Built environment / Lowering emissions

Speaker: Craig Riddle

Craig Riddle is a HIA Greensmart Professional and member of both the Green Building Council of Australia and the Master Builders Association. Living Green Designer Homes strive to construct homes using renewable and sustainable resources that are mindful of both energy and water efficiency and subsequently, result in a lesser impact on the world's resources. Every material used in construction has been personally evaluated by Craig for its carbon impact, including design, construction and transport.

Craig remains at the forefront of the building industry in the provision of affordable, energy efficient,
resource efficient, carbon neutral homes. His achievements have been recognised by both the HIA and the MBA, with recent awards including:

• HIA Hunter Housing Professional small/medium Builder of the Year, 2008
  
• HIA Hunter Housing Industry Innovation Award, 2008
  
• HIA Hunter Energy Efficient Home of the Year, 2008
  
• MBA Excellence in Environmental Management Housing Award for Homes under $200,000,
  2008

Living Green Designer Homes core philosophy centers upon maintaining the simplicity of the construction, through the elimination of many of the consultants and the duplicated processes that are involved in each stage of building a typical brick and tile home on a slab.

Continued research and development has enabled Living Green Designer Homes Pty Ltd to provide an eco-friendly design, with an emphasis on passive design strategies and streamlining of the building process, achieving an environmentally friendly, affordable housing solution for consumers.

The Living Green Designer Homes building system can be utilised for any size home, from a modest weekender to a large, modern family home.

Concentrated efforts in this area have resulted in a completely carbon neutral company and worksite.

Living Green Designer Homes Pty Ltd has been certified by Climate Friendly as a Climate Neutral workplace - encompassing not only the Living Green administrative offices, but all individual Living Green Designer Homes worksites and homes. We believe this to be not only an Australian, but possibly a world first.

In essence, Living Green Designer Homes has created a construction process where emissions of greenhouse gasses are minimised and then offset, thereby creating no adverse affect on the planet throughout the stages of design, construction and completion - at no cost to the consumer.

Following is an outline of some of the key design principles utilised by Living Green Designer Homes:

• research & sourcing of the latest in sustainable and lightweight building products
  
• streamlining of design with a shift towards cost efficient design principles
  
• constructions that achieve a reduced building footprint.
  
• utilisation of natural air movement for cooling
  
• passive solar heating
  
• appropriate positioning of the home on site – northern orientation to living and
  entertaining areas
  
• materials sourced for their low embodied energy and low toxicity
  
• climate responsive design principles
  
• effective use of floor space
  
• appropriate insulation within roof and walls
  
• rooms designed for natural direct and cross ventilation
  
• cool colour roof for heat reflection
  
• appliances rated for energy efficiency
  
• photovoltaic solar power