“I don’t understand why people build houses like this.” If you have ever said that on site after spotting a leaky junction, a sweaty wall, or a home that is freezing in winter and cooking in summer, you are not alone. This conversation is our pushback against the shortcuts that have become normal in the Australian building industry. The whole point of More Good and Less Bad is simple. Build better homes, make fewer mistakes, and deliver healthier, more comfortable results through better building performance and smarter decisions.

We recorded this one at Pro Clima HQ in Sydney with Andy Marlow, director at Envirotecture and a certified Passive House designer. Andy has a rare ability to talk about sustainable building without the greenwashing and without making it feel like a lecture. The focus is on outcomes that matter to homeowners and builders alike. Homes that perform, homes that last, and homes that do not quietly fail behind the plaster.

We also dig into the Living Building Challenge, because it is one of the few sustainability frameworks that does not let you cherry-pick the easy bits. It looks at the full picture of holistic sustainability in construction, including materials, energy, water, and health. Not because every project needs a badge, but because it forces better questions about what sustainable construction really means when you zoom out and look at long-term impact.

Finally, we talk about making Passive House principles more buildable and accessible through Andy’s Passive House Design and Construct model. Pre-designed, high-performance homes that still leave room for personal choice, without reinventing the wheel every time. We also share the lessons we have learned the hard way, and why building with intention is about mindset, systems, and balancing the ideal with what is financially feasible and genuinely buildable on real sites.

👇 CHAPTER MARKERS 👇

00:00 Introduction

01:55 Meet Andy Marlow - Envirotecture

03:31 Andy’s Path to Architecture

06:18 Living Building Challenge Explained

10:32 Materials Red List and Declare

17:08 Envirotecture Origins and Merge

23:15 Passive House Beyond Five

25:26 Quality Assurance and Certification

31:39 Why Start PH Design Construct

34:17 Cutting Costs With Standard Plans

34:44 Builder Territories And Low Touch Builds

37:13 Margins Overheads And Markup Debate

37:54 Repeat Builds And Site Variables

39:56 Prefab Options Straw Hempcrete

47:52 Cost Transparency And Pricing Stages

52:45 Solving Housing With Design Construct

57:17 Certification Limits And Client Expectations

01:02:07 Mindful Moment And Closing Reflections

LINKS:

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Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

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Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

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