Get It Right With Undercover Architect

Hello! This is Episode 305, and in it, I’m going to be talking about a significant and influential project risk I want to bring to your attention as someone planning, designing, building or renovating your future home. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/305] This project risk I’ll be talking about is based on one of my five factors that impact every step and every decision in your project journey. What are those five factors? Well, they’re: COST, TIME, TEAM, DESIGN and YOU. In this episode, I’ll be sharing a major COST RISK I see play out for people navigating their project. This is part of a new series of content I’ll be bringing to Undercover Architect generally, which I’ll explain more about as we dive into this episode.  Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/305. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW

Hello! This is episode 304, and this is Part 2 of my conversation with Jenna Cohen from Honeycomb Access and Design. In Part 2 of my conversation, we jump straight into my question about Performance Solutions, which will be an approval pathway to familiarise yourself with in your project. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/304] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of the conversation, head back to Episode 303 and catch up, as this will make much more sense if you do! You can find that episode and a free downloadable transcript at www.undercoverarchitect.com/303. We start the episode with my question to Jenna about Performance Solutions.  It’s great to hear Jenna’s take on this process, and what she’s specifically seeing in how her clients are needing support and help in their projects with Performance Solutions. She also shares some speci

Hello! This is episode 303, and in it, I’m talking with Jenna Cohen, director of Honeycomb Access and Design. In this first part of my conversation with Jenna, you’ll learn more about the updates to the National Construction Code 2022 when it comes to accessible design and the Livable Housing Guidelines. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/303] If you’re curious about what the changes are in regards to accessible design and Livable Housing Guidelines, I discussed these in more detail in Episode 286 at the beginning of this series on the NCC2022. In the conversations I’ve had with homeowners, I’ve heard frustration at these latest changes: that it feels like these are a bunch of requirements that aren’t relevant for them in their personal home.  However, it’s worth understanding upfront that “Livable” and “Accessible” are not one and the

Hello! This is Episode 302, and in it, I want to share with you the top five most downloaded 2023 podcast episodes on Undercover Architect’s podcast. There’s some great and varied topics in this top 5, and I’m really interested to see just how varied they are, and what you’re enjoying listening to. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/302] I’d kind of expected that there’d be a theme to the top listened episodes this past year, but there’s not at all! And interestingly it highlights just how varied the content is that’s been published on the podcast this year.  This is the 38th episode I’m publishing for the year, and we’ve had everything from green roofs, to magnesium oxide board and low carbon concrete, to tips when working with a volume builder or owner building, through to builders’ margins and of course, the updates to the National Construction Code. There’s so much to learn from - and that’s just the 2023 episodes. In t

Hello! This is Episode 301, and in it, I’m going to share with you what is being discussed in architecture for 2024. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/301] As with any industry, there are loads of conversations that happen behind closed doors and, as someone who might be planning to build or renovate, it can be so useful to gain some insight into what’s being discussed, prioritised and cared about inside the industry, to see its potential impact on your plans and project. A lot of my conversation here will be a recap on the discussions and presentations that happened during the 2023 National Conference for the Australian Institute of Architects, held in early October, 2023 in Canberra. It was a really interesting time, and having attended these conferences since the late 1990s, I’m amazed to see how much the industry is shifting and changing, so I’ll talk a bit about that too. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re str

Hello! This is Episode 300, and I have a lot to celebrate. So, in this episode, I’ll be catching you up on what’s been going on at UA HQ.   [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/300] We’re taking a small break in our series on the National Construction Code updates so I can celebrate reaching this milestone of 300 episodes with you, and bring you up to speed on some of the latest news in Undercover Architect and for me personally. I can’t promise that it’ll be a logical flow of conversation, or much about building or renovating. There’s a bunch of things I want to chat with you about - so let’s see how it goes! Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/300. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and

Hello! This is episode 299, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with Brian Guinan from I-Smart Building Group. Brian Guinan is a Passive House builder and the director of I-Smart Building Group, a residential building company based in Western Australia delivering high performance homes. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/299] If you haven’t tuned in for Part 1 yet, head back to Episode 298 first so you can hear the first half of my conversation with Brian. You can access that at www.undercoverarchitect.com/298. In Part 2 of my conversation, Brian shares some great detail about how he’s streamlined the delivery of his Passive House and high performance homes, especially in the challenging and predominantly volume-built construction industry in Western Australia. He also shares his views on the National Construction Code 2022 changes, and

Hello! This is episode 298, and in it, I’m talking with Brian Guinan from I-Smart Building Group. Brian Guinan is a builder and the director of I-Smart Building Group, a company delivering High performance custom residential homes with a heavy focus on PassivHaus. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/298] In this first part of my conversation with Brian, we learn more about his background, how he became an industry leader in sustainable building, how he got involved in Builders Declare and now Sustainable Builders Alliance. And he also talks through how he specifically achieves high performance building outcomes in an efficient and fast-tracked way. We also discuss the whole ‘passive solar vs passive house’ conversation that can happen in the sustainable sector of the industry. Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this ep

Hello! This is Episode 297, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Jessica Allen from Climasure, and we’re discussing what a WUFI Analysis, and why it’s worth knowing about for your future build or reno! This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/297] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, be sure to head to Episode 296, where you’ll hear Jessica discuss air tightness, and give a detailed run down of what blower door tests are, how they work, and how you can use them in assessing the air tightness of your home whether building new or renovating.  You can also download a free PDF transcript of Part 1 by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/296. In this episode, Jessica will discuss more tools that can be used as an ‘as built verification’ process during your build, so you can confirm during construction that your home is being built a

Hello! This is episode 296, and in it, I’m talking with Jessica Allen from Climasure, about air tightness, blower door tests and what you need to know for your construction process. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/296] Climasure is a team of design and construct professionals who have a strong desire to ensure that Australian building stock is created with the correct knowledge, detailing and construction technique informing decisions to produce healthy buildings and peace of mind. Jessica is passionate about: air tightness, condensation management, correctly detailing buildings, and as-built verification opportunities to ensure you’re getting the right outcome on site.  Across this and the next episode, she’ll be helping us understand more about how you can achieve this in your new build or renovation project.  Jess is fantastic at

Hello! This is episode 295, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Jeremy Spencer, builder, thermal performance assessor and co-owner at Positive Footprints. This is Part 3 of my interview with Jeremy.  This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/295] If you haven’t listened to Part 1, head back to Episode 293, and have a listen to it, or download the free PDF transcript. You can find it at www.undercoverarchitect.com/293. And if you haven’t listened to Part 2, then head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/294 to learn all about the ‘Whole of Home’ Rating Scheme and what you need to know to achieve 7 stars. Jeremy steps us through it in a lot of detail. In this episode, you’ll learn about how the size of your home may impact your star rating, and what to know in this regard.  We’ll also look at related changes in the code regarding thermal b

Hello! This is episode 294, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Jeremy Spencer, builder, thermal performance assessor and co-owner at Positive Footprints. This is Part 2 of my interview with Jeremy. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/294] If you haven’t listened to Part 1, head back to Episode 293, and have a listen to it, or download the free PDF transcript. You can find it at www.undercoverarchitect.com/293. In this episode, Jeremy takes us through, in amazing detail, what you need to understand and work with to achieve the seven star Whole of Home house rating. He literally steps us through, sharing an incredible wealth of information that will be super helpful for you. We also discuss how these NCC2022 upgrades can best be achieved when working with your professional team, and how this may change from what’s been done in

Hello! This is episode 293, and in it, I’m talking with Jeremy Spencer, builder, thermal performance assessor and co-owner at Positive Footprints. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/293] Long time listeners to the podcast will remember Jeremy’s previous appearance on Episode 232 and 233, where he talked about low carbon and zero carbon homes, as well as his work in Positive Footprints (and more broadly across the industry) to educate and improve knowledge and execution in this area. He’s back in this series on the National Construction Code to help us understand more about the upgrades in NCC2022, the new seven star rating, what will impact you achieving it, and in particular the introduction of a ‘Whole of Home’ scheme for energy performance. My conversation with Jeremy will run over this and the next two episodes, as he shares so muc

Hello! This is episode 292, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Jesse Clarke, Innovation and R & D Manager at Pro Clima. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/292] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, be sure to head to Episode 291, where you’ll hear Jesse provide a really great foundational understanding of building science and moisture management in our homes, and what to be aware of. You can also download a free PDF transcript by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/291. In this episode, Jesse talks about the NCC2022 updates and his thoughts on them, and what he thinks is missing and you should be aware of to ensure you don’t create those unintended consequences! We’ll learn more about how to detail roofs and walls, and why you can’t rely on your external cladding to make your home weather resistive.  Plus you’ll get

Hello! This is episode 291, and in it, I’m talking with Jesse Clarke, Innovation and R & D Manager at Pro Clima. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/291] Pro Clima operates across the globe in more than 40 countries, and enables healthy living conditions by protecting building structures from external and internal moisture damage.  Their extensive range of high-performance weathertightness and airtightness systems help to create draught-free, long lasting and low allergen emitting surroundings for families, schools and businesses. Jesse Clarke is a leader in the industry and has a wealth of experience and knowledge to share about building science, building condensation management, designing and building for your climate, and understanding building systems to enhance thermal performance and moisture management. Many of the NCC2022 up

Hello! This is episode 290, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Building Surveyor, Laura Terrnova, from Deemed to Perform Consulting. We’re discussing Performance Solutions: what they are, and how they’ll impact your project and approvals. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/290] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of my conversation with Laura in Episode 289, be sure to do that first, as this one will make a lot more sense once you do. You can find that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/289 In this episode, we jump into the detail of Performance Solutions. Laura helps us understand more about what they mean, what might trigger the need for them, how you’ll need to go about acquiring them, and who will need to be involved. For anyone doing a custom project, it may be very difficult to do a fully Deemed to Satisfy approv

Hello! This is episode 289, and in it, I’m talking with Building Surveyor, Laura Terrnova, Director of Deemed to Perform Consulting about project compliance, building approvals and updates to the National Construction Code. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/289] Laura is a consultative Building Surveyor. What does this mean?  Well, you’ll hear more from Laura about this, but in short, Laura’s role on projects is to help homeowners navigate their building approvals more confidently and efficiently by understanding how their design and construction choices will impact their compliance with the National Construction Code. Building Surveyor is a Victorian term. In other locations, this role can be known as a Building Certifier.  In this episode, Laura will share what you need to know about this role, about achieving your building approval

Hello! This is episode 288, and in it, I’m sharing Part 2 of my conversation with Building Biologist, Zara D’Cotta, from The Healthy Home.  This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/288] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of my conversation with Zara in Episode 287, head back there now to catch up, as this episode will make a lot more sense to you then! You can find it by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/287. Is mould and damp really that big a problem in our homes?  Well, we’re seeing growing awareness of just how much of a problem it can be. And the World Health Organisation has advised, in their latest Housing and Health Guidelines, that dampness and mould-related problems should be prevented or treated early as there is no safe level of exposure.  Gone are the days of timber frames sitting out in the elements getting drenched, and th

Hello! This is episode 287. In it, I’m talking with Building Biologist, Zara D’Cotta, from The Healthy Home. She’s here to talk about healthy buildings and share her thoughts on how recent National Construction Code changes might affect how healthy our buildings are.  This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/287] Australian homes have been described as “glorified tents” with construction techniques changing very little over decades. Our climate is considered ‘mild’ when compared to parts of the world that experience extreme heat or cold.  Consequently, many homes built in Australia are built without the climate in mind. And, as we’ve had rising energy efficiency standards demanding increased air tightness and insulation, it actually poses a risky issue in the health of our buildings, and the health of us living in them. We haven’t heard much

Hello! This is Episode 286. In it, I’m going to share some detail about the specific updates that have been made to the latest iteration of our National Construction Code in Australia. This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/285] If you haven’t listened to my introductory episode for this series I’m doing on the National Construction Code, I’d encourage you to head back to the previous episode, Episode 285, and listen to it first. It will give you context to this episode, and this upcoming series that will be super helpful. In this episode, I’ll be sharing more on each of the updates made based on the parts of the National Construction Code that they impact. I admit, this may be dry listening for some, but it’s going to be super helpful to learn more about the terminology and the kinds of things the National Construction Code has taken into