text: Assessing Environmental Impacts One important aspect of considering the sustainability of a building material is to have a closer look at its environmental impacts. Extraction The most direct environmental impact is the extraction of raw or naturally occurring materials where extraction could cause damage to land, water, air and wildlife habitat. Extraction is typically in remote areas and protected native parks as in Australia. Select materials from third party certified s
  As an Architect it is our imperative to design buildings around standard material sizes to reduce wastage on site but to what extent is one material more sustainable than another and how can we design and build ecological housing in Victoria? New homes in Victoria are constructed from a typical palette of building materials, where suitable alternative sustainable building materials are often overlooked due to cost or unfamiliarity. Architect Tone Wheeler in Clarke (2015) simp
  Architecture is one of those professions where you need to know a bit about everything. Sounds enticing? All in a days work an Architect needs to multi task, be the mediator, problem solver, artist, professional, manager, academic, coordinator, counselor and designer all while thinking outside of the square. Communication is the most important attribute of a successful architect. Communication both verbally and visually to various stakeholders who all have their own 'langua
  Regularly, I find that few prospective clients understand what an Architect does. Many simultaneously interview draftspeople and volume builders, while not considering the various levels of design and expertise on offer. There is often great value in engaging an Architect. Here are the top 5 reasons that you should consider an Architect for your next project. 1. An Architect will love your project as if it were one of their own children. Architects invest in your project and
  Are you buying a new home and interested to know the top 4 things to look for? These 4 features will save you money in the retrofitting journey to create your sustainable abode. When we look at older homes the common conception is that they are built inefficiently, however the principles of passive solar design have been around since the 1970's so you could be onto a winner without knowing it! So shag pile rugs aside, what do you need to look for? Living areas with Northern W
  In the pursuit of being more sustainable in our everyday lives, one question remains – to build new or buy an existing home? The answer is not so straightforward. The key ingredients to sustainable building are to reduce, re-use and use more sustainable products. Therefore, to buy a home is a sustainable action 'to re-use' - as you are making an existing home yours and 'to reduce' - subsequently preserving these materials from landfill and preventing the consumption of new m
  Have you ever wondered where to locate the best veggie patch? Wanted to create a microclimate to grow warmer climate plants or even wondered what to do with a shaded area that grows not much more than moss? Permaculture may be your sustainable design solution. Permaculture is essentially a design system for creating sustainable human environments. Created in Australia in the 1970's by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren it is now recognised worldwide, being used throughout a va
  It is so great to start the new year with a new approach. I am very exicted with the new format, information and projects that are now on the updated Live Architecture website. Content is also going to be continually added as projects get built, new concepts are imagined and cutting egde research comes to hand, so watch this space. The idea is to keep you informed and up to date on green building design in Victoria. You must admit that the blog is an addition that has been