There needs to be a revamp on residential building requirements and inclusions. Why are we so dependent on air conditioners, ceiling fans, "mechanical ventilation" systems, and indoor dryers? Why do buildings no longer include basic aspects such as fly screens on windows and balcony doors (for fresh air), external tinting (for privacy), proper curtains / blinds, or even direct sunlight? These new estate buildings are just windowless, airless, sunless concrete boxes.
We need to rethink the way we design homes in this country, and to encode this best practice in our standards and regulations. We might think that properly insulated houses are not relevant to our climate, but so many of our houses are still too hot in summer and too cold and damp in winter! Also, why were new housing developments allowed to build with dark roofs in areas with no natural shade? I could go on about the many ways we could embrace smarter designs.
The current construction code for energy efficiency encourages all the things that this idea complains about. 'Passive House' is a housing construction system adopted from Northern Europe, where the climate is cold and consistent. It encourages highly insulated, thermally regulated, sealed boxes that are completely isolated from the external environment, and is inappropriate for most Australian conditions.
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