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Sustainability
Yes, that’s my circa 1920's home-office above. It is a renovated Californian bungalow; originally it would've been single storey and all double brick. For most of the year, the house's thermal performance is good. It has good subfloor ventilation, that keeps it cool in summer and has enough thermal mass in the brick to stay warm in winter. That is most of the time. On extremely hot days the double brick will heat up and stay hot until the next cold day which can be weeks away. Also, due to the age of the home it is designed to be ventilated (1920's kerosene heaters and such), so it's hard to seal up against the cold.

There are lots of questions you should be asking when thinking about a renovation or a new home. For eaxample, how do I make sure, that the house i'm building and will eventually live in, is good for my family's health while not wasting money and resources? How can my house improve my environment? It is an important question, not only for you but the whole world.

More questions you may ask:
  • Bigger is better, right? ... I mean a 5 bedroom house is better than a 4 bedroom house? Just like a bigger block? It costs more, but now i’m thinking it through... all that cleaning, lawn mowing time, cost and maintenance. How big a house would you recommend to get the right balance for my family’s needs?  
  • Years ago my Dad said houses made of bricks were better. I guess there's a lot of energy that goes into making a brick. Do brick houses perform better thermally than timber or steel? 
  • I think I read somewhere that gas has less carbon emissions than electricity. Does that mean all of my water heating and house heating should be gas? 
  • I have heard about Biophilic Design and PassivHaus, how can I use these to make my home better? 
  • Summer days can get pretty hot, particularly in the last few years records keep being broken. Can you design our house with nice cool breeze instead of an air conditioner?
If you get your project right, your home will be efficient to run and healthy to live in. It will not only be a sanctuary to you, it can be a place to help you heal and relax. It's not that complicated; you just need to start asking questions and get the right advice.

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