When Hamid Samavi saw a disconnect between architects, builders and developers he was inspired to bring them all together under one roof. His vision became a reality through OROSI, his Sydney-based architectural firm with a focus on the sustainable development of real estate.
“Now we do everything in-house starting from investment, finding the sites, doing the architecture, doing the construction and also marketing,” he said.
“By having that vertically integrated system everyone focuses on the main goal which is sustainability and high quality in what we are delivering”.
Hamid says sustainable developments have two key traits: they’re more responsible and more self-sufficient.
One way this can be achieved in medium-density developments is by installing a VRV system (a multi-split type air conditioner). This smart system smart allows for individual temperatures in each room within a unit which can reduce energy consumption by a massive margin. Windows also play an essential role in energy efficiency with double-glazed, thermally broken windows with proper UV protection being Hamid’s windows of choice.
“I talked to a few manufacturers and they couldn’t offer it but AWS was able to assist and create a system that’s financially feasible,” he said.
Hamid said another bonus of working with AWS that they are an Australian-based company. Hamid deals locally when he can to both support the local economy and to receive a product that is produced with a better understanding of the Australian climate. Ultimately it means getting the best quality product, the best service and a product he can be proud of.
When delving into the topic of council approvals, Hamid said getting council approval in NSW for new sustainable builds is not always easy.
“If I bring to the council a project that is saving 80% energy they do not care. I see no encouragement or support from the council in terms of supporting sustainable development,” he said.
“What I see in Europe is many financial institutions allocate 20% of their finance to sustainable development and that’s an obligation from the financial providers that they have to support the sustainable developments but that’s not the trend yet in Australia”.
Hamid said Australia is slowly making some changes such as in Canberra where they’re introducing medium-density buildings without gas.
“When you look at the bigger picture obviously we have to be sustainable and Sydney is one of the least sustainable cities in the world because of the way it is spread and there is no density,” he said.
“The whole construction industry needs a revisit of how we build…We need to consider the building methodologies the buildings that we use and the way we distribute density to come up with a better solution”.
Ultimately Hamid thinks there needs to be a focus on future-proofing medium-density builds so that in ten years' time it can still satisfy the needs of those using it.
If you’d like to find out more about The Living Building Challenge listen to the whole episode of the podcast here.
