Outlier Podcast: Recent Episodes
Outlier Studio
Welcome to the Outlier Podcast, the podcast for everyone who is interested in building better homes. Anthony founder of Outlier hosts this podcast, who is passionate about creating beautiful and high-performing homes. He sits down once a month to chat with industry experts to help educate Australians about the potential of creating healthy, comfortable and energy-efficient homes.
Ever wondered how collaboration is redefining sustainable building? Discover how in OUTLIER + ADAPT Episode 22 with Harris Build. Dive into the importance of team synergy in pre-construction, leading-edge sustainable practices, the nitty-gritty of thermal design, and why industry education is key to success. Immerse yourself in this groundbreaking episode.#OutlierPodcast #SustainableConstruction #EnergyEfficientDesign #BuildingTheFuture #PreConstructionCollaboration #EducateToInnovate
Join us on the Outlier & Adapt Podcast as we delve into the ground-breaking story behind TS Constructions, a company that's reimagining the face of homebuilding with a focus on energy efficiency. This episode takes you through an inspiring dialogue with a leading figure from TS Constructions, unpacking the company's origins, its dedication to crafting homes that elevate living standards, and the broader benefits of such projects. Discover how these endeavours have reshaped the construction landscape, offering insights into the industry's evolution and the strategies that have enabled TS Constructions to make high-efficiency homes accessible to more people. We'll also explore the transformative shift from volume to efficiency-driven projects, the hurdles and milestones encountered, and the profound impacts on the company and beyond. Plus, don't miss the visionary wish our guest has for the industry's future. Perfect for innovators, eco-conscious listeners, and anyone curious about the next wave of home construction, this episode is a must-listen for those interested in how mindful building practices can influence our world.
We are kicking the new year off with a super interesting topic: sustainable property developments. We have Jess Cuman on, designer and thermal assessor in his own business Adapt Design Group, who has done a lot of work for The Cape, Australia’s most sustainable development. We talk about his own personal journey that brought him and his family to focus on more sustainable and energy efficient house design, and what design approach he is taking in his projects.Jess also gives his thoughts on the future of housing developments and shares his wishes for improvements in the building code.After our previous Highlights episodes, we thought this chat with Jess about the Cape was the perfect follow-up. In the episode, we discussed What the weakest areas are when doing a thermal assessment, if they perform As Built Verifications during the builds, what the future holds for developments, and everyone's favourite question; what would Jess change in the NCC? As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
We are kicking the new year off with a super interesting topic: sustainable property developments. We have Jess Cuman on, designer and thermal assessor in his own business Adapt Design Group, who has done a lot of work for The Cape, Australia’s most sustainable development. We talk about his own personal journey that brought him and his family to focus on more sustainable and energy efficient house design, and what design approach he is taking in his projects.Jess also gives his thoughts on the future of housing developments and shares his wishes for improvements in the building code.After our previous Highlights episodes, we thought this chat with Jess about the Cape was the perfect follow-up. In the episode we discussed The Cape development, why Jess decided to move into The Cape, what it was like for him to design his own house, how many homes he has designed for The Cape, his design process, how being a Thermal Assessor assists his design process, and his varied client base. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.ShownotesCape Paterson: https://liveatthecape.com.au/ Adapt Design Group Website: https://www.adaptdesigngroup.com.au/ Adapt Design Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adaptdesigngroup/
Erika Bartak is an ESD consultant and sustainable housing researcher with a background in architecture and a passion for designing and promoting better housing. She is particularly interested in narrowing the gap between discourse and practice in sustainable housing. This has provided motivation for her doctoral thesis investigating energy efficiency culture, and practice within the Australian volume home building sector. We caught up with Erica to chat about how we can support the industry in building 7-star homes. And she provided some valuable insight into what she believes the changes to the NCC will involve in terms of home design for different housing types across Victoria. We also had an opportunity to discuss the requirements around ensuring new builds are actually being constructed to this new standardWith The 7 Star Minimum commencement date looming, we thought this would be the perfect time to revisit our chat with Erika Bartak. In Part 3 of our highlights, we discuss why Erika chose this topic for her thesis, how we can support each other during the transition to 7-Stars, what she would change in the NCC, and what energy rating software she uses. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
Erika Bartak is an ESD consultant and sustainable housing researcher with a background in architecture and a passion for designing and promoting better housing. She is particularly interested in narrowing the gap between discourse and practice in sustainable housing. This has provided motivation for her doctoral thesis investigating energy efficiency culture, and practice within the Australian volume home building sector. We caught up with Erica to chat about how we can support the industry in building 7-star homes. And she provided some valuable insight into what she believes the changes to the NCC will involve in terms of home design for different housing types across Victoria. We also had an opportunity to discuss the requirements around ensuring new builds are actually being constructed to this new standardWith The 7 Star Minimum commencement date looming, we thought this would be the perfect time to revisit our chat with Erika Bartak. In Part 2 of our highlights, we discuss builders managing external contractors, verifying the build as it progresses, how renovations will be affected, surveyors' discretion, and Whole of Home assessments. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
Erika Bartak is an ESD consultant and sustainable housing researcher with a background in architecture and a passion for designing and promoting better housing. She is particularly interested in narrowing the gap between discourse and practice in sustainable housing. This has provided motivation for her doctoral thesis investigating energy efficiency culture, and practice within the Australian volume home building sector. We caught up with Erica to chat about how we can support the industry in building 7-star homes. And she provided some valuable insight into what she believes the changes to the NCC will involve in terms of home design for different housing types across Victoria. We also had an opportunity to discuss the requirements around ensuring new builds are actually being constructed to this new standardWith The 7 Star Minimum commencement date looming, we thought this would be the perfect time to revisit our chat with Erika Bartak. In Part 1 of our highlights, we discuss how home design will be affected, what Erika's thesis covered, what the cost implications will be, and if there were any repeating themes within her interviews. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
We have met Anthony Stagg a few months ago when we picked up our very own Retrotec blower door test kit. Anthony is the director of 2 businesses: Fire Protection Technologies and Energy Conservation Technologies, a company that sells blower doors and provides training to perform residential blower door tests. We are so happy he took the time out of his busy schedule to sit down and have a chat with us about what a blower door test really is and how it can be useful for not only newly built homes, but also existing houses. He even shared some of his own experiences with his current renovation and how he utilised a blower door test to help identify the major weak points in his home. Now, for anyone looking to have a blower door test and some thermal images done to their home, please feel free to reach out to us at Outlier Studio as we do offer this service. But first, let’s get into this episode with Anthony Stagg from Energy Conservation Technologies. This episode was filled with an incredible amount of information. In the second part of our highlights, we cover where you can find more info on blower door tests, the various packages OUTLIER offers, whether Anthony S believes blower door tests should be mandatory, how a thermal camera can give you new insight into your home, and what Anthony S would like to see changed in the NCC. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
We have met Anthony Stagg a few months ago when we picked up our very own Retrotec blower door test kit. Anthony is the director of 2 businesses: Fire Protection Technologies and Energy Conservation Technologies, a company that sells blower doors and provides training to perform residential blower door tests. We are so happy he took the time out of his busy schedule to sit down and have a chat with us about what a blower door test really is and how it can be useful for not only newly built homes, but also existing houses. He even shared some of his own experiences with his current renovation and how he utilised a blower door test to help identify the major weak points in his home. Now, for anyone looking to have a blower door test and some thermal images done to their home, please feel free to reach out to us at Outlier Studio as we do offer this service. But first, let’s get into this episode with Anthony Stagg from Energy Conservation Technologies. This episode was filled with an incredible amount of information. In the first part of our highlights, we cover Anthony's beginning in the industry, his own experience of renovating his home, the different results a blower door can provide, and when you should perform a blower door test. As always, these are only the best bits, so if you would like to know more, check out the full episode on your preferred podcast platform, or our Podcast Playlist on YouTube.
Are you unsure of the benefits of ventilation for your home? Then this episode is for you! We sit down with Joel Seagren from Fantech to dive deep into the topic of ventilation.Joel has a tonne of knowledge and experience working with different systems for all types of homes. He explains the benefits of having a controlled ventilation system, and how the different setups work. He also talks about when to involve an HRV engineer like himself, and how much you will have to pay for the different systems.This episode is a bit technical, but Joel does a great job at explaining complex setups and terminology in a simple way, and using facts and data to support his arguments. There was so much information in the episode, that it was hard to pick the highlights. In the third and final part of our highlights, we discuss the "Boost" system in a HRV, how loud the systems are, what the ongoing costs are, and ask "What about those that are totally against HRVs?"
Are you unsure of the benefits of ventilation for your home? Then this episode is for you! We sit down with Joel Seagren from Fantech to dive deep into the topic of ventilation.Joel has a tonne of knowledge and experience working with different systems for all types of homes. He explains the benefits of having a controlled ventilation system, and how the different setups work. He also talks about when to involve an HRV engineer like himself, and how much you will have to pay for the different systems.This episode is a bit technical, but Joel does a great job at explaining complex setups and terminology in a simple way, and using facts and data to support his arguments. There was so much information in the episode, that it was hard to pick the highlights. In the second part of our highlights, we discuss whether every house needs mechanical ventilation, when Fantech get involved, How much a system will cost, what the installation looks like, and how they commission their systems.
Are you unsure of the benefits of ventilation for your home? Then this episode is for you! We sit down with Joel Seagren from Fantech to dive deep into the topic of ventilation.Joel has a tonne of knowledge and experience working with different systems for all types of homes. He explains the benefits of having a controlled ventilation system, and how the different setups work. He also talks about when to involve an HRV engineer like himself, and how much you will have to pay for the different systems.This episode is a bit technical, but Joel does a great job at explaining complex setups and terminology in a simple way, and using facts and data to support his arguments. There was so much information in the episode, that it was hard to pick the highlights. In this, first part of our highlights, we discuss Fantech's first HRV install, the benefits of mechanical ventilation, commercial vs residential systems, the differences between HRV and ERV systems, and how a HRV system operates.
In this three-part episode, we chat with David Dimovski from David Belle Design. David provides an honest account of designing and building his own family home to Passive House standards. We dive into the details of what makes this home different from a conventional constructed home, including the building fabric, assembly makeups, and how he used Passive House Planning Package or PHPP and WUFI to assist the design and value management. We conclude with some of the low moments, the feel-good moments, and what the future of the industry may hold. This is Part 3 of this series.
In this three-part episode, we chat with David Dimovski from David Belle Design. David provides an honest account of designing and building his own family home to Passive House standards. We dive into the details of what makes this home different from a conventional constructed home, including the building fabric, assembly makeups, and how he used Passive House Planning Package or PHPP and WUFI to assist the design and value management. We conclude with some of the low moments, the feel-good moments, and what the future of the industry may hold. This is Part 2 of this series.
In this three-part episode, we chat with David Dimovski from David Belle Design. David provides an honest account of designing and building his own family home to Passive House standards. We dive into the details of what makes this home different from a conventional constructed home, including the building fabric, assembly makeups, and how he used Passive House Planning Package or PHPP and WUFI to assist the design and value management. We conclude with some of the low moments, the feel-good moments, and what the future of the industry may hold. This is Part 1 of this series.
In episode 19 we speak with Brian and Simon, two of the seven directors of the Sustainable Builders Alliance. We discuss the ins and outs of the SBA, zero carbon homes, and the educational content they provide and look to substantially grow into the future. we also touch on personal growth and the positive impacts the SBA has had for both our guests. It's a must-listen for those looking for a reliable educational source on building better that will continue to provide an evolving wealth of knowledge. This is part 2 of our chat.Show Notes:Sustainable Builders Alliance:https://www.thesba.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/sustainablebuildersalliance/https://www.facebook.com/buildersdeclareau/Anthony's webinar with Builders Declare:https://youtu.be/GWdiHMYC_TQTiger Bins Bendigo:https://www.tigerbinhire.com.au/
In episode 19 we speak with Brian and Simon, two of the seven directors of the Sustainable Builders Alliance. We discuss the ins and outs of the SBA, zero carbon homes, and the educational content they provide and look to substantially grow into the future. we also touch on personal growth and the positive impacts the SBA has had for both our guests. It's a must-listen for those looking for a reliable educational source on building better that will continue to provide an evolving wealth of knowledge. This is part 1 of our chat.Show Notes:Sustainable Builders Alliance:https://www.thesba.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/sustainablebuildersalliance/https://www.facebook.com/buildersdeclareau/Anthony's webinar with Builders Declare:https://youtu.be/GWdiHMYC_TQTiger Bins Bendigo:https://www.tigerbinhire.com.au/
Gary Smith from Ultimate Windows has been in the window industry for most of his career and has seen a lot of change happen over the last couple of years. In our interview, he explained the different materials of windows, of course the variations of glazing, and he also talked about important performance indicators that you should look out for when getting windows for your home. He even shared some valuable insights about how to find the right manufacturer and the first steps you should take when determining what windows you really need for your house. The whole podcast was full of information. We've picked the best parts for Part 4 of our Highlights from the Ultimate Windows Podcast.
Gary Smith from Ultimate Windows has been in the window industry for most of his career and has seen a lot of change happen over the last couple of years. In our interview, he explained the different materials of windows, of course the variations of glazing, and he also talked about important performance indicators that you should look out for when getting windows for your home. He even shared some valuable insights about how to find the right manufacturer and the first steps you should take when determining what windows you really need for your house. The whole podcast was full of information. We've picked the best parts for Part 3 of our Highlights from the Ultimate Windows Podcast.
Gary Smith from Ultimate Windows has been in the window industry for most of his career and has seen a lot of change happen over the last couple of years. In our interview, he explained the different materials of windows, of course the variations of glazing, and he also talked about important performance indicators that you should look out for when getting windows for your home. He even shared some valuable insights about how to find the right manufacturer and the first steps you should take when determining what windows you really need for your house. The whole podcast was full of information. We've picked the best parts for Part 2 of our Highlights from the Ultimate Windows Podcast.
Gary Smith from Ultimate Windows has been in the window industry for most of his career and has seen a lot of change happen over the last couple of years. In our interview, he explained the different materials of windows, of course the variations of glazing, and he also talked about important performance indicators that you should look out for when getting windows for your home. He even shared some valuable insights about how to find the right manufacturer and the first steps you should take when determining what windows you really need for your house. The whole podcast was full of information. We've picked the best parts for Part 1 of our Highlights from the Ultimate Windows Podcast.
For our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Ben O'Brien from Solar Pro Bendigo to chat about solar energy. Ben is a sustainable systems engineer and very passionate about solar energy, especially for residential homes. He explained to us how solar panels work, how much they cost to install, and what current government loans are available for homeowners. This is Part 2 of the best parts of our chat with Ben.
For our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Ben O'Brien from Solar Pro Bendigo to chat about solar energy. Ben is a sustainable systems engineer and very passionate about solar energy, especially for residential homes. He explained to us how solar panels work, how much they cost to install, and what current government loans are available for homeowners. These are the best parts of our chat with Ben.
Today we are talking with Marnie Hawson from Marnie Hawson Photography. In a previous life, she was an environmental scientist with a keen interest in birds. These days, you can find Marnie creating beauty from behind the camera lens, photographing impactful, beautiful, and high-performance homes. All in a quest to contribute to a better world. Marnie is committed to working only with clients who are serious about sustainability, which allows her to align with people who are aware of the social impacts of what they do and are actively making a change. She is B-Corp certified, her practice is carbon neutral, and she is a member of 1% For The Planet. She joins us today to discuss how she found her purpose and provide words of wisdom on how you can find yours too.
On this episode of the Outlier podcast, we're talking with sustainability enthusiast and owner of Ecosky Windows, Monika Rogers. Ecosky Windows is a relatively new player on the Australian market and is already making a huge impression. Monica is the driving force behind Ecosky and she sits down with us today to tell us about the things that make their fenestration systems unique and why we should consider glazing as one of the top priorities during the construction or renovation of our homes. If you've ever wondered what kind of difference higher-quality windows would make in a home, this is the episode for you.
Erica Bartek is an ESD consultant and sustainable housing researcher with a background in architecture and a passion for designing and promoting better housing. She is particularly interested in narrowing the gap between discourse and practice in sustainable housing. This has provided motivation for her doctoral thesis investigating energy efficiency culture, and practice within the Australian volume home building sector. We caught up with Erica to chat about how we can support the industry in building 7-star homes. And she provided some valuable insight into what she believes the changes to the NCC will involve in terms of home design for different housing types across Victoria. We also had an opportunity to discuss the requirements around ensuring new builds are actually being constructed to this new standard
Today we are speaking with Olivia Terziovski principal lawyer over at boutique lawyers one of Melbourne's leading building and construction law firms. Olivia has dealt with 1000s of Building and Construction matters and insurance claims over the last decade. In this information intense episode. Olivia shares with us some of the most commonly asked questions by her clients and some of the most common misconceptions regarding the rights of homeowners. Olivia also provides advice on how you can protect yourself legally as a homeowner. And some of the information you hear today may actually surprise you. This is a must-listen episode for those of you contemplating building or purchasing a new home. Shownotes Boutique Lawyers- https://boutiquelawyers.com.au/
In this short catch-up episode, we bid farewell to a valued member of our team and welcome a new member on board. We touch on why we've been away for a while and give some hints about upcoming projects. We thank you for your patience and hope this answers a few of your questions. Stay tuned; we'll be back with our regular programming very shortly.
We have talked about waste management on this podcast before, and today we want to take it a step further and chat about creating a circular economy. For that, we have Scott Bryant on the podcast, who is a circular economy coordinator for the City of Greater Bendigo.Scott has been an amazing resource for the creation of our own waste management plan, and has extensive experience working in this field in Australia as well as overseas.We start off our conversation with explaining what circular economy actually means, and share some insights about what individuals and business owners can do to help. We also have some great examples for innovative businesses working in this field, as well as some exciting insights into what Bendigo is doing to stop wasting our waste.ShownotesScott Bryant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotttbryant/?originalSubdomain=auBendigo Council website:One Living Principles by the Bendigo Council: https://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Services/General-Waste-Recycling-and-Organics/Circular-Economy Circularity Gap Report: https://www.circularity-gap.world/Ellen MacArthur Foundation: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ Doughnut Economics: https://doughnuteconomics.org/Reblade Scotland: https://www.reblade.co.uk/Revival Projects: https://revivalprojects.com.au/
We are kicking the new year off with a super interesting topic: sustainable property developments. We have Jess Cuman on, designer and thermal assessor in his own business Adapt Design Group, who has done a lot of work for The Cape, Australia’s most sustainable development. We talk about his own personal journey that brought him and his family to focus on more sustainable and energy efficient house design, and what design approach he is taking in his projects.Jess also gives his thoughts on the future of housing developments and shares his wishes for improvements in the building code.ShownotesCape Paterson: https://liveatthecape.com.au/ Adapt Design Group Website: https://www.adaptdesigngroup.com.au/ Adapt Design Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adaptdesigngroup/
It's been a massive year for us at Outlier, and we wanted to take this last episode of the podcast for the year to reflect a bit about some highlights and milestones, and also look at some massive changes that we will be facing next year. The National Construction Code will finally upgrade to a 7 star minimum energy rating, but that is not all! There are also some exciting new upgrades to the energy rating software - and we also have a few news ourselves!
Shownotes FirstRate5 House Energy Rating Software: https://www.fr5.com.au/ Hero House Energy Rating Software: https://www.hero-software.com.au/ Our Research Services: https://outlierstudio.com.au/research/ Our first ever hybrid home open house: https://outlierstudio.com.au/our-first-ever-hybrid-home-open-house/ David from Ecowise Homes: https://www.ecowisehomes.com.au/
Waste management has been a big topic for us lately! Not just because our team member Evangelia has been super passionate about it and introducing a proper system for our office, but also because the building industry is a massive producer of waste.
Around 18 cubic metres of waste come in everyday - from just one building site. The majority of this waste is going to landfill - unless you are working with Rob Holden from Tiger Bin Hire!
Rob has run his business in Bendigo for 10 years now and has dedicated himself to recycling as much waste as possible. He joins us to talk about his motivation behind his business, how he manages his operation and how builders and local government can help with the recycling process.
Tiger Bin Hire Website: https://www.tigerbinhire.com.au/ Tiger Bin Hire on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.tigerbinhire.com.au
Are you unsure of the benefits of ventilation for your home? Then this episode is for you! We sit down with Joel Seagren from Fantech to dive deep into the topic of ventilation.
Joel has a tonne of knowledge and experience working with different systems for all types of homes. He explains the benefits of having a controlled ventilation system, and how the different setups work. He also talks about when to involve an HRV engineer like himself, and how much you will have to pay for the different systems.
This episode is a bit technical, but Joel does a great job at explaining complex setups and terminology in a simple way, and using facts and data to support his arguments.
Fantech Website: https://energyrecovery.com.au/ Fantech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fantech_austnz/ Fantech contact email address: hrv@fantech.com.au Joel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-seagren-97ab1a23/ Book a blower door test: https://outlierstudio.com.au/thermal-performance-check/ Video of an HRV unit in action on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CY-xfcnlUk1/
In this episode, we speak with one of the biggest influencers in the sustainable building sector of the moment: Hamish White from Sanctum Homes. We have been following Hamish for a while, and were lucky enough to meet in person on one of his builds a few months back - the Hempcrete house that is.
We talk about the details of this very special project, as well as about his motivation to become a builder and why he loves the certification process of a passive house - even though it does come with its very own challenges.
He also shares some information about Builders Declare, a community of professionals from the building industry who are striving for change in the face of the climate emergency.
Hamish is a great motivator who is always open to share his insights, and that's exactly what he did with us. We hope you enjoy our conversation.
Get ready for a massive deep talk into the ins and outs of how the people behind the scenes calculate the performance of a home. We sat down with Emilia Iacovino from Detail Green, who is not only a thermal assessor, but also a PHPP pro and an engineer with a passion for sustainability. We spoke about the differences in assessing a house under the national energy rating scheme, and using the passive house planning package, as well as her insights on how these systems can – and should be – improved. Spoiler alert – she is also currently getting her accreditation to become a passive house certifier, so I am sure this is not the last you will have heard from her on our podcast.
There is no denying that it gets progressively colder outside – and unfortunately for many homeowners, inside as well. With dropping temperatures, the need to improve a home’s thermal performance and insulation is becoming bigger and bigger. Which is why we decided to bring our trusted builder David from Ecowise Homes back on the pod and grill him about what options there are to winter-proof a home – with small budgets and little knowledge in mind. I am sure there are more than a few valuable tips in this episode that you can use to get through winter in a more comfortable and affordable way. One more note, as Anthony has both design as well as building knowledge, it simply made sense to have him take the lead with the questions in this episode.
You can find all show notes and a transcript of the episode on our podcast page: https://outlierstudio.com.au/episode-07/
We have met Anthony Stagg a few months ago when we picked up our very own Retrotec blower door test kit. Anthony is the director of 2 businesses: Fire Protection Technologies and Energy Conservation Technologies, a company that sells blower doors and provides training to perform residential blower door tests. We are so happy he took the time out of his busy schedule to sit down and have a chat with us about what a blower door test really is and how it can be useful for not only newly built homes, but also existing houses. He even shared some of his own experiences with his current renovation and how he utilised a blower door test to help identify the major weak points in his home. Now, for anyone looking to have a blower door test and some thermal images done to their home, please feel free to reach out to us at Outlier studio as we do offer this service. But first, let’s get into this episode with Anthony Stagg from Energy Conservation Technologies.
Everyone who has talked to me in the last year or two has probably gotten an earful about windows. I am known to be the crazy window gal amongst my friends, and I finally got to properly nerd out with a real life professional. Gary Smith from Ultimate Windows has been in the window industry for most of his career and has seen a lot of change happen over the last couple of years. In our interview, he explained the different materials of windows, of course the variations of glazing, and he also talked about important performance indicators that you should look out for when getting windows for your home. He even shared some valuable insights about how to find the right manufacturer and the first steps you should take when determining what windows you really need for your house.
This is a good one! In the first episode of 2022, we sat down with Ben O'Brien from SolarPro Bendigo to talk about solar energy. Ben is a sustainable systems engineer and very passionate about solar energy, especially for residential homes. He explained to us how solar panels work, how much they cost to install, and what current government loans are available for homeowners. On top of that, he had to answer a couple of very spicy questions to help our listeners determine once and for all: Is solar energy really worth it?
In the last episode of 2021, we discuss the environmental pros and cons for renovating vs rebuilding a home. Then we go into a little reflection of what the year has been like for us, and we make some very exciting announcements to look out for in 2022. Happy Holidays and happy new year!
In the last episode, we spoke about our approach to designing efficient homes and mentioned the term hybrid home. So, we decided to elaborate a bit on what that means to us, and how these high performance homes are different to conventional builds as well as passive houses. It is a brief talk, but we managed to touch on what high performance means to us, why it is so important and why we believe this is the way to go in the future.
People love the idea of energy efficient houses, but are afraid of the potentially high extra building cost. Building designer Anthony and builder David explain how much it really costs to build a high-performing house in Australia and clean up some of the myths surrounding passive houses.