
More good and less bad
From Mindful Builder by Matthew Carland and Hamish White
May 24, 2026 · 1h 13m · Episode 118
About this episode
The episode discusses improving building practices in Australia to create better, more sustainable homes.
“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…
People in this episode
Hosts: Matthew Carland, Hamish White
Guest: Andy Marlow
Topics covered
- sustainable building
- Passive House principles
- building performance
- holistic sustainability
- construction mistakes
- home comfort
Keywords
- sustainable construction
- building performance
- Passive House
- Living Building Challenge
- home comfort
- construction mistakes
- holistic sustainability
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Envirotecture, Pro Clima, Passive House, Living Building Challenge
Places: Australia, Sydney
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