Archicentre

Sustainable Home Design Advice Service - for local government provides practical steps to help new home builders and renovators cope with rising energy and water costs, and improve the sustainable design of housing within their municipalities.

The program commenced with Lane Cove Council in New South Wales in 2009 and has been further developed with learnings from that program and expanded into a number of other councils since.

Archicentre Chief Executive, Mark Stewart said, "this innovative program is aimed at helping residents with best practice building design, the correct choice of materials as well as other sustainable opportunities that are specific to each home and circumstance."

"The purpose of the Sustainable Home Design Advice Service is to influence design from the outset - well before residents have commenced to develop full plans or make application for permits to council. As such it maximises the sustainability potential of the project."

"Archicentre has designed the program to work in conjunction with council planning and building services."

Archicentre State Manager New South Wales, Ian Agnew said, "An Archicentre Accredited Architect will meet with the resident and discuss objectives, strategies, and budgets in order to achieve desired outcomes in a cost effective manner that will also have a positive effect on the environment for net reductions in green house gas emissions."

Mr Agnew said, "the design stage of any project is extremely important as it is when major decisions are made in relation to structure, layout, materials, siting for solar energy and the costing of the project."

Areas covered in the service include: