Get It Right with Undercover Architect

Hello! This is Episode 418. This is Way #18 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And this episode completes Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability.
Across this series, we’ve talked a lot about energy efficiency, and how, as we improve energy efficiency, we reduce energy use, which in turn reduces the carbon emissions associated with energy production.
At the same time, we’ve got better at measuring the embodied carbon in construction. Embodied carbon represents the greenhouse gas emissions associated with extracting and creating materials, and construction and deconstruction itself. This is the carbon footprint of the home, and it’s increasingly being seen as the required area of focus to reduce the impact this industry has on the climate.
Way #18 is: Measure Your Home’s Carbon Footprint.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/418]
In this episode, I take you through what operational and embodied carbon mean, why embodied carbon is becoming an increasingly significant part of the picture, and, if your carbon footprint is a sustainability consideration for your renovation or building project, what you can do about it during design, and the conversations to have with your team.
As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/418.
Now, let's dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/418
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/
Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 417. This is Way #17 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability.
If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know we’ve spent the last couple of episodes looking at energy modelling, and how you can use it during the design process so its data-based findings can inform your design as it develops.
Way #17 is: Get a WUFI Analysis Done on Your Floors, Walls and Roof.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/417]
As well as the positive benefits of energy efficiency and thermal comfort that airtightness and well-insulated homes can bring, there can be a negative consequence of building this way that needs to be managed.
When you seal a building up tightly, and you insulate it well, moisture behaves differently than it does in a leaky home.
And if the way your walls, roof and floors are put together hasn’t been thought through carefully from a moisture perspective, you can end up with a problem that develops silently inside your building fabric over years, until it becomes very hard and expensive to fix.
If you’ve never heard the word ‘WUFI’ before, this episode will introduce you to a tool that most of the residential building industry isn’t routinely using or talking about, but that is increasingly important from a risk-management perspective as we build more airtight and better insulated homes.
As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/417.
Now, let's dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/417
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/
Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 416. This is Way #16 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability.
Way #16 is: Use Other Options to Model Your Design Before You Build.
In the last episode, I talked about NatHERS energy modelling and why it can be so valuable as a design tool rather than simply using it as a late-stage compliance exercise.
In this episode, I want to explore that further, because the required modelling tool for your region may not be all that’s available to you. And for projects where you’re aiming for high performance, it may also not always be the most comprehensive one.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/416]
Think of this as a set of tools that help you understand how your home will perform before you build it, so you can make better decisions with your money while change is still cheap. That’s it. Some tools are required legally, such as NatHERS in Australia. Others are optional, available as another measure, data source or audit process.
I also want to address something that comes up a lot in the Undercover Architect community: the idea that NatHERS and Passive House are in competition, and that you have to be in one camp or the other. It really doesn’t need to be that way. Think of it as a spectrum.
And so, in this episode, I take you through Passive House modelling and what you can learn from it even if you’re not pursuing Passive House certification, how this modelling approach might give you a more complete picture of your home’s performance, and how to think about the Passive House principles themselves as a design framework, separate from the question of certification.
I also share some other valuable modelling tools that may assist you in your project, whether you’re renovating or building new.
As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/416.
Now, let's dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/416
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/
Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 415. This is Way #15 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And with this episode, we begin Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability.
In Section Four, we look at the ways you can access data to inform your decision-making, beginning with energy efficiency assessments and modelling of your home’s energy use.
We’re beginning Section Four with Way #15: Use Energy Modelling During the Design Phase.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/415]
If you’re based in Australia, you’ve possibly heard the phrase ‘NatHERS star rating’ somewhere in research conversations about your project. In other locations, you may have heard about star ratings, or energy efficiency ratings required as part of the compliance process in your project.
In most locations, energy efficiency assessment occurs after documentation is completed, as part of finalising building approvals prior to construction. Sometimes homeowners are not even aware of it as a step, until the builder or designer has taken care of it, and they’re presented with the report it outputs.
However, when left until that point of your project, after your design is locked in, you’re underutilising the benefit of energy modelling to your project and future home, and it’s potentially costing you money, comfort, and sustainability performance every day.
Energy efficiency modelling can be used as a design tool, and when treated as such, there’s an opportunity to use it to improve your design, rather than just tick a box.
In this episode, I take you through what NatHERS and other types of energy modelling actually are, how they’re typically used in projects compared to how they can be used, what star ratings really mean for your home’s performance, and the questions to put to your team to make sure modelling is doing real work for you, not just being ticked off as a compliance requirement.
As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/415.
Now, let's dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/415
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/
Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is Episode 414. This is Way #14 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. And this episode completes Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure.
It may seem strange that we’ve taken a while to get here, given this is where many homeowners will start in their sustainability choices for their project. ‘Let’s make sure we put solar on the house when we renovate or build new’ is a sustainability move many will make.
Way #14 is: Use Renewable Energy to Supply Your (Reduced) Energy Needs.
Note the inclusion of the word ‘reduced’ there, because that’s your first priority, and then your renewable energy can supply that lower need.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/414]
Now, I understand why solar feels like the obvious first move for many homeowners. It’s visible. It’s tangible. Its benefits show up on the electricity bill. And with rebates offered in many locations to offset the installation costs, they can be an attractive incentive to include.
But if you’re doing whatever you want in your home design and layout, ignoring the site and climate, and adding solar before you’ve addressed the energy efficiency of the home itself, well, you’ve possibly heard the saying: it’s like putting lipstick on a pig.
Instead, when renewable energy is used in collaboration with design measures that improve the efficiency of your home, it can be a really great way to achieve sustainability overall.
In this episode, I take you through the common mistake homeowners make when it comes to renewable energy, why going all-electric is the prerequisite for running your home on 100% renewable power, what rooftop solar actually involves and how to think about sizing and storage, and the sequence that gives you the best sustainability outcome at the lowest overall cost.
As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/414.
Now, let's dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/414
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/
Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.