Positive Footprints Design and Build Services in Altona, Victoria, Australia | Construction company

Positive Footprints Design and Build Services

Locality: Altona, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 9315 0566

Address: 15 High St, Seaholme VIC 3018 3018 Altona, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.positivefootprints.com.au

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25.01.2022 https://www.positivefootprints.com.au/mid-century-extension I am particularly proud of our team achieving the outcome for this extension. Many facets of this project are bespoke with large input from the client, from the dream-laundry where all spaces have a function such the retractable laundry rack, the dog kennel under bench, the storage and IT hub under the stairs, to the butterfly roof which collects water and solar energy to power the entire house (and more). Click to read more on our website!

24.01.2022 Net Zero Housing is no longer a pipe dream; it is achievable for all with today’s technology. I will walk you through in 7 simple steps. An average Australian household consumes approximately 7 tonnes of CO2 or $2500 in electric & gas bills annually. For Victorians, it is closer to 12 tonnes due to the burning of brown-coal and the cooler climate. The following pie chart shows how our energy is consumed 40% in space conditioning, 25% on appliances, 23% in heating our w...ater, 7% in lighting and 5% in cooking. (source: https://www.energyrating.gov.au//report-residential-baseli) 1. By choosing to build a 7.5 star (or more) house, we cut down 80% of space conditioning requirement 2. By choosing solar hot water if you have gas, or an efficient heat pump (with co-efficient performance of 4 or more) for an all electric home. Combined with water efficient shower heads, washing machines, we cut down 70% of the water heating requirement 3. By choosing appliances with higher star rating will cut down a further 30% of the appliance power requirement 4. By choosing LED lights will cut down 20% of lighting energy use 5. By choosing induction cooktop, which is twice as efficient as gas, will save 20% of cooking energy requirement 6. Install a 5 KW solar PV system (currently under $3000 with rebate) would break even your household’s energy use each year. 7. Switch to Green Power, so you are using only renewable energy source, even when the sun's not shining. The path is simple, but if you need a little help to pull this off, there are more and more professional designers and builders (including Positive Footprints of course) out there who are committed to resolving Climate Emergency and are ready for you to reach out. https://au.buildersdeclare.com/

24.01.2022 Check list for best ways to cope in this sweltering weather. 1.Shut blinds and windows when external temperature is excessive 2.If you House is well insulated and you have a photo-voltaic array on your roof- turn on the cooling with a free conscience 3. If you have a good deal of thermal mass internally, and all of item 2 above- it’s almost imperative that you use the efficient mechanical cooling when the sun is shining. 4. Turn the fan on for further wind chill over your sk...in. 5. When the sun sets, turn off the mechanical cooling. If done well in advance, you would have maximised the sun’s energy, by cooling the thermal mass in your house. The mass shall now do the work of absorbing heat from the ambient surrounding...hopefully keeping you cool until the cooler night breezes come through (usually 3 or 4 am) 6. When the cool breezes arrive, open your windows to allow cross-flow ventilations- this step is crucial if you have thermal mass in your well insulated house- so it is ready work for you again when the sun rises. Good luck!

24.01.2022 As we say goodbye to 2018, we handed over another 9 Star Series - Solar Sollew before years' end to some amazing clients. The project was nicely finished with landscaping works also by Positive Footprints, which we are sure will look a treat come spring. Decorative Copper gates, rusting over time, posts for espaliered planting, garden bed ready for veges. Original Olympics 1968 from the original house now featured in its outdoor paving. We take this opportunity to thank all our past, present, and potential clients for your support. We look forward to a healthy, sustainable and engaging 2019.

22.01.2022 A guide to Low Carbon Household has been published, aiming at helping us understand our carbon footprint, and arming us with knowledge of how to navigate bills, systems and strategies to be more accountable and less wasteful in our daily lives. An admirable endeavour, but can be an involving read to be digested over a few cuppas. In the current climate crisis, I feel it is knowledge that we should not do without. Click here to download pdf. https://apo.org.au//reso/2019/05/apo-nid235381-1367181.pdf

22.01.2022 Momentum is building across all strands of our industry for energy efficiency. We are not alone, and the next 10 years will almost certainly see significant change as the state governments push ahead to meet our Paris Agreement of 40% below 1990 CO2 emission levels by 2030. Following the COAG agreed Trajectory for Low Energy Homes (http://coagenergycouncil.gov.au//trajectory-low-energy-bui), NatHERS is working on getting a Whole of House energy rating tool ready for NCC20...22, to include energy performance of appliances (heating and cooling, hot water, lighting, pool/spa pumps and on-site energy generation and storage). Works are also underway to produce tools and loan incentives to open up the retrofit market. And it is builders who are going to be needed to implement all this. Now is the time for builders to start learning about energy efficient appliances, heat/cooling, hot water and Photovoltaics, so they are ready to thrive in the next decade. Here are the views of some of the major players from the recent Energy Efficiency Council's National Summit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V40eP1xekgo&feature=youtu.be

17.01.2022 Not just fowl punts, some good common sense - To mitigate the peak demand (which is still our coal loving politician's defense to keeping coal power plans), we need efficient heating and cooling technology (which is available), a well-insulated house (first thing to do when retrofitting) , switch away from halogen bulbs (surely you must have by now!) common sense in using our appliances. Of course a well-designed sustainable house that doesn't need that much heating and cooling all year round will give you all that in a package. https://theconversation.com/slash-australians-power-bills-b

16.01.2022 Some hot day and hot nights expected in the next 48 hours. How do we cope? For nights with temperature that does not fall below 30, night purging by of thermal mass will not be very effective. In a well-insulated house with some mass inside (listen up positive footprints house-owners!), the thing to do would be to shut out all direct heat through the windows by shutting windows, drawing blinds, curtains and using external awnings. Secondly with the solar panels on your ro...ofs, turn the air conditioner on when the suns shines to cool the mass in the house. The Coolth captured in the mass shall keep your house temperature low even after sun down (and air conditioner turned off). I will be turning on ceiling fan to add further breeze across the skin when I sleep. Fingers crossed for a ease in extreme weather around Australia, particularly fire danger in ACT and NSW, as well as the flooding in Queensland. https://apple.news/AiFZ4QmseR--_GFtvFJKgcg

14.01.2022 By making choices, and understanding the impact behind those choices, and passing on this knowledge, we - builders, consumers, industrial corporations, policy makers - can contribute to our zero carbon emission goals. This is the link to the webinar Jeremy presented 2 weeks ago about The Roadmap to Zero Carbon Homes. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk5HfEeeKfjUmmYVhuGfq5A

12.01.2022 I feel like a little kid in a lolly shop when I check out the live contents as part of the programme available on 20 September, Sustainable House Day 2020. Not only will videos of the over 100 house be uploaded on their website to view at our leisure, we also get to participate in the live panel chat/ webinar with various home owners and building professionals on the day. Jeremy and our clients for Cheese house and Hillside house together with House with No bills and Piano... House will be discussing "Creating Carbon Neutral and Carbon Positive Housing" at 11.45 to 12.25. https://sustainablehouseday.com/program/

12.01.2022 Guided tours have started at Solar Sollew. Another temperature chart shows the house maintaining above 19 deg inside by the end of yesterday, without any heating and cooling. Sustainable House Day

11.01.2022 Have you been to a Sustainable House Day yet? One weekend a year, hundreds of houses in Australia open to the public, where you can see the sustainable elements and design first hand and have the opportunity to ask the home owners questions about their homes. Below are two links for more information. We hope to meet you on 15 September at the Solar Sollew house. https://youtu.be/-sY2CNlr_q8... https://sustainablehouseday.com/ See more

10.01.2022 Happiness is when a client asks if you would like to put a sign up to promote your business, because they are very happy with your work! We just visited a sustainable renovation and extension project that was handed over 6 months ago. This 7.1 star home is fully insulated with double-glazed throughout, with northern sun streaming in even in the middle of winter, and PV system on their roof working hard as well to lower their environmental footprint. What's not to be happy about!

09.01.2022 Our recent project - Well insulated entirety thermally massive new extension efficient heating and cooling system indoor drying rack with clerestory windows for venting of summer heat 3.0 kW photovoltaic and solar hot water ... Last but not least,a roof viewing deck for fireworks You are ready for sustainable living!

09.01.2022 Today is World Environment Day 2020, we like to announce that Positive Footprints is a founding signatory to Builders Declare - a growing group of concerned builders who have put up their hands to help shift the paradigm, to meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries. As a group we are committing to strengthen our working practices to create architecture and urbanism that has a more positive impact on the world around us. If you are ...a builder, and wish to join us, please go to https://au.buildersdeclare.com/ If you are a consumer, I would like to invite you to imagine a new normal, where investment in buildings would carry a sustainable element. The Australian government has announced $25k home stimulus package to eligible renovation and new home projects. The new normal would be if everyone's home can be insulated from the cold this winter, windows are high performing double-glazed and our homes will be producing solar energy on our roofs instead of relying on burning fossil fuel. Every little bit counts towards a new normal.

09.01.2022 If you are like me, you will be scheduling some huge amount of screen time, as from 12/9, over 100 videos made by design professionals and home owners are made available for virtual touring on Sustainablehouseday.com. Since you are here...click link below to watch our clients from Hillside House sharing their beautiful sun-drenched home with us. https://youtu.be/Zk0oK2NeJrI

08.01.2022 Jeremy is running a webinar for Builders Declare on Roadmap to Zero Carbon Homes. When: Aug 19, 2020 05:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney Cost: Free Register in advance for this webinar. Go to:... https://us02web.zoom.us//register/WN_Faum1I9kTBik5btFuCC2IA Webinar Description: Sustainable homes are not just a fad, and climate change is not something that will be solved by ignoring it. It is clear that Australia and the world must head towards a low carbon future, and the sooner we act to reduce our carbon footprint the better for society and our world. The good news for the construction sector is that we already have the knowhow and the technology to produce cost effective carbon neutral buildings. This webinar is for those who want to know how it can be done? What the big ticket items are to focus effort on? What gains are realistically achievable? And what are the costs? Speaker: For almost 20 years Jeremy has been a registered builder, energy rater and director at Design & Build company Positive Footprints. Positive Footprints have won multiple awards for sustainability from both MBAV and HIA, and the National Sustainability Awards for which he is now a judge. His company has worked to show that energy efficient sustainable design and high performance construction is a cost effective option and can be a mainstream reality. A previous GreenLiving lecturer and educator in an earlier life, he is a strong believer that together we can bring about change in the way we build. Jeremy is founding member of Builders Declare, and currently sits on the Design Matters Board, the Sustainability Hub, and the NatHERS Stakeholder Consultative Group.

07.01.2022 Mid Century House Extension is one of the many houses that are going virtual for you to visit as part of Sustainable House Day 2020. From 12/9, videos of house tours conscientiously made by owners and design professionals will be available on https://sustainablehouseday.com/. This is a version of the one we made, just as a taste of what you may find. https://youtu.be/3n1Rhhauxrc Subscribe to our channel & keep abreast of the videos that will be showing up leading to Sustainable House Day 2020 and beyond.

06.01.2022 We are uploading more and more videos about our projects in conjunction with Sustainable House Day 2020. You can find them on our YouTube channel below. https://www.youtube.com/user/PositiveFootprintsAU

04.01.2022 10 things I love about the Mason House Project (not in any particular order) The blue glass seeded polished concrete floor The clerestory windows that flood up this southern living space with warm winter sunlight. This in turn heats up the slab and keeps the temperature constant. The compact and functional bathroom with the deep soaking bath as requested by the clients The external Cemintel cladding that provides a warm timber look without the maintenance of timber.... The clients! (including 4 legged friend, Beaux) The now-you-see it, now- you-don’t laundry cupboard. The recycled timber screen which delineates the side entry from the 1.5 height lounge room The recycled brick fireplace with its E0 cabinetry seat surrounds. The connection of indoor and outdoor through the intentionally framed window seat. All the great tradies who have worked on this project throughout Covid who’s responsible for us meeting the handover date on time! See more

03.01.2022 We have been quiet lately, just working hard making sustainable living possible. Here's a recent client review, which means so much to us. https://www.positivefootprints.com.au/testimonials.html

02.01.2022 For all those who have come to our sustainable house today and those who have donated so generously, thank you! The Sea Shepard will receive $81.60 from the donation!