Think Brick Australia’s new online Climate Design Wizard encourages the public to pursue energy efficiency.
July 15th, 2009
As weather conditions increase in severity and energy prices are ever-mounting, Think Brick Australia has launched a Climate Design Wizard to alleviate the pressure.
The online tool was designed to educate the public about how to harness climates to reduce energy consumption and build environmentally sustainable homes.
A recent study shows that 71 per cent of New South Wales homeowners perceive energy efficiency as being irrelevant or a minor consideration in their decisions to purchase houses.
Leading environmental architect Tone Wheeler is concerned with this line of thinking and the negative repercussions such misconceptions will have on the environment.
He contends, “as Australia continues to experience more extreme weather patterns – meaning longer, hotter summers, more severe storms and ongoing drought conditions – it is bewildering that energy efficient house design is not at the forefront of Australians’ minds. And the key to energy efficiency is designing the home to fit the climate.”
Responding to weather conditions will significantly reduce, or even eliminate, a home’s energy use during various times of the year, thereby lowering costs and decreasing ecological implications.
Valuing this approach, Think Brick Australia’s Climate Design Wizard offers a century of climate data across 27 Australian climate zones and tips as to how to best manipulate this information to design sustainable outcomes.
The free website provides ideas and advice on air temperature, humidity, heating and cooling degree hours, solar irradiation and sky condition, rainfall and wind data specific to different locations around the country.
CEO of Think Brick Australia, Linda Ginger, recognizes the importance of building homes to fit the climate, “Not only are we reducing the burden on the environment and therefore future generations but as energy costs are set to soar, total reliance on mechanical and heating will become cost prohibitive.”
The wizard “…provides simple and easy advice to anyone who is looking to reduce their reliance on space heating and cooling and achieve natural thermal comfort,” explains Ginger.
To access the Climate Design Wizard, visit designingforclimate.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Create a configuration to suit your needs with this curved collection.
Earthy orchards and elemental processes form the design genesis of Aesop’s store at ION Orchard in Singapore.

New Italian brands launch in Sydney. Read on to find out how you could attend the launch event.
Materia is an international design collaboration exploring and promoting the design possibilities of cork.
Education design cannot be overlooked when we think about the future of our built environments. From architecturally inspired schools, to the break down of physical barriers to learning – the way we design our education facilities says a lot about what we care about in society.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Esteemed international practice OMA has completed AIR in Singapore, a genre-straddling project defined by openness and an emphasis on waste.
Art, design, architecture and hospitality all combine perfectly at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne by BAR Studio and Cottee Parker.
Suitable for dual and multi-screen configurations, this monitor arm from Colebrook Bosson Sanders breaks new ground in terms of usability and ergonomic design.
Overcoming pandemic hurdles to redefine guest experiences amidst Sydney’s bustling entertainment precinct, The Darling has undergone a two-year restoration that melds Art Deco interiors with the necessities of hotel living.