eco friendly building

When you're trying to create a sustainable new home or renovation then using construction methods that have low site impact is important. In this section you'll find:

• Sustainable construction on slopes
• Tips for building on sloping sites

Sustainable construction on slopes

Flattened site? Or natural vegetation? Many councils in areas with lots of sloping land are starting to demand low impact construction - best achieved with lightweight framing and cladding - to minimize the site impact of residential construction.

For example, Gold Coast Council has developed controls to limit the scope and effect of any cut and fill because this type of construction tends to affect slope stability, erosion potential and "visual amenity". Cut and fill also affects the way stormwater traverses a site and can degrade the natural vegetation.

The Brisbane City Council has issued 15 Principles for Sustainable Development and some corresponding guidelines. Guideline 3 suggests:

• Maintaining the topography and minimizing cut and fill
• Retaining significant trees and other vegetation,
• Elevating building to allow airflow beneath floors

Tips for building on sloping sites

This video shows sustainable construction approaches at the award-winning Murrays Beach estate, on the shore of Lake Macquarie in NSW.

This article provides a comparison of some of the costs associated with building on slopes:

Building on slopes