Thoughts – Blog

March 5, 2020

Changes to hourly rates

I’ve been running my own practice since 2013, and for the past six years my hourly rates haven’t changed; we’ve worked really hard to keep our overheads low and ensure we are providing great value for money with our service. READ MORE

March 7, 2019

Beyond the Stars – Energy ratings as a design tool

There’s much more to be gained from an energy rating tool than the number of Stars. Sid Thoo and Alex Raynes-Goldie demonstrate how an energy rating tool can help tweak the building’s orientation, materials, shading and more.

May 15, 2018

Confessions of a NatHERS assessor

In addition to being an architect and consultant that specialises in eco-effective building design, I am also a NatHERS accredited assessor. NatHERS refers to the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, which is used throughout Australia to rate the thermal performance of residential buildings. READ MORE

April 16, 2018

Q&A: Design Advice for an Outdoor Living Area?

Q: We’re looking to build a new outdoor entertaining area applying passive solar techniques. We want to make sure that it doesn’t get too hot in summer – would a whirlybird in the roof help? We also like lots of winter sun for warmth, but also want the area to be covered and dry. Any design ideas or advice?READ MORE

March 23, 2018

Taking a performance-based approach to Deemed to Satisfy

There are two pathways for demonstrating a residential building meets the energy efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code: Performance Solutions and Deemed to Satisfy.READ MORE

October 24, 2014

Thoughts on Sustainability

Lately I’ve been wondering – when and how did we forget about sustainability?

April 14, 2014

Building for our changing climate

We can stabilise energy prices while addressing climate change if we are prepared to reconsider the way we build our cities.

July 10, 2013

8 STAR vs 6 STAR

So obviously an 8 star energy efficient house will perform better than a 6 star one. But by how much? READ MORE

June 16, 2012

Does roof colour affect the energy efficiency of my house?

This is actually a loaded question – the answer is yes, it does affect the energy efficiency of your house, with respect to the energy required to heat and cool it. READ MORE

May 19, 2012

Are stars and dollars enough to win the sustainable housing debate?

Having recently witnessed my fellow eTool director Alex Bruce engaged in another animated discussion (ie. argument) over the relative benefits of six star ratings for most new homes in Australia as of 1st May 2012, READ MORE