Ever wanted to know the true secret to building a genuinely sustainable home?
Sustainable homes are houses that allow their occupants to reduce their waste, conserve their energy consumption, and reduce their contributions to environmental damage.
Making a home sustainable starts right at the beginning of the construction process. Sustainable home builders will use green materials, energy-efficient designs, and new techniques to achieve this result.
Let's take a look at sustainable home building in Australia and a few of the builders who have begun focusing on this type of home building.
What is sustainable building?
Sustainable building is the practice of designing and constructing homes with the least negative impact on the environment. This includes improving efficiency in the usage of water and energy and minimising wastage. The goal is to create homes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout their entire lifespan.
More than just a trend, sustainable building has become a necessary step for the future. Environmental challenges have been rocking the world recently. The construction industry has been a big contributor to these issues, so it's only fair that they innovate to stop the problem at its roots.
Be that as it may, there is an ample number of terms drawing from the ecosystem of sustainability. So, what sets these words apart from one another? Let's talk about them below.
- Sustainable. This term incorporates all the activities that aim to be less environmentally damaging. They usually encompass long-term strategies in embracing efficiency measures for energy, saving resources, and reduction in waste.
- Green. Frequently used as an alternative to the word sustainable. Officially, though, it should apply only to eco-friendly, "natural" practices and materials. For example, wood is a green resource. Aluminium is also eco-friendly, but since it's a metal, it's technically not green. (Fun fact: aluminium is often nicknamed the 'green metal' for this reason.)
- Eco-Friendly. Refers to products and practices that don't cause harm to the environment. As mentioned above, both wood and aluminium are considered eco-friendly building materials.
- Energy Efficient. Anything that doesn't consume much energy. In the context of homes, though, these are houses designed to use less heating and cooling. They may also use appliances that are rated as being energy efficient.
- Passive. This is a relatively new term. In construction lingo, passive refers to designs that focus on using natural conditions to maintain a home. For example, using sunlight instead of electrical lighting and windows for ventilation instead of air conditioners.
Sustainable home builders in Australia
Fortunately, Australia has been pretty open and welcoming in addressing sustainable building.
Sustainable building has gained popularity in Australia because people have become more conscious of their individual responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint.
That said, though the country has come up with and implemented concrete steps, there's still always room for improvement compared to other global leaders.
Are sustainable buildings popular in Australia?
Sustainable building practices are becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Homeowners are gradually understanding the advantage of these types of homes to help save on energy bills, to acquire quality indoor air, and to reduce the house's carbon footprint. Such demands for such houses have even been known to put pressure on builders to adopt greener practices.
Is sustainable building profitable for builders?
Sustainable building can be profitable for builders. Although it would make them incur more cost initially on the use of environmentally friendly building materials and technologies, it does offer them savings on energy and maintenance costs in the long-term.
Additionally, sustainable homes often have higher market value and appeal to a growing segment of eco-conscious buyers. If they can tap into that, they get a market that's very much willing to pay top dollar in the name of saving the environment.
Australia vs. the rest of the world
Australia is making notable progress in sustainable building. It's not yet a global leader, though.
Countries that are often touted as the pioneers of sustainable building include Germany and Sweden.
However, Australia is slowly playing catch-up, with numerous initiatives and regulations in place toward the adoption of green building practices.
5 Sustainable Home Builders in Australia
Next are the five foremen of sustainable homes in Australia, with each resolute in the desire to lessen the environmental effects in each of their projects:
1. Green Homes Australia
Founded: 2006
Goals: To be a leading homebuilder in energy-efficient and environmentally friendly housing.
Sustainability: Green Homes Australia is an award-winning company that constructs homes exceeding national standards for energy efficiency. They focus on reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainable living.
Projects: They have projects throughout the country and deliver homes with features like solar power, rainwater harvesting systems, and sustainable building materials.
Website: Green Homes Australia
2. SJD Homes
Founded: 2007
Goals: Building energy-conserving sustainable housing.
Sustainability: SJD Homes is a certified carbon-neutral company that uses sustainable materials and innovative designs. They prioritise energy conservation, water preservation, and minimising carbon footprints.
Projects: With a number spread across Victoria, their projects include homes with solar panels, rainwater tanks, and energy-conserving appliances.
Website: SJD Homes
3. ArchiBlox
Founded: 2008
Goals: Design and build beautiful, sustainable, innovative prefabricated housing.
Sustainability: ArchiBlox homes are built in accordance with passive solar principles, using highly insulating, eco-friendly materials. Their prefabrication process reduces waste and shortens construction time.
Projects: Located in Victoria, they have built small eco-friendly cabins to large family homes.
Website: ArchiBlox
4. Sustainable Homes Melbourne
Founded: 2014
Goals: To design affordable, energy-efficient, and comfortable homes.
Sustainability: They incorporate passive solar design, energy-efficient windows, and sustainable building materials in their homes, making them comfortable in all seasons without excessive energy use.
Projects: Based in Melbourne, they have completed numerous projects that showcase their commitment to sustainability.
Website: Sustainable Homes Melbourne
5. The Sociable Weaver
Founded: 2016
Goals: To create beautiful, sustainable homes that nurture well-being.
Sustainability: The Sociable Weaver builds homes using non-toxic, natural materials, creating healthy living spaces. They incorporate solar power, rainwater harvesting, and passive design principles.
Projects: Their projects in Victoria range from individual homes to community developments.
Website: The Sociable Weaver
The future of sustainable home building
Sustainable home building is essential for a greener future as it reduces our environmental impact.
As more residents are recognising the benefits of being more green or eco-friendly, more builders are taking notice of it as well. And the results are amazing —by focusing on sustainable practices, they're essentially creating homes that aren't just environmentally friendly, but also attractive to live in.
We're certain that we'll see more innovation and adoption of eco-friendly building practices as time goes by. So, whether you're building a new home or renovating your current one, think about how you can incorporate sustainable options! Both your wallet and the environment will thank you for it.
