Design Basics has as unique point of difference. They value and promote the input of women in the design process. I discuss with Executive Vice President Natalie Wendling, and Vice President of Business Development, Paul Foresman; the concept of 'Women-Centric Home Design' and how it can benefit everyone.

Green certification of building projects faces multiple challenges; from sourcing appropriate products, documenting and verifying materials, through to minimising, sorting and recording construction waste. Compiling all this information in a form that's useful for the certifying agency can be yet another big challenge. Through Green Badger, Tommy Linstroth's goals is to make sustainability in the built environment as easy as possible.

Green Badger is a cloud-based software platform that helps builders and contractors streamline and automate green building compliance. Simplifying these compliance processes allows builders and contractors to focus on building their building properly instead of chasing paperwork.

John and Nikki decided to put all their energy and attention in the home they’ve created. John gave up the idea of an office in Auckland and saved substantial city rent in the process. Now, rather than having an empty and sterile show home in a remote location, they have their own comfortable home, that's already drawn some attention. And their home is the base of their new venture - a prefabricated sustainable and architecturally designed house called modhouse.

In 2001, Lindsay Schack and Lindsey Love both started a Masters of Architecture at Montana State University. A decade on, the two friends created Love Schack Architecture together, from their respective home towns in Montana and Idaho. Love Schack Architecture combines Lindsey Love's experience and passion for natural materials, with Lindsay Schack's Certification as a Passive House Institute-US, Consultant.

After working as a Building Surveyor for over thirteen years, Nick Gaites is now turning his attention to the positive work of designing really awesome buildings that shouldn't need to the services a surveyor down the track. Nick has become a Certified Passive House Designer.

In 2003, thermal performance requirements for residential buildings were added to the Building Code of Australia for the first time. The initial performance requirement was 4 Stars in the National House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) as simulated using the benchmark software AccuRate. In 2006, the requirement rose to 5 Stars, then to 10 Stars in 2010. This all sounds great. The increasing rating requirements of NatHERS provides a measurable and predictable target for improving the energy efficiency of Australian homes. But the building products industry wanted to know, how accurate is AccuRate?

There's a new building enclosure consultancy in town. They're called Oculus and they've got a a great philosophy as well as a lot of international experience. I caught up with James Raimondo, a Senior Building Enclosure Engineer at Oculus to learn a bit more about the engineering and science of what they do.

Within the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, there is a small group of people dedicated to coordinating the efforts of over 20 Passive House Affiliate organisations around the world. This group is the the International Passive House Association (iPHA). Giorgia Tzar is the head of International Communications for iPHA and I caught up with her following the Passive House Conference in Heidelberg this year.

SIPs - Structural Insulated Panels are pretty much what they say they are. Why aren't more designers and builders using this way of building energy efficient, warm, dry houses?

Jessica Grove-Smith has a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Sussex, UK. She's studied in Australia and Spain, done volunteer work in Africa and India and completed an internship in Denmark. She wanted to do something meaningful with her knowledge of physics, and in 2008 Jessica began another internship, this time at the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt. Now she's a Senior Scientist and Director at the Institute.