Start here · Essential guide
Sustainable Renovation Principles for Beginners
A beginner's guide to low-impact renovation: whether to build at all, reuse first, choose materials with care, protect health and do the work in a sensible order.
Running a Lighter Home
Sustainable Renovation and Materials
Planning repairs and renovations around materials, order of work and safety.
Embodied Carbon in Building Materials Explained
What embodied carbon means, which building materials tend to carry the most, why it is hard to measure precisely and how to reduce it in a home project.
Flooring Choices and Their Environmental Footprints
Compare common floor materials on lifespan, sourcing and upkeep, from solid wood and tile to carpet, vinyl and bamboo, and see which questions to ask before buying.
Furniture Reuse, Refurbishing and Secondhand Buying
How to judge secondhand furniture, restore it with simple methods and reuse it safely, including checks for structure, pests, finishes and upholstery fillings.
Low-VOC Paints and Indoor Air While Decorating
What volatile organic compounds in paint are, how to read low-VOC labels with care, and how to ventilate and plan decorating to protect indoor air.
Natural Insulation Materials and Their Trade-offs
Compare sheep's wool, wood fibre, cellulose, hemp, cork and other natural insulation with mineral wool and foam on moisture, cost, fire, pests and installation.
Old Paint, Asbestos and Dust During Renovation
An educational overview of lead paint, asbestos and fine dust in older homes, why testing comes before disturbing anything, and when to hire a professional.
Planning a Home Retrofit in the Right Order
Why the order of retrofit work matters: assess first, fix damp and draughts, insulate, plan ventilation, then size heating and finish surfaces last.
Reclaimed and Salvaged Building Materials
How to source, inspect and reuse salvaged timber, bricks, tiles and fittings, including checks for hazards, structural suitability and what not to reuse.
Related topics
More in running a lighter home
Energy and Carbon at Home Cut household and workplace energy use and understand where emissions come from. Water and Indoor Air Use water wisely and understand air and water quality at home. Sustainable Home Spaces Rooms, repairs, garden and routines for a lower-impact home. Heating, Cooling and Insulation How homes gain and lose heat, and the measures that make comfort cheaper to maintain. Appliances and Laundry Running washing machines, dryers, fridges and other appliances with less energy and water.