding can be used to promote sustainability in Indigenous communities.

Topics: ESD BASIX NatHERS Sustainability Construction Energy Efficiency Residential Commercial
2 min read

How the Australian Architects Climate Emergency will Affect Builders

By Chloe Huang on Sep 23, 2019 11:00:00 AM

A large proportion of Australian architects have followed suit with their English counterparts developing Declare Australia in an attempt to promote a self-sustaining and constantly regenerating environment for future generations. But, what impacts will this have for property developers and builders going forward?

Topics: Architecture Construction Energy Efficiency Climate Opinion Residential
6 min read

FIFA’s Impact on Building Sustainable Stadiums

By Jamie Bonnefin on Oct 24, 2018 4:32:48 PM

Figure 1shows FIFA World Cup trophy and official football (1)

Topics: ESD Architecture Sustainability Construction Structure Energy Energy Efficiency
4 min read

Green Architecture: How much is too much?

By Ilvy Bonnefin on Jan 25, 2017 4:37:07 PM

Environmentally Responsive Design and Green Architecture

 

Sustainability and environmental performance goals are presently major contributing factors to design choices. Each new building attempts to take one step further in being even more environmentally conscious than the last. Although this process is extremely beneficial to the environment and surrounding ecosystem, where is this race to create a totally “Green building” heading? Structures are now emerging that look more like nature than building, with towering green walls and sprawling roof gardens disguising any distinguishable architectural element. This raises the question, are we going over board? Surely sustainable design does not mean a building which is literally green.

Topics: Design ESD Sustainability Construction
2 min read

Green Roofs: New Materials and BASIX

By Jamie Bonnefin on Nov 4, 2016 4:24:06 PM

Ever growing in popularity, green roofs and green infrastructure are becoming more and more common in architectural practice, used for both their aesthetic value, reclaiming a traditionally underutilised space, as well as for their innate thermal performance qualities improving the thermal comfort of a building whilst also promoting biodiversity.

 

Topics: BASIX Emerging Materials Accreditations Construction Residential
2 min read

Materials and BASIX: Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC)

By Jamie Bonnefin on Oct 28, 2016 4:20:15 PM

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC)

Being conscious about the amount of raw materials used in building products is a key concept when trying to design efficiently, aiming to reduce the overall embodied energy of materials. Autoclaved Aerated Concrete or as it is more commonly known AAC, is an example of a building material that aims to reduce the overall raw material requirements whilst maintaining as many of the original product's structural and functional properties. This is achieved by creating air pockets within the concrete (aeration). These pockets of air have many benefits besides just reducing the amount of materials required to manufacture it.

Topics: Design BASIX Emerging Materials NatHERS Accreditations Construction
5 min read

Passive Cooling: Ventilation and Vegetation

By Jamie Bonnefin on Sep 2, 2016 2:02:33 PM

One of the most influential factors to consider when studying ecologically sustainable development, is the advantageous affect that passive cooling and heating can have on the efficiency of a home. This involves the careful selection of materials appropriate to the climate in which the building is situated, the thorough consideration of the orientation of the building to allow adequate ventilation and appropriate solar heat gain and various other factors. By considering all of these aspects the efficiency of the building can increase dramatically, whilst also drastically decreasing the cost of heating and cooling the building.

Topics: ESD BASIX Sustainability Accreditations Construction Residential
4 min read

5 Ways to Avoid Double Glazing On Your Next NatHERS Project

By Jamie Bonnefin on Jun 29, 2016 11:14:20 AM

One of our most frequent requests from our clients is to reduce or remove the requirements of double glazing on their projects. Double Glazing can cost up to twice the amount of single glazing and on some projects it can tip the feasibility scales. Every year it seems the ever improving Energy Efficiency - Section J of the National Construction Code and the National Thermal Comfort (NatHERS) regulations are making it increasingly difficult to avoid specifying double glazing. However, at Certified Energy we have 5 tried and true tips that will go a long way to avoid specifying double glazing on your next project.

Topics: Design NatHERS Accreditations Construction