GUIDE IN SELECTING WINDOWS FOR YOUR CLIMATE ZONE Here is a simple guide to selecting the windows for your project. Windows can have a large effect on your energy rating, so make sure you contact Sustainability WA to ensure your windows will work for you. Hot Climate
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The energy efficiency of a building is influenced by many different design aspects. Orientation, insulation, ventilation, shading, sealing and building size are all important, and all interact with each other. In the face of this complexity, double glazed windows are often touted as a key ingredient of energy efficient buildings.
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Straw has been used as a building material for centuries for thatch roofing and also mixed with earth in cob and wattle and daub walls. Straw bales were first used for building over a century ago by settlers in Nebraska, USA, shortly after the invention of baling machines. Here is
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Rammed earth walls are constructed by ramming a mixture of selected aggregates, including gravel, sand, silt and a small amount of clay, into place between flat panels called formwork. Here is a Performance Summary to help you decide if you want Rammed Earth in your next project.
Precast concrete offers durable, flexible solutions for floors, walls and even roofs in every type of domestic construction from individual cottages to multi-storey apartments. Concrete’s high initial embodied energy can be offset by its extended life cycle (up to 100 years) and high potential for reuse and relocation.
Basic mud bricks are made by mixing earth with water, placing the mixture into moulds and drying the bricks in the open air. Straw or other fibres that are strong in tension are often added to the bricks to help reduce cracking. Mud bricks are joined with a mud mortar
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Lightweight framed construction is the most common construction system in Australia. The two most commonly used framing materials — steel and timber — can contribute to the comfort, appeal and environmental performance of your home. Although lightweight framed construction can be used for floors, walls and roofs, the focus of
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APRIL 8TH IS COMING. ARE YOU READY? ON APRIL THE 8TH new laws will state that every new building or renovation will have to get a Bushfire Attack Level Assessment completed if your proposed residence falls within the Map of Bushfire Prone Areas. A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment is
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Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) are proprietary modular units in the form of interlocking blocks or panels, made from polystyrene or polyurethane foam and filled with concrete. Initially developed in Europe in the first half of the 20th century, the technique evolved rapidly in the 1960s with the use of modern
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Cladding is typically made from wood, metal, plastic (vinyl), masonry or an increasing range of composite materials. It can be attached directly to the frame or to an intermediate layer of battens or spacers to prevent condensation and allow water vapour to escape. Cladding systems include horizontal or vertical boards,
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