DARREN BOWMAN DESIGN

On a steep site like this the biggest challenge is always getting to floor level. We worked from survey drawings to model the site in 3D to determine heights for this project. According to builder Kane Twomey, the floor levels worked out "spot on". Perfect is good enough for me! With that challenge complete Kane is now framing walls.

Kane and Dave from Twomey Building put the reinforcement in the trenches as our latest project gets off the ground.  The boys are hoping for good weather until the concrete is poured.

With over 5 metres of fall over the house the design for this house took some nutting out, but it promises to deliver a great result.   Once out of the ground framing will go up quickly.  Ecocrete concrete will be used fo...

This is the best explanation of the hows and whys of consumption.  A must watch!  The "Story of Stuff" makes you realise how you've been conned into believing that you need more stuff to be happy.  This is an engineered idea to grow the economy, but to the detriment of the environment and humanity.  Don't go shopping until you have seen this film in its entirety.  http://youtu.be/9GorqroigqM

Love this!

Honestly, how bad would it be? Think houses that use less energy, lower energy bills, energy that comes from clean renewables, less pollution, cleaner water, enough water, better health, clean air, etc. etc. etc...   What would be wrong with that?

The AWA have supported the HIA policy not to support a carbon tax. An interesting stance given the number of green building schemes and regulations being rolled out. Promotion of clean energy production could only be a good thing, but perhaps there is insufficient detail to draw conclusions on a carbon tax and the cost implications to ordinary Australians. Maybe stringent efficiency standards are the go if we are to meet our CO2 targets, though that could surely be made simpler than it is wh...

My Elizabeth Street project is progressing nicely.  Time has been spent lately on detailing and internal linings.  Outside it is great to see the render finish nearing completion.  It is always a relief to see jobs materialise as per the design intent.  Walking into the centrally located living area and seeing the light streaming in through the high windows to the north and the east to create a lo...

The 6-star standard came into effect yesterday in Victoria. Don't panic! Although more onerous than the 5-star standard that it supersedes achieving 6 star compliance isn’t difficult if basic design principles are considered from the start. The right orientation is now even more important. The standard also considers glazing, insulation, draft-sealing, etc as it did before and it still includes a requirement for a rainwater tank or a solar hot water system. The 6-star standard also r...

I called in to see how our Elizabeth Street project is coming along yesterday. Internal linings are complete.  Externally the brickwork is up and rendering has commenced. The carpenters are installing the Scon Stria cladding. The double-glazed windows are installed and the builder has foam sealed around them to ensure that there will be no drafts. I'm looking forward to seeing the render and external cladding ...

We are trialing the free viewer from Chief Architect to enable clients to view the 3d model on their own computer.  A good broadband connection and plenty of downloads are a must as the viewer download is about 31MB and the 3d file another 9MB. Clients can feel more comfortable about the design though as the can manipulate the model in their own time. The project can be seen in plan view as well as perspective 3D.

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I recently made the following comments on BuildingGreen.com in response to an article about ceiling fans.

In my experience ceiling fans are very useful in winter where houses have higher ceilings. We use a slow combustion wood burner as our main heating source as we live in the country in Victoria, Australia. Our main living area has a feature cathedral ceiling ...

The date that we must meet 6-star energy performance is fast approaching. From 1 May all new homes, additions and renovations must meet the Building Code of Australia 6-star requirement. Thermal performance assessment includes all of the elements that form the building envelope; walls, floor, roof, windows, etc. The Building Commission says that 6-star houses will use 25% less energy for heating and cooling than 5-star houses, equating to an average annual saving of $100.

We've had p...