2025 SHD Webinar: Ask the Builder: Live Q&A with Expert Sustainable Builders

Sustainable House Day is an event from Renew that provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most inspiring homes, and learn from the people who designed them, built them, and live in them.

Following a day of open-home tours around the country on Sunday 4 May 2025, a month of webinars offer a deep dive into a range of sustainability topics. Australia's best architects, designers, tradespeople and experts will offer guidance, and homeowners will offer first hand experience. If you're considering a sustainable build or renovation, this series is for you, with lots of time for Q&A. 

Tickets

You can book this webinar independently, or grab a Webinar Series Pass to attend all 8 webinars at a discounted price. Members of Renew receive a further discount on Webinar Series passes. Feel free to grab a membership or subscription to Renew or Sanctuary magazine before you book to access the discount code! 

Some local councils have partnered with Sustainable House Day and are offering a 50% discount on the Webinar Series Pass to their residents only. Participating councils include; Bass Coast Shire, City of Boroondara, City of Kingston, Manningham City, Merri-bek City, Mitchell Shire, Mornington Peninsula Council, City of Newcastle, City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington, Willoughby City Council, and City of Yarra.

Webinar 7: Ask the Builder: Live Q&A with Expert Sustainable Builders

Description

Get expert answers to your burning questions about sustainable building practices, energy-efficient designs, and how to make your home greener.

Featuring

Hamish White, Mindful Builder & Sanctum Homes VIC Pty Ltd

Hamish White is the owner and director of Sanctum Homes and is currently in its 11th year of business! In 2018 Hamish drank the passive house cool-aid and completely pivoted the business to only focus on high performing, energy efficient and healthy buildings. Alongside Sanctum Homes, Hamish is one of the founding directors of Sustainable Builders Alliance. In late 2019/early 2020, he got together with 6 other environmentally minded builders off the back of the declare movement and started Builders Declare. Over the years we have solidified our offering, re-branded, and now, 5 years on, we are Sustainable Builders Alliance, where he is a Director and Head of Events. At the start of 2024 Hamish decided to start a podcast with fellow builder and friend, Matthew Carland. 58 episodes later and close to 40k downloads they are getting a huge amount traction, growing our audience by helping educate the building industry on how to build better.

Jeremy Spencer, Positive Footprints

For 2 decades Jeremy has been a Registered Builder, Energy Assessor and Director at design & build company Positive Footprints. Positive Footprints have won multiple awards for sustainability and worked to show that energy-efficient sustainable design and high-performance net zero home construction is a cost-effective option and can be a mainstream reality. An educator, National Sustainability Awards judge, past DMN director, current DMN TASC member, and creator of the True Zero Carbon Challenge & True Zero Embodied Carbon Spreadsheet, Jeremy is passionate about spreading knowledge on how to build better. Jeremy is also a proud founding director of Sustainable Builders Alliance and lead writer for the SBA website and its industry resource Roadmap to Net Zero Homes - a free practical guide to the industry on how to design and build to achieve cost effective Net Zero outcomes.

Dylan Farquhar, Alwyn Projects
Dylan Farquhar is a builder, carpenter, and founder of Alwyn Projects — a Melbourne-based company dedicated to creating healthy, low-energy homes through thoughtful, deep energy retrofits. With a passion for both heritage detail and sustainable design, Dylan leads a team that specialises in transforming existing homes to meet Passivhaus and EnerPHit standards. Alwyn Projects has delivered deep retrofits across most of Melbourne’s common housing archetypes, from double brick Edwardian homes to mid century weatherboards — all with a focus on comfort, indoor air quality, and increasing the life span of each building. With a deep respect for craft and a clear belief that our homes influence how we live and feel, Dylan brings a calm, considered approach to building. His goal is simple: to show that retrofitting our existing homes can be both beautiful, deeply worthwhile and overall not that difficult.

Hosted by

Kate Nicolazzo, Let Me Be Frank

Kate Nicolazzo is a sustainability consultant who loves turning big ideas into practical action. Through her work at Let Me Be Frank, she’s helped councils, communities and businesses tackle climate change—whether it’s developing climate plans, delivering retrofit expos, or designing programs that make it easier to live and work sustainably. Kate’s worked across government, not-for-profit and private sectors, and brings a collaborative, down-to-earth approach to everything she does. She’s also about to kick off a deep retrofit of her own home, with the goal of making it as sustainable and energy-efficient as possible—so she knows the excitement (and overwhelm!) that can come with trying to build better. Whether it’s strategy or sealing up a drafty window, Kate’s all in on making change that sticks.

Important Information

• Please note that this session will be recorded and sent out to registered participants. 
• Each webinar will take place on Zoom. If you need to download Zoom, you can do so here.
• You will receive the link to attend the sessions the day before each event.
• Renew is a small not for profit organisation that needs to raise money from ticket sales to cover the costs of hosting this event.

Terms and Conditions

By purchasing a ticket, visitors agree to comply with the event terms and conditions to ensure a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Our Sponsors

Sustainable House Day wouldn't be possible without our amazing sponsors, we are so grateful for their support. You can learn about our sponsors here.

Photo by iStock, Credit: vitranc