“On paper, six or seven competitive builders trying to run one organisation together makes no sense.”

In this episode, we sit down with Bec Kempster, the brilliant Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Sustainable Builders Alliance (SBA), to talk about the messy, necessary business of upgrading the Australian construction sector. Recording from Matt’s newly completed Grand Designs home, we strip back the hype and discuss how the SBA transitioned from a grassroots cause into a highly structured, professional association shaking up national building standards.

Bec shares insights from her eclectic background. Spanning commerce degrees, corporate head office fit-outs, and co-founding business coaching systems for architects, to reveal how the SBA is systematically tackling the biggest bottlenecks in the trade. We break down the SBA’s Theory of Change, detailing their current work with TAFEs to build localised trade courses, and their mission to establish crystal-clear definitions for high-performance builds so the market can finally stomp out greenwashing.

We also take a look at the data from the SBA's newly released State of the Market report. Bec details the hidden category of "transitioning builders". These are tradespeople who build above code but fail to market it, and drops the statistical proof that builders who explicitly sell health, comfort, and performance secure nearly double the forward pipeline of their competitors.

We chat about the reality of custom build costs, volume builder challenges, and why vulnerability and education are a builder's best defence against insolvency in a volatile economy.

Whether you are a seasoned builder, an architect looking for better site execution, or a transitioning tradie ready to stop faking it, this episode delivers raw, unfiltered site-level truths.

Make sure to listen through to the end to grab your 15% SBA membership discount code!

00:00:Introduction

01:32: Meet Bec Kempster: Managing Six Builders

05:05: From Nightclubs to Architect Coaching: Bec’s Journey

09:44: The Business of Architecture vs. The Building Trade

13:16: Leaving the Past & Aligning with Sustainability

21:20: The Material Lifespan & Circular Economy

22:36: Unpacking the Five Pillars of the Theory of Change

23:51: TAFE Collaborations with Melbourne Polytechnic

28:41: Industry Collaborations: From Renew to Master Builders

30:10: Changing the Name? Builders Alliance vs. Building Alliance

34:49: Overcoming the Industry’s Lack of Education

39:06: Volume Builders & The Impact of 7-Star Verification

40:04: State of the Market Report: The Transitioning Builder

41:41: Documenting the Journey: Content Strategies for Tradies

48:07: High Performance vs. Custom Build Realities

49:45: The Real Cost of Matthew’s Grand Designs House

51:55: Celebrating Social Traders Certification

LINKS:

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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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