Rethinking Construction Standards: Crafting Designs that Reflect Your Values

As an architect with one eye on the future, I know that creating high-performance homes goes beyond just adhering to passive house principles—it's about daring to reach for whats to come, a zero-carbon, zero-waste, even productive. But let’s be real, even a passive house isn't always a walk in the park. 

The path to high performance buildings is riddled with challenges, something that became clear as I engaged in a seminar on low-energy, high-performance homes this week. As Australians crank up their heaters to stay warm in winter, our homes are filling with all sorts of stuff—mould, pollutants, and rising energy bills. It’s a stark reminder that achieving true efficiency and sustainability in our homes is not just a goal but a necessity for long term affordability.

Unfortunately, our nation’s construction code (NCC) is very slow. Matthew from Carland Construction put it best when he said  complying with the NCC just means your building is legal, anything below this is illegal. To do thing better, we need to rely on science, and learn from the experts who have spent decades perfecting these solutions and have the data to back it up.

Matthew also reminded us that "building a high-performance home is like baking a cake—you can't skip ingredients." The point is if you neglect any of the five pillars of high-performance design, you're opening pandora's box. You’ll face issues like condensation, and need to implement solutions like active shading, thermal design, cross-ventilation, and orientation.

This is fine when we are talking about new buildings, but when it comes to renovations or adaptive reuse of existing structures, the conversation takes on a whole new level. These projects are often more sustainable, economically viable, and rich in cultural value. They represent a smart investment in the future, but it involves opening pandora’s box.

If you look at something as simple as a brick wall, every wall is date stamped. 150 years ago walls were solid masonry, then around 100 years ago a cavity was added, about 50 years ago we lost a skin of brick and replaced it with timber. Now a brick is often just a 20mm skin. Every different version of these walls needs a different response. So for a renovation to be turned into a high-performace building it will always need a custom design that goes beyond the basics to address each existing variable. 

Understanding that warm air holds more moisture than cold air is another key in this process. If moisture isn’t managed properly, it can compromise both the durability and comfort of your home, whether you’re dealing with lightweight timber or solid brick. Fortunately, tools like Ubakus are now available to help manage these complexities.

Ubakus is software that dives deep into the thermal performance of building elements, focusing on how heat and moisture interact. It helps architects and engineers fine-tune insulation, assess moisture risks, and meet energy efficiency standards. By simulating various scenarios, Ubakus guides our choices, helping us make smarter material and design decisions.

This kind of data-driven tool is essential when crafting a high-performance building, but we must always start with the fundamentals: orienting the roof, walls, and floor to optimise heat, air, and moisture control. From there, we add high-performance glazing and moisture barriers, then rigorously test and  retest the design. As the building becomes tighter, you'll need to manage ventilation mechanically and eliminate thermal bridges. Next, we focus on reducing the building’s energy consumption by choosing eco-friendly, high-quality materials, minimising waste, and incorporating recycling systems. Embrace low-energy construction methods and all-electric systems powered by solar panels. The result is a home that reflects meticulous design, thoughtful planning, and a commitment to high-performance.

Building for the future means going beyond the NCC and even a passive house. It’s challenging work that exposes the shortcomings of our old construction methods. To stay ahead, we need to dive into science and leverage expert knowledge. Whether we’re tackling new builds or renovations, we must use cutting-edge tools to navigate these complexities. By starting with the basics and meticulously refining every detail, we can truly learn from the past and embrace the future of building.

Alexander Hill

Awarded the Architects Board of South Australia Prize in 2001, I began my career in Melbourne in 2002. In 2007 I started my practice with a beach house in Queenscliff. Intent on focusing on private dwellings, I continued working with builders to understand how to better implement an architectural design, which ultimately led to my own builder’s license. In 2015 I joined Destination Living to work on scaling the architect-builder model. Finally, in 2021 I pulled it all together to open my one-person office.

https://www.threehatbuildings.com.au/
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