A cypress framed and clad cottage nearing completion.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan has predicted that the population of the region will grow from 2.8 million in 2006 to 4.4 million by 2031.

The Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning claims that this rapid growth will create the need for an additional 754,000 new homes.  As the state government chatters excitedly about economic growth, many of us wonder about the cost to the environment.

We can’t avoid using some timber products in most building and that means trees do have to be logged.  Look around the building you are sitting in right now.  Check out the window frames, door frames, doors, floors, walls and of course what’s holding it together;  the framing.  So when you set out to build your new home, add that essential ‘parent’s retreat’ or  build  a new deck, how are you going to know which timber is the best for biodiversity?  You can get a different perspective depending on who you talk to.

Many construction industry professionals have come together to move the industry in the direction of sustainable forestry management.  The Green Building Council of Australia, responsible for the Green Star Rating System for green building, acknowledges  both the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as robust regulatory bodies.  Both are internationally recognised and both utilise the idea of chain-of-custody certification.  This type of certification claims to make it possible for anybody to verify that the source of the timber is legal and from a sustainably managed forest.  

However, it does seem that some certification standards are greener than others.  For example, the FSC will not certify any plantation timber sourced from a stand that replaced natural forest, cleared after 1994.

Dave Kirby from Kirby Fine Timbers on the Sunshine Coast is a saw miller who believes that biodiversity can be protected by logging these older Queensland plantations.  His small stands from Eumundi to Amamor provide him with enough rainforest hardwoods to supply musical instrument manufacturers worldwide and some local joiners and furniture makers.  He says though the plantations, (monocultures — one type of tree),  do not support biodiversity at all — these forests are eventually clear-felled and then regenerated again as plantations.

“These old plantations are as green as it gets, I’m against clear felling old growth forests. Plantations are the best way to provide industry with the timber products we need and preserve the rest.”

Though the AFS promotes itself as similarly responsible as the FSC, its certification of all Forestry Tasmania practises means that it approves the clear-felling of old growth forests.  The Forestry Tasmania website proudly states: “One of the key outcomes of the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement was the commitment by the State and Federal Governments to reduce clear-felling in old growth forests to 20 per cent of the old growth harvest by 2010.”

This level of so-called ‘sustainable’ forest management may not sit well with many people and points to the need for those involved in the building industry or those currently managing their own building project to do their own research.

Richard Beaumont from Cooroy Joinery and Woodworks points out that the industry is complicated and is hopeful that the FSC certified wood he uses to craft doors, door frames and windows is as sustainable as FSC claims.  He says that the New Guinea Rosewood he likes to work with is not clear-felled but selectively logged by locals who are paid fairly or may even share in the profits.   He is also assured that similar situations exist in other countries where he sources timbers from the old growth forests in the Solomon Islands to the plantations of Mahogany in Fiji.  

Greg Phipps from Eco Cottages in Pomona thinks he has hit on the perfect green timber.  He uses cypress for most parts of each building.  Apparently there is more cypress in Australia now than there was when Captain Cook visited.  Greg says that cypress is sensitive but robust, naturally resistant against termites and, best of all, it won’t grow effectively in a monoculture.  It is not drought resistant but can survive on very little rain, about 300mm a year.

“It is a prolific seeder.  When it does rain, the trees throw lots of seeds but then if it grows too thick, it goes into lock up, it says to every other cypress tree, don’t eat and drink too much and then what you get is thick spindly trees that are not much use.”

In this case, human interference actually aids biodiversity because cypress does much better through selective logging and in a mixed forest environment (thus when the cypress is logged, the forest remains).  However, this is not apealing for the big companies.  Cypress cannot be clear-felled thus reducing the speed and quantity of the operation.

“The good thing about Cypress for farmers,” says Greg, “is that is not only encourages biodiversity but also income diversity.  Cattle farmers can encourage stands of cypress on their land for selective logging.”  

Andrew Webb from WD Architects in Cooran says that there are rarely any perfect solutions for both good environmental outcomes and good mass-market construction outcomes.  But, cypress comes pretty close to that for framing, “if the industry would shut-up long enough to take notice and stop their scrambling over each other trying to show who’s high-energy, toxic product has more green cred.”

Andrew says cypress isn’t suitable for every application but it is the stand-out winner for framing timbers.  Auracaria cunninghamii (hoop pine) has a lot going for it too.  Timbers for other applications, particularly window and door frames, are a much harder proposition but generally logs from a small-scale community production, such as CBFT-certified timbers (Community Based Fair Trade), on the evidence seem to be the most sustainable for a good quality product (and if the finished product is not of a reasonable quality, it’s unlikely to be sustainable).  

Staying local as much as possible is a good policy but unfortunately there are no easy answers.  So when beginning your building project, start with the the Good Wood Guide , talk to some locals and be aware of the many shades of green.

Image Credit: Andrew Webb from WD Architects.

Cob lends itself to organic shapes.The word "cob" comes from an old English root meaning "a lump or rounded mass".

Cob builders use their hands and feet to form lumps of earth mixed with clay, straw and sand. It is a sensory and aesthetic experience similar to sculpting with clay. Cob is very easy to learn and inexpensive to build.

Because there are no forms, ramming, cement or rectilinear bricks, cob lends itself to organic shapes: curved walls, arches and vaults. Earthen houses are cool in summer and warm in winter.

Cob has been used for millennia, even in the harsh climates of southern England, where thousands of comfortable and picturesque homes have been continuously occupied for many centuries. In fact, earth homes, built in this free form manner, have existed around the world for thousands of years.

Welshman Ianto Evans and American Linda Smiley, of “Oregon Cob” fame, brought Cob to Australia in 1995, teaching a workshop in Caboolture. Linda McKee and Mal McKenna continued teaching Cob until 2000. Since then, Mal and his builder friend, Michael Leo, have succeeded in getting Council approval for a Cob building, which will be built in the near future. In the meantime, Alan Atkinson of Eco Homes and Gardens has formed a new partnership with Mal, who lives at Bellbunya Eco Conference Centre, to bring Cob  building into the mainstream of new green housing approaches, beginning with an exciting series of Cob building workshops at Bellbunya.

Because earth is non-toxic and completely recyclable, many people searching for a more eco-friendly lifestyle are bound to embrace this living, breathing choice of home. Further, Cob is ideal for owner-builders, who can have friends help out with this easily learned form. The cob lump goes straight from the mixing spot to the wall, where it is knitted in using feet, hands and blunt sticks to form one mass — a hand sculpted home. The lumps are made to your size, making it easy for children to be involved. It is a very safe work site; there are no power tools, as we encourage the use of hand tools and as little timber as possible. ??Zenning in tranquility, laughter and fun is the sustainable standard we seek, and the occasional ‘Aha’, as another cobber ‘gets it’ — that feeling of cob in action.

No, Cob is not a fast process: it can be made timeless, though, when we get that right mix of soul and mind. You might as well take your time slowly building your home which, if tended to lovingly over the years, will stand proudly for years to come.

An introductory Cob Building Seminar will be held on the 26th May at 7pm and the first Cob Building Workshop from July 26th-31st at Bellbunya Eco-Conference Centre, 114 Browns Road, Belli Park, near Eumundi.

Contact Mal on 07 5447 0181 or Alan on 0402494252.

Image Credit: www.cobprojects.info

Image: Lyndal Chase

The recent international Green Cities Conference heard that each resident of Brisbane is responsible for 24 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, compared with just 5.8 tonnes in Beijing. While many point to large and booming economies overseas, population and housing trends here at home are stark reminders that Queenslanders must look to their own back yards for local solutions to their thumping ecological footprints.
“We have an urgent need for change,” says Mark Thomson, architect and President of the Australian Green Development Forum. “The conference brought home that we will be living in a very different world in 10, 20 or 50 years’ time. We may be experiencing more severe storms, floods and droughts, and we as a community need to start responding to these likely occurrences.”
Currently, most new homes are built by project builders. Buyers choose a standard plan and have it positioned on a site, often with scant attention paid to the principles of “passive design”. The result can be energy-intensive homes which need air-conditioning and heating to maintain user comfort. Passive design uses orientation, layout, materials and the site itself to create a comfortable environment for its occupants with little or no need for artificial temperature control.
“One of the reasons why air conditioning has become so prevalent in southeast Queensland is that our modern houses are so poorly positioned on their sites,” Mr Thomson says. “Regulation is playing a role in improving water and energy efficiency, but to my knowledge there are no moves to regulate passive design in new buildings. It’s in the too-hard basket.”

While the industry is showing signs of change, its efforts are falling short of what is needed. The Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) offers GreenSmart courses in sustainable building and those completing are given permission to use the GreenSmart builder’s logo. However, course completion does not guarantee a builder will change their practices.
“Builders find it easier not to apply good passive design principles,” Mr Thomson says. “The challenge for the building industry is to fully acknowledge passive design and understand its importance in addressing issues like climate change.
“And home buyers need to be educated and empowered to demand it.”

While the basic principles of passive design haven’t changed – orientation of living areas towards the north, a thin building layout ensuring good cross ventilation, using appropriate materials that store heat in winter and ventilate adequately in summer, etc – its site-specific nature makes it difficult to stipulate with the use of standard plans.
Some newer developments are starting to adopt the principles of passive design in their homes and estates, but it needs to consider the wider landscape. Vegetation is a major contributor to a house’s microclimate, however many new subdivisions begin by clearing all trees. Expansive roofs, driveways, high fences and paving can considerably heat the microclimate, contributing to the urban “heat island” effect.

“Maintaining a canopy of shade goes a long way to reducing overheating and maintaining a natural microclimate. Sustainable development needs to look at natural vegetative states for clues as to how we should be designing for the future.”

The Smart Sustainable Home Program is an important step in educating home buyers, says Mr Thomson.
“The houses give visitors an opportunity to experience and learn more about passive design. A majority of people are living with the consequences of poor design and Smart Sustainable Homes give them the chance to see and feel other options.”

SALA Homes is a Brisbane-based company selling kit homes with an environmental emphasis. The houses begin with standard plans, typically smaller than the average new home. The plan is adjusted to ensure efficient passive-solar design exploiting prevailing breezes and to suit the buyer’s lifestyle.

“Our homes are the result of a balanced assessment of customer appeal, environmental impact, embodied energy, longevity and cost,” said Bruce Connell, General Manager at SALA.

“Choosing a sustainable house is an economic and environmental decision. People confuse cheap housing with affordable housing. An affordable house is low cost over its lifetime. Our homes feel spacious, and have a lower ecological footprint and lower running costs without compromising usability.”

SALA sources timber from sustainably managed, or plantation forests. Timber used for decking and external cladding is radially sawn to use up to 80 per cent of the log, compared with the traditional 40 per cent. House frames are steel or termite-resistant cypress pine.

Choices of cladding include timber, eco ply, Colorbond or hardboard. SALA decided on offering Colorbond cladding after weighing up its embodied energy – or the energy used to create it – against the need for maintenance, as well as its recyclability at the end of a house’s life. One criterion for selection of other materials was that they produce none of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) linked with health concerns.

“It’s important to look at the lifetime of the house,” Mr Connell said. “People often make decisions about building a home based on one point in time, then suffer the consequences later of sub-optimal design or high-energy costs.”
Depending on the location of the new home site, SALA may source materials such as frames, flooring and kitchens from local suppliers, providing they are compatible with SALA’s ethos. “It not only reduces freight costs; sourcing local materials helps support the surrounding community, so there’s a social sustainability aspect too.”

A standard SALA home is complete with a solar power system, solar hot water, energy efficient lighting, and water and waste treatment systems and upholds the tenets of universal design.  Universal design ensures a home is accessible to all people at all stages of life. This includes wider doorways, disability friendly appliances and easy access from outside.
“The designs are simple enough for owner builders to construct them. While there are other kit homes on the market, we don’t know of any that have our emphasis on sustainability,” said Mr Connell.

Fast, modular steel

“About 50 per cent of landfill is construction waste,” said Deb Grattan of Seacove Homes, “whereas we manufacture our homes in our Noosaville factory, minimising any waste at the building site.”

Seacove patented its modular construction system that uses lightweight steel. Each house is designed to suit the site and customer preferences, while ensuring passive-solar design for occupant comfort. Cladding materials include sustainable timbers and eco ply. Wall frames are guaranteed for 50 years.

A house can be delivered in three truckloads, including floors and windows. Modular construction means building is very fast – the home can reach lock-up stage within a week. Customers are responsible for fitting internal wallboards, kitchens and bathrooms, and energy and water systems.

The construction technique limits soil disturbance and is particularly suited to steep or awkward blocks. As each home is modular, it can be extended or demounted with relative ease.

“The construction is very strong as well as being fire and termite resistant. Because it’s recyclable it’s almost the ultimate sustainable home,” Ms Grattan said.

Steel and polyurethane panel houses

Maroochydore-based Ecohousing Building Systems use their own patented method to manufacture structural building panels made from lightweight cement sheeting with a polyurethane core.

Managing Director Tonny Bergqvist explains its advantages: “Polyurethane is widely used to insulate refrigerators, hot water systems, passenger jets etc. It’s inert, so it doesn’t give off VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and it has no interest for termites or vermin.”

Each building panel is load bearing and self bracing, so it is very strong without requiring a frame. They are also fire retardant and, importantly, very energy efficient.

“While insulation batts work on the principle of heat absorption, our panels work by heat exclusion. They have very low thermal conductivity, equal to about three metres of brick wall. Our buildings are five-star energy rated, but would be much higher if the scale allowed. Internal walls are fibre cement, sandwiching a polyurethane core. Because our houses are elevated with insulated floors, they maintain constant temperatures,” Mr Bergqvist said.

Ecohousing advises customers on home design and placement on the site to ensure passive design principles are followed. They provide doors and windows, but not kitchens, bathrooms or lighting. If required, they advise on water systems and will supply rainwater tanks and sewage-treatment systems.

The absence of framing means there are fewer components to transport to the site and construction can be undertaken either by the customer, or a builder. The panels can also be used in retrofitting and renovating existing homes.
“We’re not competing with either kit homes or fast-built project homes,” he said. “We are a unique part of the market.”