Read time: 25 minutes A summary update has been provided for this note in June 2023. This summary reflects updates to this topic on the National Construction Code 2022 and BASIX. There is an urgent need to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net ...

Environmental design is in the broadest sense, the human response to the understanding that we are a part of our environment. This is the design realisation that ecology matters.  This area of human endeavour has undergone a rapid transformation in ...

This note examines the risks and benefits of using polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, in construction. It looks at environmental impacts of its use and disposal, and the desirability and practicality of its substitution. This note was originally published ...

Systems and tools for identifying, setting and reporting upon environmental design and performance objectives for buildings and projects. Rating systems provide a framework through which to communicate the environmental performance characteristics ...

This case study looks at the passive heating design principles adopted in a Tasmanian House, discusses the designers consideration of the interplay between solar aperture, insulation and thermal mass, and analyses the thermal performance for a week ...

This note was reviewed in October 2018 and retained for legacy. Co-housing has proven to be a successful and influential housing type. The reasons for its success also highlight the limits of its appeal, however, and some of the obstacles to its ...

Read time: 18 minutes Bay Pavilions Arts + Aquatic presents an innovative approach towards creating a community hub that holistically caters to a small regional community’s needs. The inclusive and multi-faceted nature of the facility enables a ...

Residential construction accounts for about 70 per cent of the total volume of sawn timber consumed in Australia, with the majority of the wood used for framing applications. Wood products have typically a lower greenhouse footprint than alternative ...

This note was reviewed and approved for currency in November 2018. This paper is the second part of a two part paper intended to introduce the concept of permaculture and urban farming to built environment professionals. These papers seek to ...

Individual built projects critically examined in terms of their actual performance against various social, economic and environmental criteria. Further resources: AIA COTE® Top Ten Awards: The COTE® Top Ten program highlights projects that meet the ...