Thursday 13 August 2026 | 1:00pm - 2:30pm 

Overview

The 1973 energy crisis prompted the Australian building industry to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling, leading architects and designers to explore energy-efficient building design. From the mid-1970s, some of Australia's first passive solar buildings were constructed, including several in Tasmania.

This presentation traces the development of passive solar housing in Tasmania from 1975 to 2024. It examines how early American passive solar principles—particularly the use of thermal mass and north-facing glazing—were adapted to suit Tasmania's climate. Through monitoring and analysing the thermal performance of completed buildings, designers progressively refined their approaches and improved outcomes.

The presentation also explores the impact of thermal simulation tools such as AccuRate and FirstRate, introduced in Australia in 2004, which enabled designers to evaluate building performance during the design process rather than relying solely on prescriptive guidelines. Drawing on a wide range of Tasmanian case studies, the presentation highlights nearly five decades of experimentation, innovation, and learning in passive solar design, demonstrating how different strategies achieved varying levels of thermal performance success.

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