Is the Building Industry Broken?  Well, it's not entirely shattered, but there are definitely some big considerable cracks that need to be repaired.  Today’s guest, Scott Burchell from Comb Construction, breaks down the big issues (like rising project costs, evolving regulations, and a labour shortage) that are making it difficult to remain profitable. He shared stories from both residential and multi-residential sectors, putting a spotlight on how challenging it can be for developers to...

Safety. It’s a word that brings to mind tedious rules or intrusive safety officers, and to many in the building industry it’s seen as a chore not a choice. But safety can be the thin line between life and death, so maybe it’s time we get more engaged. In this episode, we’re joined by Tom Huber, a safety advocate and operational excellence expert, who’s on a mission to redefine how safety is perceived. The first step in this is rebranding safety as operational excellence. He doesn’t want to...

Last week we shared the first half of our conversation with Sven Maxa about how we can build for a better future. It means getting the industry to prioritise healthy responsibly built homes that stand the test of both time and climate. This week’s episode is the second half of that conversation and we’re discussing how passive house standards and strong community bonds can help us achieve those goals. We resume the conversation by tackling the question of why people should build Passive...

The world is changing, and the way we build our homes should change too. People are increasingly passionate about their health, comfort and the environment – which is where Passive Houses come in. In this episode we sit down with Sven Maxa, a building designer and Passive House advocate, to discuss how we can build for a better future. Sven shared so much good stuff in our conversation that we had to break it in half, so make sure you tune in next week for part 2. But for now, enjoy!  Many...

Have you ever wondered why you feel perpetually drained, despite clocking out on time? The cause (and solution) might be the boundaries we’re too scared to set. Psychologist Julie Mounter joins us for today’s episode to talk about the different types of boundaries and how mastering them can lead to a more fulfilling life. One of the most straightforward forms of boundary is the physical kind. It’s about respecting personal space, privacy, and physical needs. Hamish shares how important it is...

It’s been a big week in the building industry and sometimes we’re not quite sure how to feel, which is why we want to break down some of the big changes we’ve noticed and what they could mean down the line! To kick things off, there's been widespread concern about the Coalition's proposal to freeze updates to the National Construction Code (NCC) for the next decade. This plan, with apparent backing from industry heavyweights like the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and Master Builders,...

As builders it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of building a house our clients will cherish, that the space around it becomes an afterthought. Today we’re joined by Nadia Cole from Platylobium Landscape Design to talk about landscaping and the difference it can make when building an enjoyable, and sustainable, home. So how can landscaping be sustainable, isn’t planting any plant sustainable?  Well, it’s not that simple. Many common features of our yards, like areas covered with...

Is your home still running on outdated gas energy?  Maybe the effort of switching to electric doesn’t seem worthwhile, but it definitely is. Going electric isn't just about cutting carbon emissions – it improves the comfort of your home and saves you money! What’s not to love?  This week, we took the opportunity to chat with Ben and Marcella from Goodbye Gas, getting into the gritty details of why and how you should make the switch. Gas Versus Electricity: Breaking It Down Many people cling...

It's a common fate — a newly built home settling into its first winter, and already the heating bills climb sky-high. Why is it that modern construction sometimes misses the mark? Today we’re joined again by our good friend and building-science expert Cameron Munroe to break down this issue.  So, picture this: a wall that's not just a barrier but a well-crafted system designed to maximise efficiency and durability. Cameron introduced us to the concept of the "perfect wall," a term coined by...

Think your old home can’t achieve today’s high-performance standards? Think again. We're here to challenge conventions by retrofitting a typical Burbank home from the '90s into a certified Passive House. No extra frills, no new builds—just clever planning and innovative techniques. Join us as we take you on a journey that proves you don’t need to start from scratch to achieve groundbreaking energy efficiency! It's been a while since it was just the two of us on the podcast. We’ve had some...

Did you know Australia boasts the larges average home size anywhere in the world?  The market is full of oversized, inefficient homes that aren’t sustainable or necessary and we’re sick of it.  That’s why we sat down with Imogen from IP Architecture, who’s challenging the ‘bigger is better’ mindset and setting new standards for sustainable living. Imogen’s journey in architecture began with the mud brick house her parents built. "My parents built their own house when I was a baby, and it was...

Have you ever felt like you're burning the candle at both ends and you aren’t sure how long you can keep it up? Trust us, you're not alone. It’s easy to push ourselves too far with work and neglect our mental health. It might not seem like a huge deal in the moment but it’s a quick path to burnout.  We recently sat down with, we sat down with Kyle Zanetto, a Tasmanian building business owner, who has experienced it all—burnout, breakdowns, and the balance it takes to keep it all together....

We’ve got a bonus episode for you today because it’s R U OK? Day. If you aren’t familiar with R U OK? Day, it’s a day dedicated to checking in on your mates and yourself. The construction industry is incredibly demanding and it’s easy for mental health to take a back seat, but days like this remind us how important it is to be there for each other – not just once a year but as an everyday priority.  We’re joined by our good friend, the incredibly knowledgeable Julie to break down how to have...

Ever been frustrated by how ridiculously expensive it is to access Australian building standards? Yeah, us too. Imagine being hit with a $330 bill just to access ONE building standard—it's maddening! We recently sat down with Laura Tanova, a building surveyor with nearly two decades of experience, to dig into what’s going on here and how it impacts everyone in the industry. Spoiler alert: things can get pretty complicated and finding the answers you need is not always easy. Trust us; This is...

Today we’re joined by good friend and psychologist, Julie Mounter to discuss a topic that’s often misunderstood but incredibly powerful: mindfulness. If you’ve ever dismissed mindfulness as "woo woo" nonsense, stick around—this conversation will change your mind. Julie kicked things off by explaining that mindfulness is essentially cultivating a practice of awareness—becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings from a distance rather than getting entangled in them. Julie also assured us that,...

What if I told you that a home could be energy-efficient, comfortable year-round, and environmentally sound—all without breaking the bank? Well if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you already know the answer is passive houses. We’re both really passionate about passive house building, but we know there is a lot of misinformation out there, so we sat down with building physics expert Dr Cameron Munroe to clear things up.  First things first, what exactly is a Passive House?...

Homes in Australia aren’t being built to a high enough standard. The building industry prioritises quantity over quality so there’s no time for care or craftsmanship. That’s why we sat down with Brian and Simon from the Sustainable Builders Alliance, an organisation dedicated to promoting high-performing, sustainable construction practices. We discuss the challenges of building a sustainable future for the building industry, and how to overcome them. Our conversation began with Brian sharing...

Ever walked into a home and instantly felt as if everything just clicked into place? Chances are you have an interior designer to thank! This week we sat down with Erin Fairmaid, to talk about the real magic behind well-designed spaces and why interior designers are invaluable. Because the industry isn’t regulated, the term “interior designer” can be thrown around by people without knowledge and experience. This dilutes the profession's value and leads to the myth that interior designers just...

Welcome back to another episode of the Mindful Builder podcast! Today we’re joined again by our friend and expert psychologist, Julie Mounter, for a conversation about mental health and depression. Whether you’re struggling right now, or worried about someone else, we want to give you the tools you need to face it head-on. Julie starts the episode by outlining what exactly depression is. While everyone experiences low moments in their life, clinical depression includes prolonged sadness and...

Welcome back to another episode of The Mindful Builder podcast. We’re back with the second half of our conversation with the incredible Airboss Dan. If you haven’t listened to it yet, make sure you go back to episode 19 where we discuss Dan’s path to becoming a carpenter in Germany and how it differs from what we see in Australia. We restart the conversation talking about the unique challenges of building in Australia. Dan points out that many of the challenges are caused by Australia’s...

This week, we had an incredible guest on our podcast, Airboss Dan, famous on Instagram for taping houses and currently working with Proclima on the technical side of things. Our chat is pretty long so we’ve split it into two episodes. In this first part, Dan shares his path to become a carpenter in his home country of Germany, and why he cares so deeply about quality craftsmanship. Hamish and I often discuss the need to change the narrative around trades in Australia. Here They can be seen as...

Ever wake up in the morning feeling stuffy even though you left a window cracked open all night? Or maybe you’ve noticed your heating bill skyrocketing every winter, and you just can’t seem to figure out why.  We recently had a great chat with Dr. Cameron Munroe, who uncovered some remarkable, and somewhat shocking truths about why our homes might need a serious upgrade in the ventilation department.  Cameron explained that the need for buildings to be airtight boils down to two main reasons:...

Today’s topic is one we’re really passionate about: high-performance homes. This term gets thrown around a lot these days, and while it’s a fantastic concept. there needs to be some context around what actually makes a home high-performance. And no, just wrapping a building doesn’t cut it. So, let's break it down. Here are some of the most important things for what we consider a high-performance home: 1. Thermal Modelling: High-performance homes start with rigorous thermal modelling. This...

Have you ever wondered why some homes seem to age gracefully while others fall apart?   Well, it's often the unseen details that make or break a house. In this episode of the Mindful Builder Podcast, we sit down with Myles Clark, a fellow podcaster, builder, and building inspector. Listen in as we explain how home inspections can save you from future headaches and ensure your home remains a haven.   Residential vs. Commercial Construction While Myles works in the residential field now, he...