Biophilia - Wood in the Built Environment

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Biophilic design incorporates the innate affinity of humans for nature by including elements of the natural world in building design. Interaction with nature can relieve stress, increase health and encourage a positive mindset. How can you design buildings which are that good for people? It is important to connect living spaces of the home with nature, to bring in natural light and incorporate outside views. Designing well ventilated spaces means that ample fresh air can pass through open windows and doors, and the use of natural materials for the interior and exterior of a build can enhance wellbeing. Materials that

Architects Declare - What next?

Monday, November 18, 2019

Imports of building material have been on the rise in Australia in recent years, but has the worldwide Architects Declare movement shone a light on the product of local manufacturers in the respective regions of members? The aim of Architects Declare is to consider the overall impact to the environment when designing structures of tomorrow. Confirming the sources of raw materials, manufacturing methods, and reducing the travelling distance of construction items all impact the overall footprint of each project. Local job growth and the continuing development of skills in Australia is also an important consideration. The range of products still

Windows - the Eyes of a Building

Wednesday, November 06, 2019

The character of a building can be altered by the form and colour of windows and doors. Custom made windows are available in a variety of shapes, with or without bars, and can be finished in a range of solid colours or stains. Shapes Possible to make - aside to rectangular windows - include round, angled and bay windows, or windows with arched tops. Some have glass meet in the corners without frames, while others have just a minimal strip to cover the spacer between the glass layers in double or triple glazing. Large fixed picture windows for modern homes

Architects declare Climate Emergency

Monday, October 07, 2019

Recently hundreds of leading architects in Australia declared a ‘climate and biodiversity emergency’ and joined architects around the world. The group called Architects Declare Australia has as their goal – ‘to ;encourage architects to design buildings that are less wasteful, more adaptable and much more environmentally friendly’. Buildings account for nearly 40 per cent of greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions The group wants to raise awareness and are calling for the urgent need for action in the built environment, and also among their clients and supply chains. Paarhammer is part of this supply chain, making windows and doors. Right from the

FREE Expert Window Advice

Monday, September 02, 2019

Not just suppliers of beautiful windows and doors, with nearly 30 years of manufacturing windows and doors in Australia you can turn to Paarhammer for expert advice and innovative solutions for your build. Visit the factory and showroom in Ballan to discuss your project and see what Paarhammer can do for you. There is also the opportunity to visit the new 360 degree interactive showroom on the website and organise a virtual meeting via Facetime or Skype. With a Masters in cabinetmaking and joinery, and almost 40 years’ experience – of which 29 are in Australia – Tony is a

RACV Tiny Home Open this weekend

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The RACV Tiny Home is on display this weekend from 10am to 4pm behind Her Majesty’s Theatre as part of Open House Melbourne. Designed by architect Peter Maddison from Grand Designs Australia, it features a Paarhammer bi-fold door as part of sustainable living. Using smart design principles and carefully chosen materials, this concept showcases what contributes to creating a home that is not only comfortable to live in but more affordable to run. The floor space of the Tiny Home is just 18.75 square meter with a head space of 3.6 meter, the weight is 7.5 tonnes and it features

Keep warm this winter

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Paarhammer run their window manufacturing facilities sustainably, including their waste reduction system. All sawdust and offcuts are shredded and compressed into wood briquettes. No glue is used, only high pressure, and the outcome are briquettes with a density and heat output equal to Redgum. These briquettes are offered to the public in spud crates of around 800-900kg. They are suitable for all wood heaters, so why not stay warm this winter and do something for the environment at the same time. Get your box of wood-briquettes for just $83 per around 1m3 including GST. Pick-up only, please call 03 53681999

Residential Scorecard for Victoria

Monday, November 28, 2016

The Victorian Government has been moving ahead with the development of a Residential Efficiency Scorecard (the Scorecard). While the Scorecard is targeted at existing homes, it can also be used to assess new homes. The Scorecard is a web based tool that will enable a trained assessor to identify and record information about the fabric of a home (including fixed appliances) where it affects the energy or hot weather performance. The Scorecard tool will then produce a rating for the home, a hot weather rating, rate individual home features and provide recommendations on upgrade options. The Scorecard is currently being

Low VOC finished Windows for Health

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, contribute negatively to air pollution (e.g. smog), and forms ground level ozone which can irritate the eyes and lungs, and can result in breathing problems. Ozone can also harm vegetation, crops and trees. VOCs contribute negatively to indoor air quality through emissions, during and after curing, and as a result impacts on individual health and wellbeing. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) looks at reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds released into the internal atmosphere by building materials, typically through solvents, paints and adhesives. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short

Wood: Australia's most loved material

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Wood continues to grow as the most loved material among Australians. In a recent survey WoodSolutions found that most Australians are likely to choose wood over other materials for various uses. Wood remains the most loved material and is unmatched on attributes relating to aesthetics and sustainability. Wood is seen as far more natural, warm, timeless, uplifting and versatile than other materials.    Almost half of consumers love wood (47%), compared to 25% for the closest competitor (modified wood), 9% love steel, 7% aluminium and only 2% plastic. Advantages of using timber Wood has unique characteristics and offers several environmental advantages:

Draft proof your home for savings and comfort

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Draft is the enemy of energy efficiency. Drafts or air leakages are year-round issues: in winter, they allow valuable warm air to escape and unwanted external cold air to enter; in summer, the reverse occurs. Seal your building and you will save money on annual heating and cooling costs, and the size of your heating and cooling system, while improving the health and comfort of occupants. Air leakages occur in many parts of the building envelope but we are taking a look here specifically at windows. Air leakage of windows is measured in litres of air per second per square

Grand Designs Australia - 5x4 Hayes Lane

Thursday, October 29, 2015

A small footprint, passive design, and sustainable products were the focal point when designing this home in inner city Melbourne. With dimensions of just 5 x 4 meters the Haynes Lane Project is an impressive example of what is possible when good design meets client focus and principles. Paarhammer Windows and doors are part of this project. We invite you to watch the show about this interesting building, airing on Foxtel on the 5 November at 8.30pm on 106 Lifestyle Channel. If you are unable to catch the airing of the episode at this time, 106 Lifestyle Channel is re-running