A passive house is an energy efficient, environmentally friendly and comfortable home. A Certified Passive House features these five design and build principles, as defined by the Australian Passive House Association. Airtightness: Achieving an exceptionally low air leakage rate (less than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascal) is…

When designing an accessible home, here are four unexpected considerations. — We think good design should be enjoyed by everyone. For people with disabilities, finding accessible housing that’s both suitable and affordable can be extremely difficult. When you add sustainability into the mix, it can be near impossible. When designing an accessible house, here are four things to consider that go…

Why it matters, what’s involved, and why no one at The Sociable Weaver is one… yet. — Earlier in the year, we were approached by a potential client wanting to design and build a Certified Passive House, which is an internationally recognised energy standard with an aim to decarbonise the construction industry. Dave, our Director, is a Certified Passive Builder so we already integrate many of the…

A good sliding door is hard to find. It might seem like a minor detail, but the right one can greatly enhance your home’s comfort, energy efficiency, aesthetic, and even add market value. The wrong one can be clunky to use and cause precious heat to escape through the cracks…

The Cape Paterson Eco-Village is the place our Director calls home Our Co-Founder and Director Dave Martin doesn’t just create homes at The Cape, he lives there too. Australia’s first genuine Eco Village holds a special place in his heart. He lives and breathes environmentally sustainable design, development and practice, and The Cape combines every aspect. Dave’s love of nature was…

To optimise the performance of your home without adding cost or turning on a heater or cooler, the correct orientation is the most important element to a Passive Solar Design. The next most important element is sun shading. As we predominantly live in a colder climate (Melbourne weather) we find that our homes need more heating than cooling across the year. So to achieve this we design eave depths, roof overhang or pergola to maximise the sun in winter and…

Michael Nowlan, an architect known for his focus on nature and sensory experience, brings a unique perspective to the field with his emphasis on thoughtful design and appreciation for materiality and craftsmanship. Drawing on over a decade of experience in the industry and a background in both architecture and building…

Noa Hackett’s exploration of architecture began as a kid on her family’s month-long summer holidays. Locally and abroad he experienced cities, buildings and houses that were designed and built in a multitude of ways. Rolling out the futon each evening in her Dad’s 20sqm studio apartment in Tokyo, Noa looks…