Resources
HOW CAN A FEASIBILITY DESIGN REVIEW HELP YOU WITH YOUR RENOVATION OR EXTENSION PROJECT?
Are you thinking about renovating or extending your existing home but don’t know if you can afford what you want to do and don’t know where to start? Are you to scared to sign up a designer or builder because you don't want to end up paying lots of money in fees...
read moreThe 20/20 House Part 15 – Other Little Challenges
The Gruen Eco Design blog about how to convert your dream from an energy efficient home into a reality. Other Little Challenges It has almost been 3 months since I last posted an update on our own passive house and lots of people have been asking me what’s going...
read moreSancutary Magazine Case Study – Renovation: Retrofitting a 0.8 Star brick veneer unit to achieve an 8.4 Star rating proved to be a savvy investment in energy efficiency and better health.
If you want to know more about our own personal story and how we turned a freezing and cold 0.8 star brick veneer unit into a comfortable 8.4 star family home read the full storey...
read moreWalls on Boundaries and why they can pose a Problem
Today I want to talk about a bit of a different subject. Walls on boundaries. I know, this has nothing to do with building a sustainable home. But regardless, it is something to keep in mind. And when building your sustainable home, you might need to build against a...
read moreWe are seeking a drafts person with Excellent REVIT skills to support our team
We at Gruen Eco Design are specialising in energy efficient and sustainable homes, covering renovations, energy efficiency upgrades, extensions, single residences and townhouses and certified passive homes. ROLE OVERVIEWThe role encompasses all aspects of concept...
read moreShould I recycle materials from my existing home?
The main question here is. Why do you want to recycle or reuse certain materials? If there are certain things in the house that you really love and therefore you want to keep them. Yes, go for it. Or if your main drive is that certain elements or items are too nice to...
read moreWhat are the best construction materials to build a sustainable and energy efficient home?
For a house to be sustainable and energy efficient, in needs to be well insulated. It needs high performing windows. Thermal bridges and air-leakage need to be minimised. Ideally the house should have some thermal mass. And the house should have good solar access. But...
read moreIf I build a sustainable home, does it have to look like an eco-shack?
Do all energy efficient and sustainable homes look the same? For me, the answer to this question is so obvious, that I never even thought about the question in the first place. But after some conversation I had over the last few weeks I realised it might not be as...
read moreDoes it cost more to build a sustainable/energy efficient home?
Well, you could also ask: how long is a piece of string? The answer to this question is unfortunately not straight forward and depends on a lot of valuables and can be very different for everyone. In this scenario, size does matter. Simply put, the larger your home is...
read moreThe 20/20 House part 14 – Landscape Design
The Gruen Eco Design blog about how to convert your dream from an energy efficient home into a reality. When designing and building your home the landscape design and the garden is often the last thing on the list and more often than not there isn’t much money...
read moreWhat are the best options to improve the efficiency of my existing home?
Even small changes can have a huge impact on how comfortable your homes feels and on your energy bills. As a first thing I would be looking at draught sealing and weather-stripping your house. Most of us can not afford to replace the windows but weather-stripping them...
read moreIf I have a really limited budget, what should I invest in most to make my home as thermally efficient as possible?
For a house to be sustainable and energy efficient, in needs to be well insulated. It needs high performing windows. Thermal bridges and air-leakage need to be minimised. Ideally the house should have some thermal mass. And the house should have good solar access. But...
read moreHow do I find the right team to design and build my sustainable home?
Being green and sustainable is such a trend thing at the moment. Everyone and every company or product claims to be sustainable or green. But how do you know if they are really interested and invested in designing and building a sustainable home? And if they really...
read moreWhy should I engage a designer/architect to design my home if I know what I want?
I often get approached by potential clients who have already drawn up a floor plan and know exactly what they want. And it is definitely awesome if you know exactly what you want. However, if you would need to get dental work done, you would always go to the dentist,...
read moreThe Role of Ceiling Fans & Exhaust Fans
Ventilation is the active process of “changing” or replacing air to regulate temperature and moisture. It should always occur under controlled conditions, by opening windows or with ceiling or exhaust fans, NOT through gaps and air-leakage. Exhaust fans Exhaust fans...
read moreThe Difference between Air-Leakage & Ventilation
VentilationVentilation is the active process of “changing” or replacing air to regulate temperature and moisture. It should always occur under controlled conditions, by opening windows or with ceiling or exhaust fans. If you are building a highly energy efficient and...
read moreWhat is the most cost-effective way to build a highly energy efficient home?
How much it will cost to build your energy efficient and sustainable home does depend on a lot of factors. If you are building a home on a budget size does matter. Simply put, the larger your home is the more it will cost. The more features you want the more it will...
read moreThe 20/20 House Part 13 – Designing the Kitchen
The Gruen Eco Design blog about how to convert your dream from an energy efficient home into a reality. In the last blog I wrote about the catch up I had with our builder and how it got us thinking. Originally, I was always imagining a home with a nice polished...
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