Facing the climate challenge

Old Quad
OLD QUAD
THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
First use of Passive House EnerPHit in Australia in a building of state heritage significance … more
JEWEL BOX
SOUTH YARRA, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Residential conservation, alterations and new-build designed to Passive House principles … more
The Wade Institute
WADE INSTITUTE
ORMOND COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
University teaching building designed and constructed to Passive House principles … more
In the face of climate change, we all need to make decisions. It’s not easy, but doing nothing is not an option. We are committed to authentic carbon reduction-led design and ecological regeneration, and we are continually extending our skills, ambitions and practices to make us even more effective in the renewal of places, communities and ecosystems.
Retention and transformation is our mantra. And we are focused on practical action: adaptive design, minimising the carbon footprint of projects, raising awareness through our heritage reports, the regenerative restoration of places (the circular economy), increasing biodiversity, and waste and water management.
We hold ourselves accountable and we are improving project by project. We strongly believe that this approach is not only the right thing to do but also benefits our clients and produces better outcomes.

challenges

• Local material resources
• Universal acceptance of imperative for embodied carbon reduction
• Construction skills to meet demand for quality
• Accountability for achieving targets

positives

• Adaptive reuse of buildings is a great opportunity and increasingly on the agenda
• It’s about intent and being proactive
• First Nations and wider community input
• Passive House now an option for new-build and heritage
• We all have agency and we are starting to act

opportunities

• Design for reuse, recycle, retention
• Be strategic about upgrade works
• Find responsible places for excess materials
• Explore carbon and ecosystem objectives in heritage reports
• Monitor and modify building operational use

Sustainability principles are embedded in our design processes. How does this work in the real world?
Some real-world project examples are shown at the top of the page and below — illustrating a wide range of building types and ages.

Bendigo Soldiers Memorial Institute
BENDIGO SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
BENDIGO, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
First use of Passive House EnerPHit in Australia in a building of state heritage significance … more
Strathdon House and Orchard
STRATHDON HOUSE
FOREST HILL, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Adaptation and upgrade of an 1893 homestead to serve as a multi-use sustainability and well-being hub for the local council … more
Courtyard House
COURTYARD HOUSE
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Passive House EnerPHit used for the upgrade of a 20 year old suburban house, with a contemporary Passive House extension