Tips & Tricks: Building a Sustainable Home

Building a more eco-conscious home is becoming a priority for many Australians who are looking to minimise their impact on the environment. Sustainable home design can not only contribute to a greener future, but also result in considerable cost savings over time. To guide you in your journey towards achieving a greener home, we spoke with interior designer and host of Brickworks Tips & Tricks video series James Treble, who shares his top five principles for designing and building a more eco-conscious home. 

1. Consider the thermal benefits of brick

Being an inherently sustainable building product, brick is the perfect material for those looking to make more environmentally conscious design choices. James says “a brick home is a sustainable and healthy home. Aside from their incredible durability and ongoing environmental benefits, brick homes also offer excellent thermal performance.” Being high-density materials, bricks can effectively absorb and store heat energy, keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter, minimising the need for artificial heating and cooling. Reducing your energy outgoings will cut your costs year on year, which means extra money in your pockets, and a reduced carbon footprint.

2. Opt for a carbon neutral brick

If you’re looking to go that extra step further, carbon neutral bricks are a great way to lower the embodied energy of your home. The Daniel Robertson carbon neutral certified bricks were Australia’s first carbon neutral bricks, which work to reduce emissions through efficiency improvements and by offsetting any remaining emissions.  Brickworks also launched their Climate Active campaign which allows customers and architects/designers to specify and procure any clay brick or paver made in their Australian facilities as a carbon neutral product, so you can find a brick you love that is also better for the environment. 

3. Design for your climate

Designing your home to suit your climate is a great way to minimise energy use. This practice, known as Passive Solar Design, takes into account your local environmental conditions, including the building’s site, climate and materials, to create a home that optimises the sun’s natural energy. The orientation of your home plays a huge role in the way sunlight enters your home, thus impacting the internal temperature. “A professionally designed north-facing home can take the edge off the summer heat and use the warm winter sunlight to provide a pleasant living space year-round,” James says. 

4. Incorporate solar into your build

Installing solar roof panels allows you to generate clean energy to power your home, cutting carbon emissions to zero and lowering energy costs. These are a great way to enjoy all the benefits of a solar system, while maintaining a stylish, sleek roof line. The innovative solar tiles are the “latest in intelligent solar and battery storage technology, plus they’re also stylish and durable” applauds James. 

5. Use permeable paving solutions

In terms of landscaping, James recommends the use of causeway permeable pavers as the most eco-friendly paving solution. “Permeable paver systems provide a hard landscape surface and a drainage solution in one product”. While many paving products obstruct the passage of water into the ground and therefore the natural water table below, permeable pavers allow water to easily drain through them into the soil. Permeable paver systems optimise sustainable living by supporting stormwater management without the need for formal infrastructure.