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Mindful Builder

Mindful Builder

By: Matthew Carland and Hamish White
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Join Matt from Carland Constructions and Hamish from Sanctum Homes in a podcast discussing sustainable building practices and passive house concepts. They also talk to experts from all avenues of the building industry to share their knowledge and insights on what the industry looks like today. Further to this, Matt and Hamish are building a platform through the podcast to discuss mental health issues that arise in the building industry. The industry can be quite negative at times and there is a great deal of stigma around what it means to be a "tradie". Matt and Hamish are here to shine a light of positivity on the industry and share relatable topics that will help you in your own building or construction business.Copyright 2026 Matthew Carland and Hamish White Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Chatting with Australias most dialled in builder

    Chatting with Australias most dialled in builder
    Jun 14 2026
    In this episode, we sit down with Jackson from Enduro Builders in Adelaide to talk high performance homes, energy efficient construction, and what it actually takes to build houses that perform year after year. We recorded inside a Passive House, and once you feel that level of comfort and stability, it’s hard to accept what “normal” housing has been getting away with.Jackson has been building certified Passive Houses and energy efficient homes in South Australia for more than a decade, and he keeps it simple. No magic. No secret sauce. Just good design, tight detailing, and refusing to cut corners where it counts. We take a look at what makes a home feel consistently warm (or cool), how the building envelope does the heavy lifting, and why comfort is a measurable outcome, not a marketing line.One of the best parts of this chat is how practical Jackson is about targets. Not every project needs certification, and not every client wants the same thing. We talk Passive House principles, performance tiers, and how to choose the right materials and systems for the brief, the budget, and the climate. The point is not the badge. The point is building performance, durability, and homes people can actually afford to live in.We also get into the real-world negotiations builders face: design vs function, heating choices (including hydronic heating and wood fires), and what “cosy” really means in a well-built home. Plus, Jackson shares why he’s using Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in his own build, and why systems and processes are the backbone of a sustainable building business. If you’re a builder, architect, designer, or homeowner who cares about sustainable construction in Australia, this episode will shift how you think about good building.👇 CHAPTER MARKERS 👇00:00 Introduction01:08 Enduro Builders And Climasure03:33 Scaling Passive House05:50 Cost Premium Breakdown07:54 Airtight Ceiling Strategy11:01 Performance Solutions16:20 Three Build Standards17:34 Design Build Debate22:56 Selling Comfort Not Tech26:20 Rammed Earth Benefits29:07 Solar Shading Tradeoffs31:35 Hydronic Negotiations33:52 Designing His Own Home36:39 Forever House Priorities37:48 Design Choices and Tradeoffs38:50 Healthy Home and Fire Safety41:28 CLT Structure and Insulation43:43 Bushfire and Wind Detailing44:51 Windows and Supply Chain46:01 Interior Finishes and Joinery47:29 Build Schedule and Winter Risks51:43 Business Numbers and WIP57:09 Coaching and Better Systems01:03:27 Mindful MomentLINKS:Enduro Builders: https://www.endurobuilders.com.au/Climasure: https://www.climasure.com.au/Our Sponsors:Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclimaMEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megtCR Kennedy - https://www.crkennedy.com.au/Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpodConnect with Hamish:Instagram: @sanctumhomesWebsite: www.yoursanctum.com.au/Connect with Matt: Instagram: @carlandconstructionsWebsite: www.carlandconstructions.com/
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • What is the end game of building ?

    What is the end game of building ?
    Jun 7 2026

    “Do we want 1.2 million crappy houses?” That’s the question Jesse Clark (pro clima) drops early in this episode, and it pretty much sets the tone. We talk about Australian housing supply, building quality, and why “more homes” is not the win if we’re locking in mould risk, discomfort, and expensive fixes for decades. If you care about better homes, healthier homes, and what the future of construction should actually look like, this one’s for you.

    Jesse’s whole approach is simple and repeatable building systems. We look at practical building science for real sites: the building envelope, airtightness, membranes, wraps, and the kind of construction details that can be done consistently across projects without relying on luck or one superstar tradie.

    A big focus is moisture management and ventilation, because moisture safety is the foundation of durable homes. We get into vapour-permeable assemblies, how leaky buildings happen, and why mould in Australian homes is often the outcome of small decisions made early. We also touch on the debate around energy efficiency and building codes (NCC), and how chasing energy targets without understanding moisture can create unintended consequences.

    If you’re a builder, architect, designer, certifier, or homeowner trying to understand high performance homes without the hype, this conversation will help. Topics include sustainable building, passive house principles, condensation control, indoor air quality, and what it takes to build homes that last in Australian climate zones.

    👇 CHAPTER MARKERS 👇

    00:00 Meet Jesse Clarke

    01:03 Simple Repeatable Systems

    01:36 Australia Study Origins

    02:12 Healthy Envelope Basics

    03:21 Tropics Mould Reality

    05:33 Future Building Trajectory

    07:17 Carbon Versus Health

    10:24 Energy Code Debate

    15:10 Density And Housing Targets

    19:13 Why Codes Move Slowly

    22:48 Standards Board Conflicts

    28:10 Membrane Standard Breakthrough

    30:57 R&D Heat and Vapour Tradeoffs

    34:48 Consensus Voting Explained

    38:22 Leaks and Insurance Policy Wraps

    42:04 Iterating to Build Better

    43:19 Builder Journey Timeline

    47:53 Mindful Moment Closing

    LINKS:

    Our Sponsors:

    Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

    MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

    Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

    Connect with Hamish:

    Instagram: @sanctumhomes

    Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

    Connect with Matt:

    Instagram: @carlandconstructions

    Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/
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    53 mins
  • Politics vs building

    Politics vs building
    May 31 2026
    We do not usually have politicians on the show, so sitting down with David Southwick, the Planning, Building, and Construction Minister for the Liberal Party’s Shadow government, made for a very different kind of conversation. Less product talk and site detail, more housing policy, building regulation, and the decisions that shape what builders can actually do on the ground. If you work in the construction industry in Australia, this episode is a useful look at the levers that affect your day to day.David’s path into politics is not the usual script. He has been a DJ, a businessman, and a small business owner, and that comes through in how he talks about the industry. A big theme is the need for governments to listen to builders, tradies, and industry experts, not just write rules from a distance. It is a practical conversation about decision-making, consequences, and what happens when policy does not match reality on site.We get into the messy part of the current housing market. Construction costs, interest rates, red tape, delays, and the pressure to increase housing supply fast. But we are not interested in building more homes if they are worse homes. We talk about affordability alongside build quality, comfort, durability, and the long-term cost of homes that underperform. This is where topics like tax, approvals, and compliance start to matter just as much as what happens on site.We also explore future-focused solutions like prefab housing, kit homes, and 3D printing in construction, plus the need for stronger trade education and longer apprenticeships to lift capability across the industry. The thread running through it all is confidence and certainty. Builders need stable settings to invest, hire, and train, and clients need confidence to commit. Whether you agree with David politically or not, this is a grounded builder reality check on how politics and construction intersect, and what needs to change to support better outcomes in Australian housing.👇 CHAPTER MARKERS 👇00:00 Welcome00:51 David’s Background Story03:40 Minister Role and Big Picture05:06 Housing Crisis and Targets06:10 Taxes and Cost Drivers08:08 Planning Delays and Infrastructure11:08 Confidence and Building Quality14:02 Future Housing and Prefab17:04 Tradies and Apprenticeships20:57 Rogue Builders and Regulation23:22 BPC Critique and Better Enforcement26:23 Promoting Good Builders27:08 Showcasing Great Builders27:59 Standards Should Be Accessible29:36 Minimum Financial Rules Critique31:25 Insurance Gaps And Defects34:41 NCC Freeze And Product Influence36:14 Cladding Liability Nightmare40:30 Red Tape Vs Quality Fixes45:22 Election Promises For Housing49:46 One Silver Bullet Certainty51:20 Getting Youth Into TradesLINKS:David Southwick: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/david-southwick/Our Sponsors:Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclimaMEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megtCR Kennedy - https://www.crkennedy.com.au/Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpodConnect with Hamish:Instagram: @sanctumhomesWebsite: www.yoursanctum.com.au/Connect with Matt: Instagram: @carlandconstructionsWebsite: www.carlandconstructions.com/Mentioned in this episode:Proclima Sponsor
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    57 mins
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