Energy efficient architecture 
Ecotect Architects is a world class architectural practice that provides leading edge services 
Solar Energy Programs have been cut back drastically once again, this time to pay for the floods. The Australian Prime Minister has just announced cuts totalling $495 million to offset flood reconstruction budget spending.
John Grimes, CEO, Australian Solar Energy Society reports on the solar energy programs affected:
Cuts are targeted at:
Climate change solutions desperately need bipartisan political will and the input from the right collaborative experts, led by highly competent project managers – in order to deliver the outcomes needed in a specific time frame.
This will require an adaptive management method and a multi-disciplinary approach, just as that applied by Gene Krantz from NASA when his astronauts’ lives were threatened by mishaps, during the Apollo missions – Apollo 13 being the most dramatic.
‘Space ship earth’ needs people who are going to apply systems thinking to a total system overview.
The floods in Queensland have brought tragedy for some, and heartache and disruption for many, but can also bring opportunity for renewal for all, says the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia (SEA).
‘While towns and communities will have lost much, they will also have the opportunity to rebuild,’ says Prof. Ray Wills, SEA Chief Executive, and Adjunct Professor with The University of Western Australia.
Solar energy passive design considerations have not yet become mainstream building industry practice in Australia, despite its many positive advances in the built environment.
In my opinion, conservative forces in the building industry are still going out of their way to stifle progress by lobbying government for negligible changes to the building code compliance system and even pushing to water down the debate, so that the long established building industry approach to land subdivision and the building of packaged ‘project’ homes remains largely unchanged.
Built Environment South Beach House
Image: 2010 Residence located at South Beach, Western Australia Designed by Ecotect-Architects
This design is passive solar with solar water heating, photovoltaic and water conservation technologies which will save 80 – 90% energy and up to 60% water usage, when compared to the average luxury home or “Mac-Mansion”! A 2005 award-winning solar passive house also designed by Ecotect-Architects is featured in the Swanbourne Centre blog.
The image shows the western façade with the north solar collection façade running down the block to create maximum privacy. (Note: for buildings in the northern hemisphere the aspect would be to the south rather than north.)
