For Pro Clima Australia General Manager, Thomas van Raamsdonk, educating builders and consumers about how to build healthy homes is not just a job but a calling.

Since arriving in Australia from Europe 12 years ago, Thomas has made it his mission to inform builders and consumers about the issues surrounding ‘leaky buildings’ – namely those with condensation and mould issues. This will be the topic of his presentation Leaky Buildings in Australia: Systematic failure in construction at this month’s Master Builders Green Living Conference.

“We are at a point right now where we are making the same mistakes that many European and North Amercian countries made over the past 20-years, and paid dearly for,” Thomas said.

“I see my role as making people aware that insulation is not the silver bullet when it comes to a healthy, energy efficient home. It is only one part of the bigger picture,” he said.

“It is unwise to design a building without thinking about how to deal with internally driven moisture – you must consider the consumer’s needs, the type of home and the local climate.”

Thomas emphasises the need for pre-planning and simulated testing with programmes such as WUFI before building, to virtually test the energy flow and moisture flow through the building envelope.

“You can then design a building envelope using real material data and identify if there are issues before you actually build,” Thomas said.

“This saves money in the short and long term because having a poorly performing home is a liability that can easily be prevented,” he said.

“Building a healthy, mould free home takes a holistic approach but the first steps here in Australia are ensuring people are aware of the problem and how to address it.”

Leaky walls: Condensation build up within the wall cavity can be unhealthy and costly in the long run.

To hear more about how to prevent condensation in building, and other energy efficient innovations, book now for the Green Living Conference.

Date: Friday, 22 August.

Time: 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Venue: BLSC, South Melbourne.

Cost: $70 for members. $100 for non-members.

Book now.