The Booken Journal
Browse sustainable building tips and passive design how-to articles, plus peek behind-the-scenes for a ‘warts and all’ look at all we learned while building our own off-grid Booken House.
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Seven Essential Questions to Ask a Building Designer
It can be tricky to find a building designer or architect who shares your vision for creating a home that’s affordable AND good for the planet. Here’s seven questions to ask before signing on.
Should I Owner-Build?
Going owner-builder might have saved us in excess of 100K, but it also shaved about ten years off my life. Let’s break it down.
Passively Designed, not Passive House
The difference between a passively designed home and a passive-certified home can be confusing. Read on to explore the difference using a bad hockey analogy, and hear why we never aspired for Booken House to be a certified passive home.
Choosing the Right Windows on a Budget
Correct selection, placement and shading of glazing is your ticket to sweet bugger all utility bills (or zero in our case), a comfy temperature all year round, and less impact on the planet.
Behind the Scenes of a Flip House
Just look at this beautiful home, Ethelbrook, being a big ol’ show-off, proving even when you are a west-facing, faux-brick ugly duckling on an urban block, it’s possible to be brought back to life with hard work and simple passive design principles.
Master Bedroom Makeover of Booken House
A behind-the-scenes look at a mini-maker of the master bedroom in an off-grid passively designed home, Booken House.
All the Benefits of Off-grid Without the Hassle
Living off the grid is the bomb (I mean, zero electricity bills and minimal impact on the planet is pretty cool), but the bit that no one tells you is - you don’t actually have to live off-grid to access many of the benefits.
How to Orientate Your Home
Would you like free heat, abundant natural light and comfort all year round in your new home or reno? Then good orientation needs to go at the top of your priority list.
Answers to Your Concrete Floor Questions
We get asked lots of questions about our burnished concrete floors (not polished), so here are all the answers compiled into one easy-to-access place.