EP420 - Headliner

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.

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.

Hello! This is Episode 414. This is Way #14 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. And this episode completes Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure. It may seem strange that we’ve taken a while to get here, given this is where many homeowners will start in their sustainability choices for their project. ‘Let’s make sure we put solar on the house when we renovate or build new’ is a sustainability move many will make. Way #14 is: Use Renewable Energy to Supply Your (Reduced) Energy Needs.  Note the inclusion of the word ‘reduced’ there, because that’s your first priority, and then your renewable energy can supply that lower need. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/414] Now, I understand why solar feels like the obvious first move for many homeowners. It’s visible. It’s tangible. Its benefits show up on the electricity bill. And with rebates offered in many locations to offset the installation costs, they can be an attractive incentive to include. But if you’re doing whatever you want in your home design and layout, ignoring the site and climate, and adding solar before you’ve addressed the energy efficiency of the home itself, well, you’ve possibly heard the saying: it’s like putting lipstick on a pig. Instead, when renewable energy is used in collaboration with design measures that improve the efficiency of your home, it can be a really great way to achieve sustainability overall.  In this episode, I take you through the common mistake homeowners make when it comes to renewable energy, why going all-electric is the prerequisite for running your home on 100% renewable power, what rooftop solar actually involves and how to think about sizing and storage, and the sequence that gives you the best sustainability outcome at the lowest overall cost. 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/414. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/414 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 413. This is Way #13 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And we’re still in Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure, and reviewing our hot water supply. For many homeowners, their decisions about their hot water unit can come in a flurry, and simply be based on what they know. Sometimes it can be handed to the plumber, as they recommend a system, you go with it.  However, your hot water unit is a product that can last ten to fifteen years, and the selection you make locks in a significant amount of energy use and money each year you live in your home, so it’s worth considering the options before you specify. Way #13 is: Select an Efficient Hot Water Unit and Get the Plumbing Layout Right. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/413] Hot water accounts for approximately 23% to 25% of your home’s total energy use. That makes it the second largest energy consumer in your home after heating and cooling. In this episode, we’ll talk about the key differences between the main hot water system types, what to consider and avoid, why heat pump hot water units sometimes get a bad reputation and what the reality actually is, the plumbing layout decisions that can significantly reduce hot water waste, and the specific discussions 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/413. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/413 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 412. This is Way #12 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. We’re continuing through Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure. In Episode 411, we looked at where household water goes, especially in indoor use, and how to reduce consumption through fixture selection and design decisions.  In this episode, we’re looking at the other side of that equation: not just using less water, but capturing and reusing the water that falls on and around your home. Way #12 is: Store and Reuse Water for Greater Water Saving. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/412] In this episode, I share information on rainwater harvesting, greywater systems, and what it looks like to meaningfully reduce, or in some cases almost eliminate, your home’s reliance on mains water for outdoor use. I’ll also share a little of my own experience with whole-of-home rainwater supply, as we’ve been living entirely on rainwater for over a decade now. 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/412. Now, let's dive in! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/412 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.