The Blog

Sustainable Steel has to be part of our future

Sustainable steel is something we at Superpod® believe in. Energy efficiency is something we believe in. Healthy indoor air is something we believe in.

Covid 19 and Climate Uncertainty – can building design help?

We live in an age of extreme uncertainty – with Covid 19 our latest threat.

Climate Damage & Bushfire rebuilding

It’s not Climate Change. It’s Climate Damage.

Modular Homes in Australia

A brief History of Modular Homes in Australia It’s fascinating to read a little of the early history of modular homes in Australia.

Superpod® – ready to work with your climate in 2019

Happy New Year!

Green buildings are built to perform, not to look pretty

Green buildings by Superpod blow people away

True green buildings are comfortable.

Frypans are a good way to think about thermal breaks and climate change

Heat transfer, thermal breaks and frypans

Why talk about thermal breaks in relation frypans?

Climate change and frypans

Why talk about frypans? The effect of heat, and heat transfer, is a key to our future. What does our future look like? Are we heading “Out of the frypan into the fire”? Just ask the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It doesn’t look good. Here’s a note on the 8 October 2018 Special Report on […]

Designers collaborate for success in high quality designs

High Quality Designs from PodMarket to Passivhaus

High Quality Designs. How do you achieve them?

High Quality Design from PodMarket to Passivhaus

High Quality Design. What does it mean? How do you achieve it?

Superpod® House Extension 9+ Star ratings

Australian star rating for house extension Australian star ratings for houses are there to make our buildings more efficient. When you do house extensions, you must also rate the old part of the house.

Why our 9+ Star Superpod® House Barely Reaches 7 NatHERS Stars

Why our 9+ Star Superpod® House Barely Reaches 7 NatHERS Stars.

Fiona McKenzie straddles law, passive house physics and creative furniture design

Just Who Is Fiona McKenzie?

Fiona McKenzie is a designer and lawyer. A feature article in the LIJ (Law Institute Journal of Victoria) introduces us to her training, expertise and passion for rigorous and creative thinking.

Just Who Is Fiona McKenzie?

A feature article about our founding director, Fiona McKenzie, which partly explains her training, expertise and passion for rigorous and creative thinking.

Certified Passive House – Why Bother?

Without a certificate, it’s just a passive house.

A Passive House Certificate prove that you have done the work

Why bother to get a passive house certificate?

Without a passive house certificate, it’s just a passive house.

Tesla electric cars may lower carbon emissions, but what about building designs?

Carbon emissions can be reduced by building science

Lowering our carbon emissions is the goal of the decade, no, the century.

Why do triple glazed or double glazed windows make a difference?

Why should you choose triple glazed or double glazed windows or doors for buildings in Australia?

Insulation explained in Ebook “Comfy Clothes”

Insulation, such as the one serviced by First Defense Insulation, is something that we need in most weathers. Unless, of course, it’s 20 degrees celcius outside.

Triple glazed windows should be in High Rise buildings

Australian high rise buildings need to lift their game by using triple glazed windows

Australian high rise buildings are inefficient. They do not run efficiently. They are not comfortable enough. They waste energy. They contribute to climate change.

Australian High Rise Buildings Should Cut Glazing by at Least 50%

Australian high rise buildings are inefficient. They do not run efficiently. They are not comfortable enough. They waste energy. They contribute to climate change.

Climate Change Act in Victoria

Make a cup of tea, this post is a little more technical than usual.

What’s Going On With U Values?

Have you been wondering how U values for windows are calculated, and why different suppliers and different countries seem to use different numbers?

Buildings can slow down climate change and make us more resilient

Climate Change Act in Victoria

Have a look at our latest article.

Here is our tiny studio podhouse

Cute, isn’t she, this little studio?

Fiona McKenzie rubs shoulders with Mr Grand Designs

Grand Designs: meeting with Kevin McCloud

Grand Designs is the name of a popular UK tv show. It has been replicated in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

U values: What’s up with them?

Have you been wondering how U values for windows are calculated?

Not just another Brown designer chair, an Eames chair!

The Eames chair and ottoman are an amazing iconic design

The Eames chair with its partner ottoman is certainly one of the most iconic furniture designs ever made.

Greenwashing is not real, unlike these plants.

Beware greenwashing terms like “net zero” and “carbon offset”

Watch out for Greenwashing – get real about a low energy low carbon future!

Passive Houses would make the energy crisis less dangerous.

Tasmanian energy crisis proves passive house is relevant

What energy crisis? There is no hint of an energy crisis in these sorts of photos of idyllic Tasmania. This photo is of the Mona Ferry at the docks in Hobart, Tasmania. The waters are calm, the air is clean, and the place just oozes peace, love and “sustainability.” It’s a truly beautiful part of […]

Sound Insulation + Windows

New windows.

New uPVC Windows + Saving Energy

New uPVC windows.

Passive house windows. For the highest thermal insulation requirements.

Energy saving designs are growing in importance. Today, the passive house is considered objectively to be the most energy efficient form of building: Every year, it consumes no more than 15 kWh of heating energy per square metre of living space, corresponding to 1.5 litres of fuel oil.

Why Are Politicians Confused About the South Australian Blackout?

There was a blackout in September in South Australia.

Can the Passive House Standard Help Bushfire Resiliency?

As the weather is starting to get a bit warmer in parts of Australia, we turn to thoughts of summer.

Beware “Greenwashing” Buzz Words like Net Zero and Carbon Offset

Increasingly, we hear claims that buildings are “green” or sustainable, with carbon neutral impacts and the like.

Tassie Energy Crisis Shows Passive House Is Relevant in Australia

Finally, we got inside the very first certified passivhaus in the world.

NatHERS Scheme Based on Untested Premise: CSIRO

Australia has a star rating system, administered by the Federal Government, known as NatHERS.

Time to Take an Active Interest in Passive Houses

An interesting building and design conference was recently held in Melbourne.

When to Renovate, When to Demolish

When your current building stock is a little tired, how do you decide whether to renovate or demolish and rebuild?

What Have the Paris Climate Talks Got to Do with Buildings?

The Paris climate talks have been all over the news recently.

How is a Washing Machine Like a Building?

The person who decides to construct a building may be the same person who owns it, operates it, and pays the ongoing bills associated with the building.

Are Modern Buildings a Case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”?

Some of us grew up with Hans Christian Andersen children’s stories.

Is Sex Better in a Passive House?

Now that I’ve got your attention, was this question a joke?

Why Don’t we Use Higher Quality Materials in Our Buildings?

Why is it taking so long for higher quality building components to gain traction in Australia?

Is Mould in Modern Buildings a Sign Of Energy Loss?

Why do modern Australian buildings have condensation and mould?

A poem called “Imagine” – with apologies to John Lennon

“Imagine” a homage to John Lennon Imagine there’s more damage To earth, water, sky All the air around us Is causing us to die Imagine that’s the future Caused by us today… Aha-ah… Imagine there’s worse climate Because of me and you Heatwaves, fire, storm, flooding By then, nothing we can do Imagine that’s the […]

Passive house insulated buildings save energy

Why have insulated buildings?

Open the windows and let in the fresh air

Ventilate your modular home with Superpod® Open the windows in your Superpod® modular home, and let in the fresh air.

Ah Milano – sustainable design city

We’re in Milan, Italy, getting ready for the trade exhibition at the Milano Salone.

Leather and excellent craftsmanship in Italian shoes

Good Sustainable passive design in Italian shoes

Italian shoes have been part of my life forever.

Melbourne has a few Passive House Standard buildings.

From Melbourne Australia to Darmstadt Germany

On the way from Melbourne to Darmstadt we stop briefly in Dubai.

Historical architecture is fascinating, but not passive

Superpod checks out Passive Building in Europe

Passive Building rocks. Pumped to be off to Europe tomorrow.

Modular architecture talks with Fiona McKenzie

Architecture is sometimes paired with modular designs. And modularity is something very useful when you want a high performing building. Very exciting few days with the Australian Passive House Association International Conference here in Melbourne!

Climate and site data affect modular design buildings

Superpod: Miami Beach flooding siege

Read this: the effect of rising seas on Miami Beach.

Sustainability is a term for food or clothing or buildings

Sustainability is something Superpod loves

Sustainability is part of life. A necessary feature of all decision making. Well, at least, it should be, if we want to continue to enjoy life on this planet.

Climate Change is evident at the beach where sea levels are rising

Climate Change Action – what I don’t understand

Climate Change Action Climate Change Action is and should be on everybody’s lips. A few years ago, many people had their heads in the sand on this topic. No longer. The deceivers have been shouted down. The truth is prevailing.

Be comfortable in a Superpod certified passive house

Being comfortable is our aim. We all love to be comfortable. We all want comfort.

Renovation decisions can be difficult

Renovation decisions are often difficult This house is an example of a difficult decision.

Highrise buildings in Melbourne Australia tend to guzzle power

City highrise buildings waste energy

City highrise buildings. The scourge of the modern city. Or are they wonderful opportunities?

Superpod passive house architecture and MONA

Architecture can look cool.

Tasmanian buildings need to beat the cold by using power

Tasmanian climate data enables passive house project

Tasmanian climate data has now been verified, so that Tasmanian passive house projects can be designed, built and certified by the International Passive House Institute. In other words, the climate data has been verified by the Institute. We are excited.

thermal mass can work in a passive solar home

Thermal mass, passive house, and the Paris climate talks?

Do you need thermal mass?

Marketing architecture often focusses on its appearance.

Marketing architecture – looks, design or comfort?

When marketing architecture, there are many different features we can focus on, depending on who is the market.

Occupants of a waste not want not passive house benefit from not wasting energy

Waste not, want not, at Superpod passive house

Waste not, want not. We believe in this, when you want to build an energy efficient building.

How is a Washing Machine Like a Building?

Check out our latest Sourceable article here: How is a Washing Machine Like a Building?

Passive house modular design

Comfort and Low Energy Modular design in the housing space is not common in the passive house world. We would love for more people to experience the passive house environment: the comfort, the low power consumption, freedom from drafts, fresh air, and a totally relaxing vibe.

Sun, surf… Elrond Burrell passive house blog

Australia: Sun, sand, surf, … and passivhaus? (Check out this link) So goes the title of Elrond Burrell’s latest blog. Elrond is a world leading blogger, architect, and passive house expert. Not necessarily in that order. He works in the UK but comes from New Zealand. Never mind. He’s coming to visit Australia early next […]

Is sex better in a Superpod passive house?

We’ve been having a lot of fun lately.

Icing on the cake can belie a badly made cake

Icing on the cake is not enough for good design

Unlike icing on the cake, design should start with the cake itself People love icing on the cake. They love eating it. What’s more, they love watching tv shows about it, even.

Superpod® receives 2015 Good Design Award®

From the Superpod® Good Design Award® Media Release: The Superpod® has been recognised with a coveted Good Design Award®.

Superpod innovation wins Good Design Award

Superpod® wins Good Design Award!

Why we like Austral Plywood sustainable timbers – modernism and green come together

The Superpod® design is innovative for a number of reasons. Our ethos is modernist: “Form follows Function”, without unnecessary decoration.

Steel is sustainable

People seem to assume that a sustainable building has to look like something out of a commune in the 70s.

Are passive house buildings relevant in Australia?

A lot of people say, what is passive house?

Our First Ebook – 10 mistakes to avoid in your next building

Our Ebook is now here!

New Australian report on the Science of Climate Change

A great new Australian report on climate change has been issued in February 2015!

Comfort and less power combine

A Superpod® building is designed for comfort, and uses way less power to give you a better way of living.

Green from the get-go

Download this article (Word document and PDF) Superpod® passive house system A steel-intensive building envelope has brought to life the first modular building system in Australia that complies with the International Passive House Standard, with energy efficiency thoroughly integral to the design right from its conception, that could ultimately help to open the door to […]

Superpod® on International Passive House Day – Climate Change is on our agenda

Superpod® is excited to be hosting an open house for International Passive House Day on Sunday 9 November, 2014.

Passive House Down Under

Ireland (and the world) brings the Passive House Standard to Melbourne Australia – and Australia brings a new Passive House concept to the world!

Do you know what a thermal bridge is?

Connection between steel posts and concrete slabs You may have seen our recent Facebook post called “Do you know what a thermal bridge is?”.

“Passive House Down Under” – Event on 17 September 2014 – where worlds collide

An exciting event on 17 September 2014 represents the collision, or perhaps converging, of several worlds which have never met before.

What makes a building frame beautiful?

Steel frames and modernism Beauty in buildings comes in many forms.