This Month
In remote Bhutan, the ultimate place to unplug
Meaning “secret” or “hidden” in Bhutanese, Haa Sangwa eco-camp is as lightfooted – and magical – as they come.
- Nina Karnikowski
January
Hamilton Locke owner HPX Group leaps into ESG consulting
RSM Australia’s ESG and client services partner Linda Romanovska will head up the effort.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
This star British gardener has big plans for Melbourne
Horticulturalist Nigel Dunnett is about to embark on his first project outside Britain – the Laak Boorndap garden in the new Melbourne Arts Precinct.
- Hans van Leeuwen
- Opinion
- Industry super funds
Big super still supports diversity despite Trump
While political shifts in the US have brought to prominence some loud voices, investments should not be subject to short-term and non-evidential noise.
- Louise Davidson
Just 28pc of offices will meet major tenants’ climate needs
Government and blue-chip private sector tenants are pushing to move into green offices, but they are in short supply.
- Campbell Kwan and Michael Bleby
December 2024
Older, ‘cheaper’ houses hide costs that bite owners
More than 80 per cent of Australia’s houses have half the energy efficiency of the latest standards – and that’s going to make them less valuable.
- Michael Bleby
November 2024
The unusual reason home batteries are making more financial sense
The price of installing batteries to go with your home solar system hasn’t changed much in years, but the rising cost of electricity is making storage more cost-effective.
- Nila Sweeney
How much does that big house really cost you?
A new exhibition challenges thinking about houses at a time when Australia’s homes are the biggest in the world.
- Michael Bleby
October 2024
- Drinks With Max Allen
- Life & Leisure
Ever heard of a beer farm? This paddock-to-pint brewery is onto something
Provenance is all around you at Devilbend Farm Beer Co, where Mike Shaw grows his own ingredients, from barley to hops – even the yeast.
- Max Allen
This humble ‘house’ in Nepal has lured celebrities and revived a village
Buy the stunning hand-woven rugs of Phaplu that grace the floors of Happy House, or wander down the road to watch the ateliers at work.
- Nina Karnikowski
Ever wondered what companies do with their old laptops and iPhones?
Sydney entrepreneur Annette Brodie creates new opportunities for obsolete tech via her social enterprise The Reconnect Project.
- Hannah Tattersall
What makes this Himalayan valley so alluring is its inaccessibility
In Ladakh’s fabled Zanskar Valley, remote villages, dramatic landscapes and ancient monasteries await adventurers. But will a new highway destroy the remote culture drawing visitors to the region?
- Nina Karnikowski
- Sustainability Category
- Energy Awards
Solar panels saved from the scrap heap
By 2027 Australia will be generating a million waste panels a year. ElecSome can put them to good use.
- Christopher Niesche
September 2024
The $660k home that has no heating or cooling costs
Higher thermal standards make homes more comfortable and cheaper to run. And they don’t have to be that much more expensive to build.
- Michael Bleby
Cotton power couple list $70m ‘carbon positive’ farm
David and Danielle Statham are selling their largest holding – St Ronans in Far North Queensland – as they focus on developing a large renewable energy project.
- Larry Schlesinger
The fridge-in-reverse that can cut $1000 from home energy bills
Heat pump hot water systems can deliver large savings on energy bills, but there are issues to be aware of.
- Nila Sweeney
The green renovations that could make you $100k
The potential to save thousands of dollars and add value to homes is enticing more households to install sustainable features when renovating.
- Nila Sweeney
Soil carbon capture surges as AI drives down costs
Artificial intelligence can reduce barriers to implementing soil carbon projects as ag tech creates new opportunities.
- Agnes King
Warning on the growing solar panel scrap heap
The industry is nearing a tipping point as the nation grapples with unprecedented levels of waste.
- Nina Hendy
How this office building is saving money – and carbon
This retrofit saved 57,000 tonnes of embodied carbon emissions, as companies rethink the design of office buildings.
- Michael Bleby