Talina Edwards is interviewed along side some industry-colleagues who are experts in sustainable design and what that really means.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN MAGAZINE INTERVIEW WITH TALINA
Our director Talina was honoured to be interviewed in the latest issue of Architecture and Design magazine alongside two industry colleagues who she has a lot of respect and admiration for! Both Steffen Welsh and Nadine Samaha are true sustainability leaders who continuously advocate and educate for better buildings. Check out the magazine here that also features all the award-winners of the recent Sustainability Awards, and you can read Talina’s interview answers below.
How do you define ‘sustainability’ and how does this manifest itself in your designs?
At Envirotecture, sustainability is as simple as caring about the health of people and planet – ensuring that our built-environment is co-created with the natural-environment in a way that is responsive and responsible. We’re holistic in our approach, both poetic and pragmatic, with an intuitive biophilic design response also combined with building-science expertise. Whether we’re working on a new residential home in a regional area, a community project in the suburbs, a renovation project in an urban area, or providing sustainability-consulting services; the outcome is designed to be genuinely sustainable, healthy, comfortable and efficient.
Do you have a particular niche that you are known for in the sustainable design space?
We’re experts in Passivhaus design, keen supporters of the Living Building Challenge and focus on using sustainable materials and practices. Sustainable design is not about perfection, but always asking “what does good look like?”, what are the impacts of our decisions, and considering the legacy we’re leaving for future generations.
Is there a sustainable project that you’re particularly proud of? Please tell us a little about it.
All of them have their own story!
Recently our “Huff’n’Puff Haus” has been receiving a fair bit of attention and accolades as it’s a Certified Passivhaus Premium home (it harvests more solar power than it uses), it’s healthy and comfortable indoors all year round despite the extreme outdoor temperatures and conditions, it hardly uses any heating and cooling so its very energy efficient, it’s all-electric, it was designed for aging-in-place in a bushfire-prone area, and it has lower upfront carbon due to the walls being made of strawbales! Oh, and did I mention that it also has biophilic beauty that ensures it’s connected to the landscape, and is light and bright and has a lovely soulful feel. Our clients are regenerating the land with indigenous species, and planting orchards and substantial vegie gardens too. This project illustrates a holistic approach to sustainable design, which could also be considered a ‘regenerative’ development as it’s aiming to do “more good”, not just “less bad”.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a sustainable architect?
We’re in a climate- and biodiversity-emergency… the biggest challenge is that while this is generally acknowledged now, there is currently not enough urgent action taking place. As a small practice, we can only do so much, which is why we also spend our time advocating for these issues, helping educate the industry about the solutions, and continuing to lead by example. It is up to each and every one of us to help create a better future.
What sustainable design features do you think should be more prevalent in Australian architecture? (Or are there any newly emerging trends?)
We don’t see “sustainable design” as a trend, it’s about ethically doing the right thing.
For an industry that is all about “growth” and development, there is a contentious idea that we all have to embrace – and that’s about not always building something big and new. Globally we are over-consuming much more than the planet can sustain. We need to use less stuff. We need to build less, and retrofit the buildings we already have, and consider living with smaller footprints. With a growing population and a housing crisis, we of course will need new buildings – and we must ensure these are focused on quality, resilience and future-proofing so they are fit for purpose many years into the future.
Are there any particular designs/projects that have inspired your work as a sustainable architect?
Nature is my muse!
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