SUHO provides sustainability consulting and design services to increase the number of higher-performing, healthier and more sustainable buildings across Australia. They provide innovative solutions for architects, builders, developers and homeowners – seeking the best outcome for both the client and the planet.
Running for over 20 years, SUHO is unique in its position as they are continuing to support research with the CSIRO and other government bodies. SUHO also has an in-house studio, SUHOstudio, that designs high-performance homes that are both beautiful and sustainable. They have a proven track record of helping significant businesses to do their part for the planet in how their building performs.
After working for over 15 years as a building supervisor in construction, Jim Woolcock knew that he wanted buildings to be better for the people living in them. Jim saw first-hand how building’s energy efficiency could improve comfort and health for people and their homes. In addition to this, he understood that there were many benefits to making buildings more energy efficient: not only would it reduce carbon emissions, but it would also help lower bills and create a healthier environment to live in.
To ensure that people lived in buildings that were healthy, comfortable and economical, Jim founded House Energy Rating, now known as SUHO. He was determined to find ways of improving the built environment situation for everyone – regardless of income, wealth or location. Today, SUHO has grown into a company with over 20 employees across 2 offices in Melbourne and Adelaide that serves hundreds of businesses and homeowners across Australia each year. But their mission has remained constant: driving Australia’s transition to a more sustainable built environment.
The team at SUHO strongly believe that buildings should be designed with sustainability as a core value and not just an afterthought. That’s why SUHO is committed to creating innovative solutions that reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption while improving quality of life for those who live and work in Australia’s buildings. SUHO is also heavily involved in industry research, education and continues to push for better building standards. With an ever-growing team of experts in building science, energy-efficiency and sustainability, they continue to innovate new tools and services to make buildings better for the people who live, work or play in them—one building at a time.
HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE DO
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S FIRST 10 STAR HOME
The 10 Star Home has been built to the highest sustainability standards and offers the latest in home automation and energy efficiency. Proudly designed by SUHO Studio in 2020, the home features locally sourced materials and has been used as a benchmark display home for its energy efficiency and design.
The single-story home is airtight with triple-glazed windows, meaning no dust or outside noise can enter the home. By utilising a specialised ‘heat recovery system’ to manage ventilation, the home is comfortable year-round by offering an ambient temperature between 18°C to 26°C. The kitchen has fully integrated energy-efficient appliances that play their part in the home’s energy efficiency rating and usage and is carefully considered with the air tightness of the home.
Proving that design can be functional and pretty, all aspects of the home have been considered while achieving the 10-star rating. The all-electric home has a fully automated smart home system designed to make your life simpler. With a 5kw rooftop solar system and 4kw battery, this is sufficient to run the home with no ongoing energy bills. Outside the house, there is also an EV charging station ready to charge your energy efficient vehicle.
“Previously the CSIRO and developer of the NatHERS software didn’t have a 10 star home to analyse and input more data back into various new iterations of its assessment software. We took this as an opportunity to also heighten the awareness that Australia is significantly behind where other developed countries are in terms of building performance prior to mechanical or thermal intervention.” – Jim Woolcock, Director at SUHO.
The data from the 10 Star Home proves that in March 2022, the home ranged between 23 degrees to a max of 26.7°C without any heating or cooling.
This was an opportunity to also monitor those aspects of international standards of Passivhaus and other proven methods of construction that have shown to improve occupant health. SUHO’s 10 Star Home can regulate its own temperature and can fluctuate its own levels of interior humidity, CO2 , electrical output for mechanical or appliances, air movement and air pressure.
HUBBLE: AI TECHNOLOGY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMFORT AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy bills are continuing to increase across the world and yet most homeowners do not consider the impact on their homes. Energy efficiency is an obscure science that is often difficult to understand and can cause a lot of confusion. Hubble makes energy efficiency easy to understand and empowers each individual to make their own informed choices about different sustainable solutions. This tool explains the benefits of energy-efficient solutions in a language that the average person understands – by referencing comfort, health or bill savings.
Through 15 years in the construction industry, SUHO identified that there is a lack of homeowners adopting energy-efficient solutions in their homes. In our research, we found that material vendors often struggle to explain a compelling reason for homeowners to use their more energy-efficient products. Most homeowners lack an understanding of why they should choose energy-efficient solutions for example; higher property valuation, comfort, and a reduction in energy bills. We found that even energy efficiency experts find estimating and quantifying these benefits difficult.
“4 million possible scenarios that would take a human 42 years to arrive at the optimal balance between energy efficiency, comfort and cost!” — Marco Salinas, CEO of Hubble
Hubble is a solution that allows 4 million combinations of products identified so a homeowner can choose the right ones for their scenario and their home.
Hubble is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that uses artificial intelligence to predict property experiences for residential homes based on minimal building specifications. Hubble works with product vendors, construction companies and developers to bridge the language barrier between the construction industry and homeowners. The platform reduces the complexity of understanding energy efficiency by providing a 99% accurate estimated rating and the impacts on potential savings, comfort levels and carbon emissions. At Hubble, you can pick a design, find reliable vendors and understand how they impact your home’s expected performance.
SUHO has learnt a lot over its time as a business that assesses energy efficiency and building compliance in construction. With more than 15 years of experience, the data and knowledge gained from our client assessments led to a seeing a problem in the market – a communication barrier. Throughout Australia, homeowners continue to struggle with the expertise of identifying the benefits of energy efficient materials. What we now know as Hubble was presented internally to all SUHO staff and provided feedback, insights, and recommendations on how to launch this innovation into the market.
Hubble presents an opportunity for all people to understand the benefits of energy-efficient solutions. Other potential solutions in this space are limited to a small market that conducts heavy research before showing the intent to purchase. As Hubble uses AI technology and machine learning, instead of solely relying on technical experts for interpretation, the accessibility of the solution is open to a wider audience and the accuracy of these results increases.
INCLUSIVE HOUSING FOR ALL
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a housing solution for people with disabilities, which can be difficult to accommodate in existing homes. SDA Housing is designed to meet the specific needs of these individuals, providing them with a safe and comfortable living environment that allows them to continue living independently. In the year prior to June 2021, approximately 200,000 new homes were built across Australia (ABS 2022) – all of which were designed and constructed to meet the requirements of the National Construction Code. Over that same period in Australia, only 800 new homes were designed and built to meet the SDA requirements for varying levels of occupant accessibility (NDIS 2021). An average of this build rate shows that it would take nearly 20 years before there was a new SDA-compliant home built in every one of Australia’s 15,353 suburbs and localities.
Unfortunately, there are not enough inclusive homes to meet the demand of Australia’s growing population. This means many people who need them do not have access to affordable housing options that meet their needs. It is worth asking – is the minimum amount of space required by the NCC sufficient for everyone who might live there? Every designer and consultant knows that finding the right balance is key, SUHO’s belief is that the balance needs to account for a greater range of occupants over the entire lifespan of the building.
To help address this problem, SUHO has developed better, more considered designs for SDA homes that are inclusive of everyone. SUHO’s solution was to improve the quality and design of these homes meeting both high sustainability standards without compromising design or cost. They created an inclusive home that is fully accessible, easy to use and live in, and the result is an inclusive home for everyone—a house that can be adapted as the owner’s needs change over time.
BRIDGING THE GAP IN SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
When it comes to building a home, many people let their budget dictate the quality of the products they choose. This can lead to issues such as poor insulation, uncomfortable rooms, and even dangerous materials being used in the build.
Homeowners can also find themselves living in homes that do not meet their needs because of poor design choices or a lack of communication between the architect and builder. SUHO bridges the gap between In order to address these issues, they provide a number of service packages tailored to each client’s needs at an affordable price with a cost effective and energy efficient outcome.
SUHO provides a language between architects, disciplines and users with their new service packages. This innovative approach to the industry allows individuals to work out what their needs are.
SUHO understands that homeowners, architects and builders all have different needs when it comes to building a new home. That’s why every project is unique, with a solution specifically designed to meet the demands of each customer. SUHO provides customised service packages for your home and offers a range of high-quality tailored solutions for any budget. These packages provide homeowners with affordable building solutions while also increasing the comfort and energy efficiency of the home.
This solution has allowed our clients to have happier home occupants with comfortable homes without increasing the build costs. If you’re looking for an energy-efficient and comfortable build, SUHO will work with you until you’re satisfied with the finished product.
