Habitats for life: sustainable micro villages | Paul Barnett | TEDxCanberraSalon

Why do we live the way we do? In this talk, architect Paul Barnett challenges us to look at why we live in the kinds of houses we do, and proposes a more sustainable way to design our homes.

Paul Barnett is Director of Paul Barnett Design Group Pty ltd.

PBDG works at the leading edge of environmental sustainability, with recognition and awards in Passiv Haus design, 10 star housing and Environmentally Sustainable building design in Education, Institutional Architecture and the Private Sector.

The buildings PBDG create are built to extremely high standards for durability and low maintenance.
A range of Procurement and Cost Management strategies are engaged to create these results.

His firm promotes Artisanship in all sectors of the Building Trades and specialising in Brickwork, Timber, Glass, Steel and interiror and exterior cladding systems.

[sofiamajewski]

Well done, Paul! Your talk is authentic, original, fresh and you totally live your work. I love your use of natural, almost accidental, but beautifully subtle humour! A perfect example of having a conversation with your audience about an idea worth spreading.
Generously, you offered to your audience advice about a sustainable and better way to live in a habitat for life !

[missesedo]

Would Love to know what ACTPLA thinks of this in terms of multiple dwellings on the same title block. I like the idea that as the family expands and contracts the build environment can accommodate the fluctuations in occupants in a cost effective and eco friendly manner. As a father of a young family who is trying to enter the property market I constantly find myself struggling with the idea of investing in a 4 bedroom Canberra home when your budget realistically only allows for 3. Like you Paul there will come a time when a 3 bedroom brick veneer home in belconnen will No longer suffice for a family of four (plus interstate family visitors and potential grand parents requiring housing for old age). The idea of adding additional pods to an existing family home could alleviate the need to uproot the family from their home and move elsewhere in search of space. Asthetically would be interesting to see this in action too. Surely the unconventinallity of this idea would lend itself well to some beautiful designs. Anyhow, nice work Paul- very interesting. As noted my only concern is the ridgity of the ACT Govenrmennt when confronted with multiple dwellings on a single block. I suspect the residential development zones code would make this idea difficult in to get approval in Canberra

[forcryinoutloud]

This was really interesting. I'm disappointed there weren't actual pictures of the pods that you built for your daughter though. I'd be interested to see how it turned out over a drawing of it.

I love the idea of the garden inside, and no longer needing to heat or cool the space. In regards to the bathroom/plumbing. Are you just hooked up to the same plumbing system your house is, or do you have a special type of septic system set up?