This paper explores the evidence that another factor to be considered in Sick Building Syndrome and Indoor Environment Quality is exposure to prolonged and excessive electromagnetic fields (EMFs).  Enough evidence now exists to justify taking a ...

This note, originally published in November 2000, was reviewed by John Greenwood in September 2005. This paper examines the issue of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and its impact on public health in Australia, which has the highest rate of skin ...

This note was reviewed and approved for currency in November 2018. Life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) is a method of assessing both the operational and embodied energy of buildings over their lifetime. It is an easily-conducted form of life cycle ...

As an introduction to both Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing, this article describes GIS and explains its components and applications. The basic components of remote sensing such as the electromagnetic spectrum, spectral, ...

Post occupancy evaluations of buildings are noted for their ability to provide vital feedback regarding a building's performance in use. In addition to obtaining physical measurements of thermal performance and energy consumption, it is crucial to ...

This note was reviewed in October 2018 and has been retained for legacy. In 2003 a demonstration home was constructed by a local authority in Perth to raise public awareness of practical ways to reduce the energy needs for heating and cooling. The ...

This note was reviewed and approved for currency in August 2018. Passive design is a fundamental feature of good building design. Going further than just good orientation and fabric design, designers are looking to integrate natural ventilation and ...

Rapid advancement and change within Australia's predominant timber certification schemes has led to the revision of the original November 2004 paper Timber and wood products from environmentally certified forests and plantations. That paper now ...

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 ...

This note was reviewed and approved for currency in September 2018. Sydney is not short of terraces and semis that have been completely reworked with a modernist treatment. They are filled with light, planned for contemporary living on small sites ...