Concrete might be the backbone of our built environment, but it’s also one of the world’s biggest emitters.

In this episode, Dean sits down with Dylan Viviers from Holcim to unpack how low carbon concrete is reshaping the construction industry from the ground up.

They dig into:

• What low-carbon concrete actually is (and how it performs on site)
• Busting the myths: strength, setting time, and cost
• Holcim’s EcoPact range and how it achieves real carbon reductions
• Using recycled aggregate, admixtures, and new tech
• The road to net zero, and what builders, engineers and architects can do now

If you’re in the trade and ready to build better, this one’s for you.

Links and references:

• Holcim EcoPact (Australia) — overview of Holcim’s low-carbon concrete range.
• Holcim Sustainability & Net Zero Strategy — outlines their four decarbonisation pillars mentioned in the episode.
• Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) explained – EPD Australasia — for context on how embodied carbon is measured.
• GBCA Green Star Ratings — referenced in the conversation about climate-active certification and sustainability targets.
• Climate Active – Carbon Neutral Certification (Australia) — explains the certification Dean and Holcim both underwent.
• ESR Australia — Industrial property developer leading sustainability initiatives in tenders.
• Alero Group — Commercial and industrial developer referenced for their sustainability approach.

Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au

From coal loaders to clean energy, Finn Peacock’s journey mirrors Australia’s shift toward renewables. In this episode, Dean sits down with the founder of SolarQuotes.com to unpack what’s really happening in the solar and battery space, and what builders, architects and homeowners need to know right now.

They cover:

• Finn’s path from electrical engineer to solar expert
• The truth about system quality, pricing and installer standards
• How to futureproof new builds with solar ready design
• Common traps to avoid when choosing solar and batteries
• The rise of electrification and what it means for the building industry
• Real talk on solar payback, grid realities, and designing homes that work with energy, not against it.

Links & references:

• SolarQuotes.com.au — Finn Peacock’s company.
• SolarQuotes Blog — practical insights and explainers for installers and homeowners.
• Clean Energy Council – Approved Solar Retailers & Installers — useful link for listeners wanting to check credentials.
• ARENA – Australian Renewable Energy Agency — for context on current solar and battery initiatives in Australia.
• CSIRO Energy Research — where Finn previously worked before founding SolarQuotes.

Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au

Concrete and carbon get all the airtime, but over the next two weeks, we zoom in on the indoor environment.

In part one of this chat, Dean talks with building biologist Zara D'Cotta about the five pillars of a healthy home (air, light, water, low-EMF, low-tox), what NCC 2022 condensation changes really mean on site, and the simple design choices that stop you building a mould pit.

We'll be back with part two, next week.

We cover:

• Zara’s backstory: cancer, mystery symptoms, and finding building biology
• The 5 pillars of a healthy home
• NCC 2022 condensation management: why “minimums” won’t save you
• Off-gassing 101: that “new home smell” is chemistry, not luxury
• Electrified homes: solar/batteries/induction—placement, distancing, and simple mitigations
• Passive House overlaps: airtightness, thermal bridges, HRV/ERV and why details matter
• Builder vs architect responsibilities: when to bring in a building biologist

Links and resources:

• Follow Zara on instagram: @zaradcotta_thehealthyhome
• Check out The Healthy Home's website: thehealthyhome.com.au
• National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 — Condensation Management Requirements
• More about passive house construction: https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/passive-house and https://www.passivhausassociation.com.au/
• Australian Building Codes Board — Condensation in Buildings Handbook: https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/resource/handbook/condensation-buildings-handbook-0
• Article about mould from the CSIRO: https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/articles/2020/august/dealing-with-mouldy-houses
• And another from the CSIRO on indoor air quality: https://research.csiro.au/infratech/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2024/12/3006_IndoorAirQuality_WCAG.pdf
• National Asthma Council — Mould and Your Health Factsheet: https://files.nationalasthma.org.au/resources/Mould-Trigger-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au

We’re back with Zara D'cotta from The Healthy Home to continue our chat about designing and building healthier homes.

This time, the conversation takes an unexpected turn, when Zara raises some concerns about low-carbon concrete. As a builder who’s used Holcim’s EcoPact mixes on site, he digs deeper to separate myth from material fact.

After Zara’s segment, you’ll hear directly from Holcim in response to the claims, bringing real world data and onsite context to the discussion.

In this episode:

• Picking up from Part 1: where health and sustainability intersect (and sometimes collide)
• Zara’s perspective on off-gassing, chemical content and embodied energy
• Dean’s practical take: what actually happens on site with low-carbon mixes
• Holcim’s response — performance, composition and environmental credentials
• Why facts matter when we talk about “healthy” and “sustainable” materials
• How builders can evaluate products without falling for fear or greenwash

Links and resources:

• Follow Zara on instagram: @zaradcotta_thehealthyhome
• Check out The Healthy Home's website: thehealthyhome.com.au
• Product overview for Holcim’s low-carbon concrete range (including EcoPact, EcoPact Max, and EcoPact Zero): https://www.holcim.com.au/ecopact
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all Holcim products: https://www.holcim.com.au/sds
• Third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) from Holcim Australia: https://www.holcim.com.au/epd
• What is an EPD? Learn more here: https://epd-australasia.com/what-is-an-epd/
• Holcim Sustainability and Net Zero Strategy: https://www.holcim.com/sustainability
• More about Green Star Building can be found here: https://new.gbca.org.au/green-star/rating-system/buildings/

Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au

Electrification seems to be the most practical, cost-effective pathway for Australian homes to cut emissions and save money.

In this episode, Dean sits down with author, engineer and electrification advocate Saul Griffith to break down the real opportunities in front of us, and what we know is already working.

They dig into the practical realities behind the headlines:

• Why rooftop solar is now so cheap in Australia and what that unlocks
• The five big household decisions that determine nearly all your emissions
• “Machine turnover”: how simply replacing things as they fail gets us most of the way to net zero
• How families with big energy loads can make electrification work (and sometimes make it fun)
• The policy failures that slow progress and the places Australia is already leading
• Why anxiety and guilt don’t drive climate action, but clarity and timing do

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Check out all things Saul at: https://www.saulgriffith.com/
• Grab a copy of 'Electrify: An Optimist's Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future': https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262545047/
• Follow Saul on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.electrify/
• Support Rewiring Australia: https://rewiringaustralia.org/
• Read 'The Electrification Tipping Point' by Rewiring Australia here: https://storage.googleapis.com/rewiring-aus-pdfs/The%20Electrification%20Tipping%20Point%20-%20Rewiring%20Australia%20-%20March%202025.pdf

Hosted by Dean Ipaviz, builder & director at Verdecon, creating high-performance, low-impact homes across Australia. Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au

Insurance is one of the biggest blind spots in the construction industry and often the most expensive. In this episode, Dean sits down with Dean Bowen, founder of DLB Insurance & Risk Solutions, to unpack what builders actually need to know about contract works, liability, claims, premiums, and the risks most policies never explain.

From why premiums have skyrocketed, to the truth about subbie injuries, internal labour-hire structures, and the massive gaps caused by facility broking, this conversation is a rare behind-the-scenes look at how insurance really works in construction..

Whether you’re a new builder or running a multi-million-dollar company, the insights here will help you understand your exposure, strengthen your risk strategy, and ask the right questions before you sign your next policy.

In this conversation they cover:

• Why most builders become ‘just another number’ under facility-brokered policies
• The real factors driving up insurance costs (materials, labour, weather events, subbie injuries)
• The biggest underwriting red flags and how long they follow you
• How insurers assess risk, premiums and loss ratios behind the scenes
• Why internal labour-hire entities are causing a wave of new disputes
• How builders should structure policies as they grow
• Emerging risks: cyber fraud, PI exposure, management liability and more
• The gap no one talks about: existing structure insurance in renovations (and the huge disputes it’s now causing)

This is Part 1 with Dean Bowen. Part 2 will tackle the monster topic of Home Warranty Insurance in NSW, a complete minefield for new and growing builders.

Resources and Links:

• Find out more about DLB Insurance & Risk Solutions here: dlbinsurancerisk.com.au

Hosted by Dean Ipaviz, builder & director at Verdecon, creating high-performance, low-impact homes across Australia. Follow Dean Ipaviz and @_thebuiltenvironment on Instagram and visit thebuiltenvironment.com.au