Passive House Build in Action: Construction Update with Jan and Landon

Hello! This is Episode 398, and in it, I’m speaking with HOME Method members Jan and Landon, who are back to share an incredibly exciting construction update on their passive house new build in Sydney’s north.

This is the fifth instalment of Jan and Landon’s journey on the podcast. They’ve been sharing their story with us across Episodes 338, 339, 367 and 368, and if you haven’t heard those yet, I’d really recommend starting there to get the full picture of how this project has come together.

[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/398]

As a quick recap: Jan and Landon are building a new home and granny flat as a Passive House in Sydney’s north, on a site that has been in Landon’s family for over 70 years.

They’re both in their 70s and are building with very clear goals, to age in place well, to live sustainably, and to create a home that’s deeply aligned with their values and lifestyle.

As retired teachers, they’ve brought a wonderful learning mindset to this project. They joined HOME Method in January 2024 and have used it as a real foundation for their preparation and decision-making all the way through.

When we last caught up in Episodes 367 and 368, the project was well into design and the early stages of construction.

Now, things have moved very quickly, and the home is actually taking shape before their eyes.

Jan and Landon are living on the neighbouring lot to their construction site, so they can quite literally look out the window and watch their home going up.

One of the most compelling parts of this episode is hearing about the prefabricated wall cassette system their builder uses, and what that’s looked like in practice on site. In earlier episodes, we introduced this system in concept.

Jan and Landon walk us through the reality of it: visiting the panels being built in the factory, seeing the manufacturing drawings that translate the architect’s plans into something that can be precision-built offsite, and watching the entire shell of the house go up in just five days with a crane and a dedicated team.

It’s a fascinating, real-world account of what this construction methodology involves, and of how the precision and accuracy embedded in every stage of that process directly supports their passive house goals.

Plus, they share loads more helpful insights I know you’ll find super helpful for your project.

If you haven’t heard the previous instalments of Jan and Landon’s story, you can find them at www.undercoverarchitect.com/338, www.undercoverarchitect.com/339, www.undercoverarchitect.com/367 and www.undercoverarchitect.com/368.

Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/398.

Now, let’s dive in!

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/398

Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/ways

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when designing, renovating or building your future home inside my signature online program, HOME Method >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/

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