You might think of building trends as being those choices involving colour schemes, floor coverings, outdoor areas, or any number of other visual aspects of a home. But a huge trend coming out of the building world in 2019 has a lot less to do with the aesthetics of a home, and more to do with the impact the construction itself will have on the world around it.
Constructing in a way that is greener, and more sustainable – and therefore better and less impactful on the environment – has been a more popular choice for builders all over the globe over the past decade, but in 2019 it’s reaching its peak; and we’re proud to say we’ve already been on the green-building-bandwagon for quite some time!
It has always been a priority of ours to operate in a more sustainable way, and where we can use products that have less impact on the environment.
Why choose to build ‘green’?
It’s simple really – so that we can deliver a comfortable, healthy and responsible product to our clients, that will contribute in some small way to conserving the earth’s resources.
How do we go about being ‘green’?
For many years now, we have encouraged our clients to opt for more sustainable materials in their new homes, including; Colorbond steel roofing, double-glazed windows, anti-con blanket insulation, solar panels, foil board and high thermal mass materials such as concrete floors, cavity and feature walls in your home.
The consideration of passive design features such as the orientation, location and shading of your home will all contribute to how ‘green’ it can be. In a bigger leap towards going green, in recent times we completed our HIA Green Smart Accreditation.
To become a GreenSmart accredited builder, all components of our work were assessed to ensure compliance with the GreenSmart house standards. Questions, including the following, were asked of our projects;
● Does the Home achieve a MINIMUM 6-star thermal performance rating?
● Has the home been designed with windows and openings that capture breezes and assist in air circulation?
● Has northern elevation been managed through limited glazing, glazing treatments, and use of eaves and shade devices?
● Does the home feature areas that can be closed off to create smaller spaces for more efficient heating and cooling?
● Does the home utilise fluorescent tube, LED or similar energy efficient light bulbs?
● Will the home make use of an energy usage meter?
In addition to the above “green” guidelines, our site plans, floor plans, water efficiency, stormwater and erosion plans, waste management plans, and insulation, window and flooring specifications were all also taken into consideration. Having the GreenSmart title means we are not only part of one of the nation’s first green building initiatives, but that all aspects of your home have been designed and constructed with the central ideas of sustainability and practicality in mind.