There’s plenty to think about when starting from scratch. Briefings, consultations, dreams and ideas eventually evolve to become four walls with a number of dynamic spaces elevated by materials and choices made by an architect.

The evolution of a project from a mere idea through renderings and concepts into something tangible is a feeling unmatched in the built environment. The sense of wonder and completion felt by an architect and their client, especially in the residential space, is unique to every project.

With carbon reductions becoming a part of legislation and worldwide commitments in recent past, these feelings of completion are accompanied by an understanding that a project will complement its local environment. Energy systems, such as solar, are becoming commonplace. As are concrete floors and floorplates composed in such a way to maximise natural light and cross ventilation. Even with new developments, certain recycled elements that have been placed back into the resource pool that drive down carbon emissions and assist in the race to reaching net zero, whenever that may be.

The implementation of these elements and creation of new dwellings is showcased each year with the Single Dwelling (New) category up for grabs at the Sustainability Awards. Eligible projects are brand new Class 1a Buildings that have been erected in the past 12 months.

Dwellings nominated and shortlisted demonstrate a balance between dual considerations of usability (as outlined in the client brief) and ongoing sustainability outcomes.

The design will be original both in its response to the client brief and in the way it tackles issues of sustainability as related to single dwelling homes, and represent a holistic and innovative approach to achieving best practice sustainability outcomes: from material sourcing to implementation and the building’s ongoing maintenance.

The key considerations of the category include response to client brief, originality and creativity in tackling challenges, high levels of liveability, long-lived and easily maintainable solutions, relevance to context and high levels of research.

Long-time Sustainability Awards partners Stormtech will sponsor the Single Dwelling (New) category in 2022. High-end drainage solutions created by Stormtech have been a cornerstone of both new and existing projects for some time. The rigorous quality control tests conducted by Stormtech on their products ensures durability, which is an inherent quality of sustainability.

Building from the blank canvas is a challenge accepted by all architects at some point during their careers, with the Single Dwelling (New) category at the Sustainability Awards the ideal way to be rewarded for the efforts in creating a sustainable dwelling from the ground up. If there’s a project that you or someone you know that you deem to be worthy of nomination, we would love to see it. Submit it here.