What does ‘sustainability’ mean to Altereco?

It’s ironic that although we describe ourselves as sustainable building designers, we also cringe a little when we hear the word ‘sustainability’. It is bandied around flippantly and has become a little tired and often meaningless.

For us, sustainability extends far beyond the typical conversations around energy efficiency. We believe passive solar principles should be a basic foundation of all design: optimising the home's orientation, minimising solar gain in the summer months, and maximising solar gain in the winter months. Considering natural ventilation via cross-flow ventilation should also be a basic tenet of good design. A slow clap to anyone implementing these principles into their design response. Moreover, sustainability should encompass the following principles:

Durability

The noun ‘durability’ essentially embodies the concept of ‘sustainability’. By definition, sustainability is the ability to sustain something over time. In the context of construction, this means designing, detailing, and building structures that are made to last. Whether dealing with reactive soil conditions, potential bushfire risks, or the harsh realities of inevitable climate change, the essence of a sustainable design must take these factors into consideration to be truly sustainable.

Size

Building something that is just big enough for your needs and no bigger. We don’t believe in building an extra room because one day you think you might need it for resale. Larger homes have significant cost implications: more money to build, clean, maintain, heat, and cool.

Flexibility & Adaptability

We believe in designing spaces that are flexible, multi-purpose, and adaptable. There’s no need to create separate spaces dedicated to a single function. Your living room can easily transform into a desired cinema room, and instead of having a guest room used only a few times a year, it can double as a study space.

Accessibility

By creating spaces that can be adapted over time as the owners evolve and age reduces the need for modifications over time. We live in an ableist society so ensuring homes are accessible for all mobility restricted visitors is important to us. Our ethos is; design a house that works for you at different stages of life and can be accessible for all.

Materials

This is a big topic, but the consideration of materials is significant. When specifying materials we need to consider transport miles, durability, low toxicity, embodied energy, recyclability. We believe in reusing and recycling where possible.

The images above are taken at our Harry Passive House, nestled in the coastal town of Anglesea along Victoria’s Surf Coast. The home occupies a 120m² area, with an additional 18m² studio beneath it. The studio doubles as a third bedroom or guest bedroom, showcasing our commitment to flexible spaces for multiple purposes.